Venue Manager, Family High Holy Day Services

Seasonal Contractor Position (July to September 2026)

About B’nai Jeshurun

Since its founding in 1825, B’nai Jeshurun (BJ) has been at the forefront of the American Jewish experience. Now in its third century, BJ’s vision is centered on the spiritual work of transformation and the creation of a Jewish path that is authentic, profound, and supportive of  all members as they seek and live their purpose to the fullest. BJ’s spiritual leaders, Rabbis Felicia Sol, Rebecca Weintraub, Alex Braver, and Hazzan Ari Priven, as well as BJ’s nearly 2,000 member families, share a vision of a diverse, dynamic, and inclusive community that offers many paths to Jewish religious life while supporting one another in their spiritual quests. BJ is committed to honoring tradition while re-imagining and innovating its practices and programs to create a vibrant, contemporary, and relevant Jewish life for all who seek it.

The Role

This is a focused, seasonal contract engagement built around one of BJ’s most complex and beloved annual programs: Family High Holy Day Services. The engagement begins in advance of Rosh Hashanah and concludes upon the completion of Yom Kippur. During that window, this role is the operational backbone of the entire program. 

Each fall, BJ produces multiple large-scale services designed specifically for families with children, drawing hundreds of attendees across Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The logistical scope is significant: Family Services are held across two distinct venues — beginning at JCC Manhattan, relocating to the BJ main campus, and returning to the JCC for Yom Kippur. The person in this role will be managing that multi-venue, multi-day operation, with all of its vendor coordination, facility logistics, staffing, and real-time problem-solving.

We have an established playbook in place, and we are looking for an experienced professional who can take that foundation, execute it seamlessly, and bring the insight to iterate, refine, and make it even better.

This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced events professional seeking a high-impact, time-bounded engagement with a mission-driven institution at one of the most meaningful moments in the Jewish calendar.

Reporting and Key Partnerships

• Primary point of contact: Sonny Singh, Director of Program and Event Operations
• Operational partner: Rabbi Deena Cowans, Director of Family Life and Learning

What You’ll Do

• Lead Operations: Serve as the lead operations coordinator for all Family High Holy Day Services across Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
• Execute & Iterate the Playbook: Leverage BJ’s existing operational playbook to drive event execution, using your expertise to run systems smoothly while making real-time improvements and post-season refinements.
• Manage Multi-Site Logistics: Support the full logistical arc across venues (JCC Manhattan → BJ Main Campus → JCC Manhattan), including site visits, load-in, setup, event execution, breakdown, security plans, and load-out at each site.
• Inventory & Supplies: Plan, organize, track, and maintain all supplies and equipment required for events (furniture, books, ceremonial items, program materials, etc.).
• Collaborate & Liaise: Coordinate closely with vendors, volunteers, operational staff, and sound engineers at both JCC Manhattan and BJ to align on space, access, scheduling, and facility requirements.
• On-Site Leadership: Coordinate with event-day personnel (operations staff, Security, EMTs) and serve as the primary on-site point of contact for real-time troubleshooting and operational flow.
• Clergy & Leader Alignment: Partner with staff, clergy, and lay leaders to ensure seamless day-of operations.
• Walkthroughs & Debrief: Conduct pre-event walkthroughs at each venue to verify setup, technology, vendor readiness, and delivery operations; participate in post-season debrief and documentation for future planning.

What You Bring

• Proven Event Experience: Hands-on experience coordinating large-scale, complex events (i.e., this shouldn’t be your first rodeo).
• Operational Ownership: Comfort jumping into an established system/playbook, running with it, and intuitively knowing how to iterate and optimize it.
• Multi-Venue Operations: Demonstrated experience managing load-in, vendor coordination, and real-time troubleshooting across multiple locations.
• Calm Under Pressure: Ability to serve as the primary on-site point of contact—decisive, steady, and solutions-oriented when plans change.
• Vendor Management: Strong ability to manage multiple simultaneous vendor relationships (A/V, catering, décor, facilities).
• Tech Proficiency: Comfort with Google Suite (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets).
• Professional Attributes: Exceptional attention to detail, discretion, and good judgment in sensitive or confidential situations.
• A Plus: Experience in a synagogue or Jewish communal organization, and respect for its traditions and the holiest time of year.

Compensation & Term

• Project Fee: $9,500 total fixed project fee (as an Independent Contractor).
• Engagement Term: 9-week engagement running from late July through Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
• Contractor Status: This is an Independent Contractor engagement (Form 1099-NEC). The contractor operates as an independent business entity and is solely responsible for all federal, state, and local taxes, insurance, and tax filings associated with payments received under this agreement. Proof of general liability insurance or equivalent coverage may be required upon contract execution.
• Written Agreement: In compliance with the New York State & NYC Freelance Isn’t Free Act (FIFA), the selected contractor will enter into a formal written independent contractor agreement outlining all project milestones, payment schedules, and scope prior to commencing services. Payments will be issued according to the contractual milestone schedule or within 30 days of invoice submission upon completion of project deliverables.
• Equal Engagement: B’nai Jeshurun provides equal opportunities to all contractors, vendors, and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.

Schedule & Projected Availability Requirements

• • Pre-Season Planning (Late July to Early September): Deliverables during this phase include remote planning meetings, playbook review, and periodic on-site walkthroughs beginning mid-August. Scheduling of these sessions is coordinated directly with the contractor. For reference, prior seasons have averaged roughly 10-15 hours per week during this phase
  • High Holy Day Season (Sept 8 to Sept 22): On-site presence on the Upper West Side is required to oversee load-in, setup, live service execution, and load-out.

• On-site coverage is required for the full duration of each event day — from load-in through load-out — for:

• • • Rosh Hashanah: Friday, Sept 11 to Sunday, Sept 13
    • Yom Kippur: Sunday, Sept 20 to Monday, Sept 21
• Wrap-Up & Debrief (Sept 22 to Sept 30): Covers final breakdown reconciliation, inventory tracking, and post-season debrief.

To Apply

Please submit a resume or professional profile and a brief cover letter.

In your cover letter, please highlight:

• An example of a time you managed an event across multiple venues simultaneously or sequentially.
• Confirmation that you are available to be on-site on the Upper West Side for the full duration of the required event dates, Tuesday, September 8 through Tuesday, September 22, 2026 (before, during, and after the holidays).

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

B’nai Jeshurun is committed to creating a staff culture and congregational community that is accessible, inclusive, and equitable. We seek to build a community and staff that reflects and celebrates the diversity of America, New York City, and the Jewish community. We are looking for team members eager to contribute to our mission and related efforts.

B’nai Jeshurun is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for employees of all backgrounds. Each employment decision is based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status, or any other protected category.