Chief Operating Officer

The role

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Temple Shalom of Newton seeks a strategic, collaborative, systems and execution-oriented executive to serve as its first Chief Operating Officer (COO). Reporting to the Senior Rabbi, the COO will have overall responsibility for the congregation’s operations and will lead a senior team of department directors. The COO will lead strategic business operations, manage the annual budget and talent strategy, and work closely with clergy, staff, lay leaders, and partners. The COO builds and maintains the systems, standards, and operating discipline the staff and board rely on.

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This is a corporate-style COO seat. It replaces the traditional executive director role, which asked one person to personally run every function. The Senior Rabbi leads the congregation; the COO runs the enterprise through a capable team.

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Temple Shalom of Newton is a Reform Jewish congregation affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism. Founded in 1950 in Newton, MA, it serves approximately 600 households with an operating budget of $4 million, 14 staff, and nursery school and religious school teaching teams. Learn more at templeshalom.org.

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What you will lead

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• Operating plan and senior team. Set the annual operating plan with the Senior Rabbi, lead and develop the department directors, and track performance against clear measures.

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• Finance. Build and manage the budget; oversee accounting, payroll, pension and benefits, audit, and insurance; work with the Treasurer and staff the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees; and report clearly to the Senior Rabbi and the board. Provide analysis and recommendations that support informed decision-making and long-term sustainability.

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• People. Lead talent strategy: recruitment, compensation, performance, and a workplace culture of collaboration and accountability.

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• Facilities. Steward the buildings and grounds, including a multi-year capital plan, preventive maintenance, construction projects, code compliance, and physical security.

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• Events and production. Supervise the events staff and set production standards for worship, funerals and lifecycle events, lectures, concerts, film screenings, and community gatherings. Work with the education staff on the logistics that keep our classes and programs safe, clean, and professionally run. You will not run sound or lights, but you must understand what it takes to produce an event well.

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• Development partnership. Work with the Senior Director of Membership and Development, who reports to the Senior Rabbi, and make sure operations support membership and fundraising. You must understand how fundraising works.

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• Revenue operations and technology. Keep billing, gift processing, data, and communications systems accurate and dependable, so membership and development have what they need.

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• Strategic business operations and governance. Lead strategic business operations. Report to the Senior Rabbi, with a dotted line to the Board of Trustees. Attend board meetings, without a vote, and Executive Committee meetings as invited.

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• Lay leaders, volunteers, and members. Partner with lay leaders, volunteers, and members. Recruiting and developing lay leadership stays with the clergy and the board.

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What you bring

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• At least 10 years in senior operations management, including leading a team of senior managers, as a COO, general manager, or deputy chief executive in a corporate, health care, higher education, independent school, or large nonprofit setting.

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• Demonstrated expertise in budgeting and fiscal management, with responsibility for a budget of $4 million or more.

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• Experience managing the human resources function and overseeing facilities, including capital planning and building projects.

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• Working knowledge of fundraising, and experience overseeing live events or public programs.

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• Experience working with a board, its committees, and volunteer leaders, and engaging a wide range of stakeholders.

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• The judgment to be a true partner to the Senior Rabbi: candid in private, supportive in public.

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• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication abilities.

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• Available to work some evenings and weekends.

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• A bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred.

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• Strong commitment to Temple Shalom’s mission and values. Congregational experience is helpful but not required. Familiarity with Judaism and Jewish practice is helpful; openness to learning about Jewish culture and religion is required.

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Compensation, schedule, and how to apply

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Salary range of $140,000 to $160,000, commensurate with experience. Includes a strong benefits package with health insurance, pension contributions, and 15 days vacation. Primarily on site, with some evenings, weekends, and major Jewish holy days.

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Send a cover letter and resume to president@templeshalom.org by November 25, 2026. Inquiries are held in confidence and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning November 9, 2026. A full position description is available to candidates who advance.

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Temple Shalom is an equal opportunity employer. Temple Shalom is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcoming community. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and beyond. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race or ethnicity, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, living with disabilities, generation, socioeconomic class or veteran status.