IACT Coordinator for Israel Engagement Penn State Hillel Role Overview

Make your mark on Jewish student life by joining Penn State Hillel as the IACT Coordinator for Israel Engagement. You will build one-on-one relationships with students, plan and facilitate engaging events related to Israel travel, and help inspire students to make a commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel.

The Pennsylvania State University is one of the largest and most respected public universities in the country. Penn State Hillel is in the midst of dramatic organizational growth, has received numerous campus and national awards, and has become one of the premier centers for Jewish student life in the country. Penn State Hillel operates out of a new, state-of-the-art facility.

The IACT Coordinator for Israel Engagement will work in conjunction with the Hillel staff to manage and bolster the success of Penn State Hillel’s student engagement strategy, with a focus on its Birthright Israel program. The IACT Coordinator for Israel Engagement will be a dynamic self-starter, capable of envisioning and delivering upon a plan to grow the number of students traveling on Penn State Hillel’s Birthright Israel buses as well as providing support and inspiration to Birthright Israel participants before and after their trip. The IACT Coordinator will develop experiences that engage participants in Jewish life once back on campus, and will enable students to think meaningfully about how they want to grow in their Jewish identities, and what role Israel will play in their lives.

You'll wake up each day and be genuinely excited and enthusiastic about creating an inviting place that inspires students to explore, experience, and curate vibrant Jewish lives. This is so much more than your average 9-to-5.

What You’ll Do

Build at least 250+ personal relationships with students who are not already involved in Jewish life
Serve as a thought partner and entrepreneurial leader for Penn State Hillel’s Jewish student life staff and engagement strategy
Work closely with Penn State Hillel’s Israel Fellow to manage Penn State Hillel’s Birthright Israel program including: recruitment, interviews, pre-trip orientations, and improving the trip experience
Create opportunities for Birthright Israel alumni, with 100% post-trip engagement for returning students
Coordinate periodic Hillel-wide events, such as campus-based holiday meals and celebrations
Deepen our reach with students from Greek life
Work with students to grow and enhance sustainable communities
Serve as an advisor for our various Hillel communities
Identify key students who have potential to be successful and enthusiastic student leaders
Recruit students for immersive experience trips through tabling and coffee dates
Attend staff meetings and participate with regular supervision with supervisor.
Collaborate with other Hillel staff to help shape and develop the mission of Penn State Hillel
Other duties as assigned or initiated

What You’ve Accomplished

0 -3 years professional work experience
Bachelor's degree
Strong entrepreneurial spirit. Things may not always go according to plan and you must be willing to take risks and learn your wins as well as your losses.
Confidence initiating and running programs, and comfort asking questions.
A team-oriented approach to work while still being a self-starter.
A strong work ethic, a great sense of humor, an ability to take risks and learn from a variety of situations.
A passion for building pluralistic Jewish communities and creating a welcoming, vibrant, and deeply enriching Jewish environment.
Demonstrated ability to think and act strategically in order to reach goals.
Willingness to admit what you don’t know, and excitement to learn in those areas.
Creative problem-solving.
Excitement to continue developing your own relationship to Judaism.
This is an in-person role location in State College, PA remote work is not available for this position.
A passion for all things Israel, and highly developed logistical skills
Ability to prioritize and handle multiple assignments

Who You Are

You’re a relationship-builder: You thrive on meeting new people, understanding their interests, and forging meaningful connections.
You’re a collaborative team player: you enjoy working collaboratively with a team to solve problems and explore new initiatives.
You’re a facilitator: you thrive in creating spaces for students to converse, share ideas, and explore and develop their own ideas on relevant issues.
You’re a creative thinker: You are constantly reimagining the ordinary, seeking ways to repurpose and improve things.
You think big and creatively: You view everything as a possibility and embrace a risk-taking, entrepreneurial spirit.

What You’ll Receive

Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. The salary for this role is $44,500
A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance and generous vacation/sick time
Great professional development, mentoring, and skill building opportunities
Travel regionally and abroad, particularly to Israel

About Penn State Hillel

Penn State Hillel is located in State College, PA, on the beautiful campus of the Pennsylvania State University. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has listed State College as #19 on its list of 50 Smart Places to Live. Sperling’s Best Places research group has ranked State College the No.1 safest small city in America, and State College is one of Relocate America’s Top 100 Places to Live. Forbes has listed State College among the top 10 smaller metro areas in which to start a career or business. Penn State was ranked 7th in Washington Monthly’s national college rankings, was #3 on its list of Top 100 Best U.S. College and University Programs, and is included on Newsweek’s list of the 50 Top Global Universities. The NASDAQ rated Penn State University as the Best Center for Entrepreneurship in the United States. Penn State features THON—the largest student-run philanthropy in the world—which raised more than $16.9 Million in 2024 and has one of the highest application rates to Teach for America.

Penn State Hillel’s mission is to enrich the lives of the estimated 5,000 Jewish students at Penn State so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. Penn State Hillel’s student leaders, staff, and lay leaders are dedicated to creating a pluralistic, welcoming, and inclusive environment for Jewish college students, where they are encouraged to grow intellectually, spiritually, and socially. Penn State Hillel helps students find a balance between being distinctively Jewish and universally human by encouraging them to pursue tzedek (social justice), tikkun olam (repairing the world), and Jewish learning, and to support Israel and global Jewish peoplehood. Penn State Hillel is affiliated with Hillel International. Hillel International enriches the lives of Jewish students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the world, and envisions a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.

Penn State Hillel is affiliated with Hillel International. Hillel International enriches the lives of Jewish students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the world, and envisions a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.

About IACT

IACT (Inspired, Active, Committed, Transformed) is Hillel’s comprehensive strategy that leverages Birthright Israel to transform Jewish life on campus. Currently active on 37 campuses across the United States, IACT seeks to engage a critical mass of less affiliated first and second year students in Jewish life on campus by inspiring, activating and propelling these young adults on a Jewish journey. By ensuring that every Jewish student has the opportunity to participate in a meaningful immersive Israel experience and be supported on a journey of Jewish discovery before, during, and after that experience, IACT builds a connected and committed campus community. This is a unique position for a candidate who has a passion for relationship building and is skilled in organizing, marketing, event planning, and program development.

About Hillel International

In 1923, Rabbi Benjamin Frankel started Hillel with humble means, a noble mission and a breathtaking vision: to convey Jewish civilization to a new generation. Today, Hillel International continues to enrich the lives of Jewish students and is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world at nearly 1,000 colleges and universities across North America and around the world. As Hillel evolves as an organization, the mission remains steadfast: to create lasting connections with every Jewish student that foster an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel and train them to become the next Jewish leaders.

Hillel is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an accepting and inclusive environment for all.

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IACT Coordinator for Israel Engagement at Penn State