Director - Jewish Recovery

Make a bigger difference


PURPOSE:
Jewish Community Services (JCS) takes a population health approach to supporting the mental health and well-being of New York City’s Jewish community. JCS works to reduce stigma, prioritize prevention, and strengthen the resiliency of individuals, families, and communities. Key areas of focus include grief, addiction, and teen mental health initiatives. JCS engages and equips Jewish communal organizations to provide mental health support to their members through psychoeducation and resources, peer-led initiatives, and screening/referrals for treatment when needed.

POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Project Director for Jewish Addiction and Recovery, will lead the revitalization and strategic growth of JACS (Jewish Alcoholics, Chemically Dependent Persons and Significant Others), positioning it as a core initiative within Jewish Community Services’ (JCS) population health portfolio. This leader will design and implement innovative, community-based programming that addresses addiction and recovery through a culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, and stigma-reducing lens.
This role will focus on prevention, education, early intervention, and connection to services across the Jewish community, with a strong emphasis on peer support, communal partnerships, and lived experience. The Project Director will lead the planning and facilitation of recovery-oriented retreats and programs that offer healing, reflection, and connection. They will work to ensure that Jews in recovery—across all levels of observance and identity—have meaningful access to community, support, and culturally sensitive pathways to wellness.
The Project Director will report to the Senior Director of Population Health and collaborate closely with other directors and managers across Jewish Community Services, as well as with colleagues in other departments throughout The Jewish Board. In addition, they will work in close partnership with the JACS Council, a volunteer leadership board, to guide strategic decisions and move the program forward in alignment with community needs and values.

KEY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
• Relaunch and grow JACS as a core JCS initiative, aligned with population health principles and community needs.
• Partner with the volunteer leadership board on strategic direction, program planning, and community engagement.
• Design and run recovery-focused retreats, support groups, awareness events, and educational workshops.
• Build relationships with synagogues, JCCs, schools, treatment providers, and Jewish communal organizations.
• Develop peer-led support models and elevate voices of those with lived experience.
• Develop culturally relevant educational materials, toolkits, and outreach campaigns.
• Track participation, assess outcomes, and use data to guide program growth and innovation.
• Work closely with other JCS directors and Jewish Board departments to coordinate and integrate efforts.

CORE COMPETENCIES for the position include:
• Understands and responds to the diverse needs of Jewish individuals and families impacted by addiction.
• Ability to translate big-picture goals into actionable, scalable programs.
• Skilled in cultivating trust and collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and individuals with lived experience.
• Strong planning, facilitation, and follow-through skills in delivering effective community programs.
• Comfort with both Jewish communal life and addiction recovery principles, including trauma-informed care.
• Self-starter who thrives in a dynamic environment and can respond to emerging needs with creativity and flexibility.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to communicate with staff and other professionals at all levels
• Solution focused and collaborative
• Responsible decision making

EDUCATIONAL/TRAINING REQUIRED:
• Master’s degree in social work, public health, mental health, or a related field preferred
• Deep understanding of addiction and recovery models, including harm reduction, 12-step, and trauma-informed care.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED/LANGUAGE PREFERENCE:
• Minimum 5 years of experience in program development, public health, addiction services, or community engagement.
• Strong cultural competence in regard to Jewish religious, spiritual, cultural and communal practice
• Experience working with individuals and families impacted by substance use, preferably in Jewish or faith-based settings.
• Personal or professional experience with recovery and/or lived experience is highly valued.

COMPUTER SKILLS REQUIRED:
• Basic computer knowledge; experience with excel a plus


We are an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.