Community Engagement Associate

Grinspoon Hillel at Cornell University

Role Overview

Ignite Jewish life on an Ivy League campus with the largest Jewish student population. Grinspoon Hillel at Cornell seeks a dynamic, creative, and outgoing self-starter with proven organizational skills and strong follow-through to help us inspire Jewish students at Cornell University. We are looking for a talented Community Engagement Associate to join our team who will be able to build one-on-one relationships with students, put on innovative events across campus, and help inspire students to make a commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel.

Grinspoon Hillel’s Community Engagement Associate will be a dynamic, well-organized professional with strong interpersonal skills and a passion for Jewish life. The ideal candidate is highly motivated, outgoing, and engaging, able to connect with a wide range of students. Every day brings new ways to connect Jewish young adults with opportunities to further their identities and practice active Jewish life. You will serve as a role model for our students, who will be drawn to your approachable personality, creativity, and outstanding interpersonal skills. Your talent for active listening will empower others to create their own connections to Jewish life that are meaningful to them.

What You’ll Do

• Build relationships with over 250 students by engaging them in meaningful conversations and connecting them to Jewish life on campus; learn about their interests, what drives them, and connect them to relevant opportunities
• Coach and advise student leaders to help them grow Jewishly, develop high-impact initiatives, and acquire leadership and community organizing skills
• Implement Greek Life engagement strategies to reach and support Jewish students in fraternities and sororities
• Oversee and support consistent low-barrier programs, such as Monday Munchies and Wednesday Night Dinners at the Hillel House on North
• Plan and execute large-scale social events, including Big Red B’nai Mitzvah, the annual Purim Party, and Matzo Ball
• Oversee student-facing marketing and communications, including Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms, to ensure Hillel’s story is effectively told
• Mentor and support the student Engagement Chair and Marketing Chair on the student Executive Board
• Support and mentor Campus Engagement Interns, helping them achieve success in their outreach and programming
• Utilize data to ensure a strategic approach to building Jewish life and community on campus
• Collaborate with the professional staff team to problem-solve and support team initiatives
• Support the day-to-day operations of Hillel including programs, events, administrative tasks, and welcoming students into Hillel spaces
• Participate in weekly supervision and staff meetings, as well as frequent team check-ins and strategy sessions
• Participate as a member of the Grinspoon Hillel staff team in major programs, Shabbats, holidays, and campus-wide initiatives

On a day-to-day basis, you will:

• Meet for coffee with student leaders to brainstorm creative ways to engage new students
• Meet with colleagues to discuss Greek Life engagement strategy and follow-up
• Have lunch with a student interested in Jewish life, identify their interests, and connect them with peers or upcoming programs
• Facilitate a program planning meeting with student leaders
• Dedicate time to note interactions in the database and send follow-up emails to students
• Support a student event in the evening, where you meet two new students and invite them to connect further

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• Bachelor’s degree
• 0–2 years of professional work experience
• A strong sense of flexibility, empathy, creativity, and humility
• Ability to connect with students across different backgrounds and levels of Jewish knowledge
• Motivation to fulfill our mission of connecting every Jewish student at Cornell to Jewish life and community
• Flexibility to work some nights and weekends as needed
• Desire to continue developing your own relationship to Judaism
• An entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for creating opportunities
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a strong professional team

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive salary in the nonprofit marketplace based on experience ($46,000-$48,000)
• Health benefits: medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan
• $3,000 professional development budget for training, mentoring, and global Hillel opportunities
• Opportunities for travel regionally and abroad, particularly to Israel

About Grinspoon Hillel at Cornell University

Grinspoon Hillel is located in Ithaca, NY, a vibrant college town that combines small-town charm with a world-class academic community. In 2025, Ithaca was ranked #1 among the best towns to visit in America and has also been recognized as one of the top 100 places to live, a top 10 recreation city, the best green place to live, and one of the "foodiest" towns in the country. Cornell University, located in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, is one of the world’s foremost institutions of higher education, with seven undergraduate schools and five graduate schools. Jewish students make up approximately one-quarter of the student body on the Ithaca campus, about 2,500 students. Grinspoon Hillel currently engages a talented professional team of 11 full-time and one part-time staff.