San Francisco Diller Teen Fellows Program Coordinator

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Diller Teen Fellows is an immersive experiential education program for 11th graders designed to inspire and promote Jewish engagement and leadership among Jewish youth. This international program began in San Francisco 20 years ago and has since expanded to include 32 communities across North and South America, South Africa, Australia, Europe, and Israel.

The program is sponsored by the Helen Diller Family Foundation and the Federation. Over the course of the 12-month program, Diller Teen Fellows focus on:

• Jewish identity development
• Leadership skills development
• Israel exploration and connection
• Community service and tikkun olam

Each year, 20 Bay Area teens are selected to participate in the program in parallel with 20 Diller Teen Fellows in the Upper Galilee. The two groups participate in a curriculum which includes:

• 13 Sunday workshops
• 3 weekend retreats/Shabbatonim
• A ten-day Bay Area visit by 20 Israeli teens from the Upper Galilee to learn about the local Jewish community
• A 3-week Israel Summer Seminar bringing North American and Israeli teens together for an intensive immersive experience

POSITION SUMMARY 

The Diller Coordinator serves as the primary facilitator, educator, mentor, and guide to the 20 teens in each Diller cohort as they participate in a year of Jewish and general identity exploration, reflection on their leadership skills and growth areas, their relationship to the Jewish community and Israel, and their feelings for and engagement in tikkun olam. The Coordinator interacts with participating teens through full-group workshops and Shabbatonim, as well as in small group and 1:1 meetings with each teen. This work is focused on relationship development, as well as mentoring. The Coordinator’s primary role is to help each teen explore her/his relationship to Jewish life and community, as well as deepen her/his relationship to serving in leader and follower roles. Coordinators also focus significant energy and time helping teens recognize and make the most of their inherent gifts, and embrace their growing edge, pushing themselves to gain new insight and skills that will help them become the people they want to be.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION

• Guide, educate, coach, and mentor 20 program participants and 2 Junior Counselors to make the most of their experience as individuals, as a cohort, and as partners with 20 Upper Galilee teens, and as members of the larger Diller Teen Fellows community
• Develop and lead scheduled workshops and retreats throughout the year, based on Diller provided content, adapted to meet the unique needs of the local program participants 
• Facilitate already existing, and develop new experiential learning content to help teens explore and expand their Jewish identity and engagement, leadership consciousness and capacity, understanding of and relationship to Israel, and tikkun olam/community service
• Plan and manage all logistics related to workshops, retreats, travel planning, etc.
• Maximize program reach, collaboration, and impact with the local Jewish community and teen organizations
• Manage the marketing, recruitment, interviewing, and selection of 20 participants each year
• Collaborate with the Upper Galilee Coordinator to ensure both groups are working in parallel and partnership
• Participate in ongoing in-person and virtual professional development programming
• Work with parents to help them understand and contribute to their teen’s experience
• Manage program budget

PREFERRED QUALITIES, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE

• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills
• Proven success developing personal connections with, facilitating group process among, and mentoring teens
• Possesses sophisticated educational and organizational knowledge and skills, and can use them successfully with teens, parents/adults, and partner agency professionals
• Experience developing and leading experiential programming/education addressing Jewish identity exploration and development, youth leadership, community service, and Israel education
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks with accuracy, attention to detail, and confidentiality
• Team player with the capacity to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment and across departments
• Flexibility and interest in working cross-culturally
• Working knowledge of the Jewish community and tradition, and Bay Area/North American Jewish life
• Understanding of and appreciation for Israeli culture, and basic Hebrew knowledge
• Administrative and logistics planning and execution skills
• Availability to some work nights and weekends, including travel to Israel for 3 weeks during the summer as well as additional travel during the year to a variety of conferences and trainings
• Strong Microsoft Office and Google Drive knowledge and skills
• BA required, preferred in Education, Psychology, Social Work, Jewish Studies, or related field; MA in a related field a definite plus

TO APPLY

For additional information on the opportunity, please send a copy of your resume with a cover letter. All applications and inquiries will receive a response and will be kept strictly confidential.

Excellent benefits — medical, dental, vision, vacation, sick pay, holidays (including Jewish), and retirement plan.