Director of Learning and Rosh Beit Midrash

Hillel at Brandeis

Role Overview

Hillel at Brandeis serves one of the most vibrant and diverse Jewish campus communities in the country. Through a dynamic mix of learning, leadership, culture, and community-building, we empower students to explore Jewish life with depth, creativity, and joy.

We are seeking a visionary and grounded Director of Learning to lead and elevate Torah study on campus. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in traditional Torah learning (such as through yeshiva or beit midrash study), combined with the intellectual openness, emotional intelligence, and professional experience to teach and lead in a university setting. This individual will focus primarily on undergraduate students, while also engaging graduate students, faculty, and staff.

This role combines the inspiration and depth of a Rosh Beit Midrash with the strategic thinking and relational strength of a Director of Partnerships. The Director of Learning will strengthen Jewish learning across campus, build relationships with experienced and new learners alike, and serve as Hillel’s primary connector to educational partners—on campus and beyond.

Hillel at Brandeis is currently undertaking a major capital campaign to build a new physical home for Jewish life—including a new beit midrash—as part of our deep partnership with Brandeis University. The ideal candidate will share our vision that vibrant Jewish life is central to the university’s identity, aspirations, and future success.

What You'll Do

Jewish Learning and Student Engagement

• Serve as Hillel’s lead educator, modeling and cultivating deep engagement with Torah in text-based and discussion-based formats.
• Develop and lead learning opportunities that reach students at all levels of experience and background—from first-time learners to students with years of study.
• Build sustained relationships with students, faculty, and staff through learning, conversation, and presence on campus.
• Lead and support cohort-based learning communities and work closely with student leaders from across our 20+ student groups.
• Be a regular presence at Shabbat and holiday programming, teaching and celebrating alongside students.
• Engage graduate students, faculty, and staff in meaningful Jewish learning as time and opportunity allow.

Strategic Educational Partnerships

• Serve as Hillel’s main connector to academic departments, campus offices, and external organizations for collaborative educational initiatives.
• Provide strategic leadership in coordinating visiting educators and scholars.
• Represent Hillel in university-wide conversations about religion, learning, and campus life.
• Advance strategic partnerships with local (e.g. Lehrhaus, Yachad, the Vilna Shul, Hebrew College) and other institutions (e.g. Hartman, Hadar, Yeshivat Har Etzion, Maalei Gilboa, YCT, SAR, the RAC, YU, HUC, JTS, etc.) ensuring alignment with Hillel’s educational goals.
• Contribute to a culture of mission-first teamwork, helping to meet both high-level objectives and day-to-day needs as part of a collaborative staff team.

A Typical Day Might Include

• Catching up with a student over coffee to hear what they’re learning and thinking about.
• Brainstorming with a colleague on how to bring Torah into a campus-wide initiative.
• Teaching an ongoing class or learning group, and preparing for the next one.
• Meeting with a professor to plan a joint learning event.
• Welcoming a guest educator from a partner institution.
• Supporting Shabbat or holiday programming alongside colleagues and students.
• Helping a student prepare a dvar Torah for services.

What You’ve Accomplished

• Rabbinic ordination and/or an advanced degree in Jewish studies, education, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success in Jewish educational settings, with learners at a range of levels—including seasons learners and those new to Jewish texts, and everything in between.
• 2–3+ years in a related role (Hillel, education, community leadership, campus, or experiential settings).

What You Bring

• A strong foundation in Torah and Jewish texts, and the intellectual depth to connect with students and faculty alike.
• Experience with or within a traditional beit midrash environment.
• Experience curating and teaching texts and sources that inform, challenge, and inspire others.
• A passionate belief that Torah belongs to everyone.
• Emotional intelligence, warmth, and professionalism in building and maintaining effective partnerships.
• Experience working with student leaders and a collaborative, team-oriented work style.
• Curiosity, creativity, and entrepreneurial energy.
• A desire to spend at least three evenings per week with students during the academic year.
• A deep commitment to Jewish learning, community, and the growth of emerging Jewish leaders.

What You’ll Receive

• Annual salary of $80,000–$90,000, commensurate with experience.
• Professional development opportunities, mentorship, and continued Torah learning.
• Flexible hours, including time for Shabbat and holidays.
• Travel opportunities, including to Israel.
• Comprehensive benefits package: health insurance, retirement plan, LTD, life insurance, FSA, generous vacation/sick time, and parental leave.

About Brandeis University and Hillel at Brandeis

At its core, Brandeis is animated by a set of values that are rooted in Jewish history and experience. Brandeis was established in 1948 by the American Jewish community at a time when Jews and other ethnic and racial minorities, and women, faced discrimination in higher education. Our visionary founders created a nonsectarian research university that welcomed talented faculty and students of all backgrounds and beliefs.

With approximately 35% of undergraduates identifying as Jewish, Brandeis today boasts one of the most vibrant, pluralistic, and intellectually engaged Jewish communities in the United States.

The university is home to a world-class Jewish Studies faculty, offering students unparalleled opportunities to engage with Jewish history, texts, thought, and culture in both academic and experiential contexts. This scholarly richness complements the robust Jewish life that thrives on campus.

Hillel at Brandeis is a central hub of Jewish life, supporting over twenty student-led groups that reflect the full breadth of Jewish expression—from prayer communities to cultural, arts, Israel, and social justice initiatives. Our Beit Midrash, housing more than 2,000 volumes, is a vibrant center for learning and community.

We are currently undertaking a major capital campaign to create a new physical home for Jewish life at Brandeis—including a state-of-the-art Beit Midrash—which will significantly expand our capacity for Jewish learning, connection, and celebration.

Hillel at Brandeis is affiliated with Hillel International, the world’s largest Jewish campus organization, whose mission is to inspire every student to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life.

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.