Vice President, Community Unity & Leadership

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About UJA Federation Of Greater Toronto

At UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, our vision is to lead the most vibrant Jewish community in North America – a community characterized by its diversity, unity, compassion, generosity and commitment to Jewish values. Together with our philanthropic, volunteer and professional leadership, we’re changing lives. As one of North America’s leading Jewish non-profits, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto works to preserve and strengthen the quality of Jewish life in Greater Toronto, Canada, Israel and around the world. UJA advances this mission through fundraising, programs, and research focused on our strategic pillars: Resilience, Strengthening the Foundations of our Community and Securing our Place in Canadian Society.

About The Opportunity

The Vice‑President, Community Unity & Leadership plays a pivotal role in strengthening the long‑term vitality of the Toronto Jewish community by advancing two of UJA’s newest strategic priorities: Community Unity and Leadership Readiness. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Community Capacity Building, this role will lead the implementation of key priorities within UJA’s resilience agenda – providing direct support to Jewish communal institutions and their leaders navigating today’s operational, reputational, and ideological complexities, while building frameworks, tools, and forums that foster shared understanding and trust across diverse segments of the Jewish community. This position is external‑facing, focused on strengthening the capacity of the partner organizations to face the greatest challenges in the Jewish community. It requires deep collaboration across UJA departments and with partner institutions, while maintaining clear ownership for driving critical initiatives forward. The successful candidate will combine strong facilitation and program development skills with sound judgment, cultural fluency, and a commitment to strengthening the resilience of Toronto’s Jewish communal infrastructure. This role must also bring the gravitas, emotional intelligence, and experience to convene diverse community leaders and facilitate constructive dialogue – particularly in moments of ideological conflict or polarization. UJA’s unique role as a convener and trusted broker is central to our community’s strength, and the VP will embody and advance that role.

Responsibilities

include, but are not limited to:

Advance UJA’s Unity strategy by turning vision action by delivering key cross‑communal initiatives, developing tools for inclusive engagement, and strengthening community leadership capacity to navigate moments of polarization with trust and integrity.

Coordinate delivery of the Unity Summit, Leadership Network, and Bridge‑Building Training series for community leaders.

Actively facilitate structured and ad‑hoc dialogue between institutional or community leaders with differing perspectives, ensuring conversations are productive, inclusive, and trust‑building.

Cultivate and manage relationships with a wide range of community leaders, fostering connection across ideological, religious, and cultural differences.

Serve as a neutral and trusted convener in moments of community tension or polarization.

Support crisis response and strategic communications planning related to ideological conflict or public scrutiny.

Lead the launch and implementation of UJA Academy – a new institutional support hub providing guidance, policy templates, and coaching to Jewish organizational leaders across the community.

Manage day‑to‑day coordination of expert networks (e.g., legal, HR, governance), learning labs and peer forums to help partner organizations strengthen core governance, compliance and crisis‑readiness policies.

Support the development of policy toolkits and resource libraries (e.g., incident protocols, social media policies, board governance templates).

Track and report on progress, including uptake of resources, leader feedback and institutional engagement metrics.

Partner with internal teams (Legal, Comms, Community Security, Development) to ensure alignment and consistency across the support provided in the wider community.

Support annual planning and budget oversight in collaboration with the SVP.

Must‑Have Qualifications

7–10 years of relevant professional experience in community engagement or community development, nonprofit leadership, strategy, or organizational development.

Deep knowledge of the Jewish community dynamics locally and globally, including its institutions, dynamics, and challenges.

Passionate advocate and visible champion of UJA’s mission, values, and goals, inspiring others through action and unwavering commitment to advancing our shared purpose.

Demonstrated experience in facilitating cross‑stakeholder initiatives, especially in sensitive or high‑stakes contexts.

Proven ability to broker dialogue and facilitate sensitive conversations with tact, neutrality and insight – especially across ideological or institutional lines.

Excellent written & verbal communication skills, including comfort leading workshops, training sessions and drafting public‑facing materials.

Proven ability to manage and deliver complex projects independently – from concept through execution.

Confidence & credibility in working with senior leaders, funders and subject matter experts.

Experience in developing governance tools, institutional supports or policy frameworks is an asset.

High degree of discretion, emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity.

Commitment to UJA’s vision, values & the broader vitality of Jewish communal life.

Additional Assets

Experience in conflict resolution, systems convening or crisis communications.

Knowledge of risk management, nonprofit governance or legal/compliance frameworks.

Background in program evaluation or assessing institutional initiatives.

This is a full‑time permanent position. UJA supports a flexible work schedule and hybrid work. All employees engage in hybrid work. Engagement and connection are key to supporting the best employee experience and we want to ensure that this puts balance and well‑being at the forefront of our approach to ways of working. In addition to a rich time off policy, UJA’s offices are closed on all Jewish holy days (Yom Tov) and we support early office closures to observe the Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat).

Qualified applicants are invited to submit a cover letter and resume. Only those applicants invited for interview will be contacted. All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of professional references and background checks including social media account(s) and a police records check/vulnerable sector screening.

UJA Federation supports a diverse candidate and employment experience. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applicants from all communities. We encourage you to follow us for regular updates on open roles. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace and believe this is essential to ensure that every member of our team can thrive. We adhere to barrier‑free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the AODA. Should you require code‑protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please notify us and we will work with you to meet your needs.

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