The Hadar Institute is seeking a Senior Director of Institutional Advancement

Hadar seeks a strategic, collaborative, and mission-driven Senior Director of Institutional Advancement to help lead and scale our growing Advancement operation. Reporting to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement (VPIA), the Senior Director will oversee the day-to-day functioning of the development team, strengthen departmental culture and performance, and help drive the ambitious revenue growth necessary to support Hadar’s 2024–2028 Strategic Plan.

Serving as the central operational leader for the Advancement team, this role ensures that plans become action, systems function seamlessly, and fundraising efforts are supported by clear processes and strong coordination. The Senior Director brings the team into alignment, fosters a culture of excellence, and maintains consistent momentum across all priorities. This is a leadership role designed for long-term organizational impact. The Senior Director will serve as the primary supervisor of the Development team and a close partner to the VP of Institutional Advancement. The role requires a seasoned fundraiser with experience overseeing a comprehensive development program, consistent with comparable Jewish communal institutions. The ideal candidate is a relationship builder with strong management skills, a strategic fundraising mind, and an authentic commitment to Hadar’s religious vision rooted in Torah, Avodah, and Hesed.

Key Responsibilities

Team Management

Supervise the members of the development team
Establish clear goals, performance expectations, and accountability systems across the Development team
Develop staff through mentorship, coaching, and professional development opportunities
Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture that supports both individual growth and collective success
Support hiring, onboarding, and team structure planning as the department scale
Cross-Organizational Collaboration
Coordinate with the Programs team to connect donor cultivation opportunities with institutional initiatives.
Work closely with the Content and Communications teams to leverage Hadar’s content production with fundraising goals.
Collaborate with Finance and Operations to ensure alignment around forecasting, reporting, and systems.
Prepare senior leadership, faculty, and board members for effective donor meetings, solicitations, and stewardship interactions
Fundraising Execution & Implementation

Support the VP of Institutional Advancement, ensuring execution of comprehensive fundraising strategies across: major gifts, annual giving, foundation grants, and planned giving in alignment with Hadar's strategic plan

Oversee the annual giving program, including campaign execution, donor communications, and renewal strategies

Coordinate with the Senior Director of Foundation Relations to ensure timely proposal development, grant reporting, and compliance

Create and maintain systems to ensure timely donor acknowledgments, stewardship, and communications that maintain strong relationships

Oversee the implementation of multi-year commitments, endowment campaigns, planned giving initiatives, and special fundraising projects

Track progress toward revenue goals and adjust approaches as needed to ensure success

Manage Development Operations & Systems
In coordination with Systems team, oversee donor data to ensure data integrity, accurate reporting, and effective donor tracking
Implement moves management protocols, pipeline dashboards, and metrics that enable data-driven decisions
Streamline workflows and processes to support efficiency and effectiveness as the department grows
Build and maintain systems that create accountability and visibility across all fundraising activities.

Board Engagement
Support the VP of Institutional Advancement in engaging board members, and board committee members. Acting as a point of contact for Board members.
Prepare compelling reports and materials for board meetings and committee conversations and attend board meetings.

Qualifications
Experience
10+ years of professional fundraising experience with demonstrated execution of operations and team leadership in a multi-faceted development environment.
Experience managing a development team and supervising fundraising professionals.
Experience working cross-organizationally with program, communications, operations, and finance teams.

Skills & Attributes
Alignment with Hadar’s mission, values, and religious vision
Strategic thinker with strong operational instincts and excellent follow-through.
Compelling communicator with strong interpersonal skills
Availability to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays for donor gatherings and events.
Highly organized, proactive, and comfortable in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
Familiarity with Salesforce
Familiarity with Hebrew is a plus.