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Employment type: Full-time, year-round, salaried

Location: Washington, DC; in-person/hybrid

Experience: Minimum of 6 years

About

The Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center (EDCJCC) is the Jewish community’s address in our nation’s capital. Guided by Jewish values and heritage, the EDCJCC engages individuals and families through its cultural, recreational, educational, and social justice programs. We welcome people of all backgrounds to connect, learn, serve, and be entertained together in ways the reflect the unique role of the Center in the nation’s capital.

Since 1990, the EDCJCC has been the home of one of the largest and most respected Jewish film festivals in North America, the Washington Jewish Film Festival (WJFF), an international exhibition of cinema that celebrates the diversity of Jewish history, culture and experience through the moving image. Since merging with the Washington Jewish Music Festival (WJMF) under the umbrella arts department JxJ, the EDCJCC has been the home to year-round programming that focuses on highly curated advance screenings, limited theatrical runs, post-screening conversations, and concerts, as well as our annual JxJ Festival, with 40+ events taking place at theaters in DC, Bethesda, and Fairfax. JxJ gives exposure to independent filmmakers and musical artists, and enables our audiences to celebrate Jewish culture and to explore critical questions of identity, history, meaning and purpose.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Director of JxJ with an expansive vision for the program, who can help establish the EDCJCC as a key destination for independent cinema and music in downtown DC.

We are looking to keep the best of JxJ while expanding boldly in new directions. We have the opportunity to build a robust, year-round film program that engages new and diverse populations, making our Center a destination for cinema in downtown DC at a time when there are few other independent screens left standing. We also see an opening to become a significant music venue for Jewish artists and performers who speak to the diverse interests and identities of audiences across the DMV. We want to continue presenting highly-curated Jewish film screenings, post-show discussions, and international Jewish music events, and to add to them a much greater volume of commercial, independent, arthouse, family, and repertory screenings, along with independent, local, and world music events.

The Director of JxJ will report to the Chief Experience Officer (CXO), manage all JxJ staff, and be responsible for all elements of designing, launching, and managing a groundbreaking expansion of our program. This role is perfect for someone looking to dream big and create something new, but who is also capable of rolling up their sleeves and implementing the strategy.

Responsibilities

The Director of JxJ will be responsible for, among other things:

Building a compelling vision for the program

- Establish a shared curational and strategic artistic direction, in concert with the EDCJCC CXO, programming colleagues across the institution, and the JxJ Council (a group of volunteer leaders and supporters committed to JxJ’s mission)

- Develop and implement a comprehensive programming strategy to increase annual utilization of cinema and concert venues from 4-5 times a month to 4-5 times a week

- Identify new ways to build and sustain experiences of community around programming

- Build strategies for expanding JxJ’s regular audience, particularly among diverse, local communities in downtown DC

Executing the strategy and running the business

- Curate films to include Jewish-themed content, independent releases, arthouse selections, and repertory series

- Direct dynamic music program and oversee team growth in this area

- Oversee and program the annual JxJ Festival

- Continue signature monthly Jewish film screenings with accompanying panel discussions

- Manage two signature programs—a short film fund and teen film contest—to produce and show new work

- Book and negotiate all aspects of film, music, and artist invitations for JxJ programming

- Oversee guest travel and needs in support of JxJ artistic programming

- Write, edit, and oversee the collection and creation of editorial and communication materials that connect audiences with the artistic lineup

Building strong partnerships

- Establish, maintain and deepen working relationships with film and music distributors, agents, producers, studios, and independent artists

- Actively track and check in with projects in progress, in late stages of production, and that have recently been completed to secure relevant, contemporary programming across the JxJ lineup

- Explore educational offerings and partnerships with academic and nonprofit organizations to offer new ways of engaging with cinema and music

- Create strategic partnerships with film and music festivals, cultural institutions, embassies, non-profits, and community organizations for co-presented programming

Managing key stakeholders and leading successful teams

- Lead JxJ Council, a committee of ~25 engaged volunteer leaders who support the mission strategically and philanthropically

- Supervise all dedicated JxJ operations staff and manage support from ticketing, concessions, front-of-house, facilities, and admin staff

- Work with arts marketing team to develop effective promotion strategies for establishing our new brand and supporting regular programming

- Collaborate with other departments at the EDCJCC to integrate film and music programming with broader organizational initiatives

Supporting the model through sales and philanthropy

- Develop a sustainable business model for expanded cinema and music operations, including ticket pricing and concessions

- Optimize scheduling to maximize attendance and revenue across different dayparts and audience segments

- Work in collaboration with EDCJCC Institutional Advancement team to build and execute fundraising strategy that engages long-time donors and brings new philanthropic giving to the program, to write programmatic narratives for JxJ-specific grants, and to keep individual donors appraised of relevant developments and opportunities to engage with JxJ programming

- Monitor performance metrics and adjust strategy based on attendance, revenue, and audience feedback

- Lead budgeting, financial planning, and revenue forecasting for cinema and music operations

Qualifications & skills

- Minimum 6+ years of experience in programming film; additional experience in music programming or a related field welcome

- A palpable passion and exceptional curatorial vision for film, music, Jewish cultural arts, and related conversations

- Demonstrated success in building and growing public programming in the context of film or music programs or cinema operations

- A thorough and practical knowledge of the film and music industries, key players, companies, and professional presentation standards, along with relevant technical knowledge

- Experience developing and managing programming budgets

- Relationships with film distributors, studios, filmmakers, musicians, and other industry professionals, and a proven track record of building community partnerships and stakeholder relationships

- A comfort with public speaking, and ability to connect with audiences and artists from a wide variety of backgrounds, interests, and perspectives

- Strong business acumen with ability to balance artistic integrity and commercial viability

- Excellent project management skills with ability to juggle multiple programming streams

- Team leader and manager who builds a sense of camaraderie and empowers and supports others to succeed.

- Marketing instinct for positioning and promoting diverse film content to different audiences

- Knowledge of the local cultural landscape and community

- Innovative problem solver who can navigate both artistic and operational challenges

Salary, Benefits, & Work Requirements

- Full-time, year-round, salaried

- Competitive salary (beginning at $85,000) in the non-profit marketplace

- The Edlavitch DCJCC offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, paid time off and parental leave, a 401K, and transportation benefits

- Access to free or highly discounted EDCJCC programs, such as the Fitness Center and pool membership, language classes, theater productions, film screenings, concerts, volunteer opportunities, and more. Discounts on preschool and early childhood programs

- The EDCJCC requires staff to be in-person in the Washington, DC office a minimum of four (4) days a week

- Must have ability to work evenings and weekends as required for screenings and events

To Apply

Send an email with the subject line “Director of JxJ” with your cover letter and resume to jbordwin@edcjcc.org. Phone calls will not be returned; only qualified candidates will be contacted.

Frequently cited statistics show that women, trans and nonbinary people, and other structurally marginalized groups apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. The EDCJCC encourages you to break that statistic and to apply. No one ever meets 100% of the qualifications. We look forward to your application. The EDCJCC is an equal opportunity employer.