Entrepreneur In Residence: Jewish Content Fellow

Entrepreneur In Residence: Jewish Content Fellow

ABOUT US

UpStart accelerates growth, nurtures ideas, and advances new experiences for the Jewish community by connecting impact-driven entrepreneurs to expertise, community, and capital.

UpStart was founded over fifteen years ago with a sole focus: to accelerate the success of social entrepreneurs fueling a renaissance in Jewish life. Since then, we have invested in hundreds of ventures and their leaders while cultivating an ecosystem of institutional leaders and funders committed to Jewish community change. 

INCLUSIVE HIRING COMMITMENT

UpStart is powered by Jewish wisdom, ethics, and values. We believe these elements of Judaism help shape diverse, inclusive, equitable, and vibrant communities. As such, we aspire to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem that models a future that is more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and just. Statistics show that women and structurally marginalized and/or underrepresented groups of people need to see themselves in almost 100% of the requirements in a job posting to apply. We welcome you to apply even if you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications, as no one applicant ever does.

UpStart strongly encourages applications from individuals with varied identities and backgrounds, including people of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, LGBTQIA people, and people who come from low-income or working-class backgrounds. As an equal opportunity employer, all individuals are encouraged to apply without regard to race, color, religion, age, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, genetic information, medical condition, veteran status, or any other class protected under federal, state, or local laws. 

POSITION SUMMARY

UpStart seeks a Jewish Content Fellow to anchor UpStart’s next phase of work in Jewish content, equity-informed leadership, and honest, future-facing Israel engagement. The Fellow will play an integral role in adapting and expanding UpStart’s innovation-centered IP to meet the needs of new learning audiences - a key feature of UpStart’s emergent Strategic Plan. Sitting at the intersection of educator, strategist, and content creator, the Fellow will shape how Jewish wisdom is integrated across our programs, Network, and the wider field. 

Building on UpStart’s AI exploration, this role will also develop new approaches for using artificial intelligence can ethically and creatively expand access to Jewish learning, personalize experiences, and strengthen engagement. UpStart’s first phase of internal capacity building with AI built familiarity within internal teams and onboarded those teams to new, collaborative AI tools. The Fellow will lead our next phase of AI research and program integration - positioning UpStart as a leader in tech-enhanced, values-driven education.

This role will report to the Managing Director, Learning, Community, & Belonging, and work closely with the Program and Development Teams. This is a remote role that requires occasional travel, up to 6 times a year, for retreats, convenings, and partner engagement. This is a fixed-term, grant-funded position, lasting 2 years from the employee’s start date.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Israel Engagement Strategy

• Lead follow-up programming from Collaboratory 2025, focusing on equipping entrepreneurs with pluralistic and courageous Israel engagement and education models.
• Support the UpStarter Network members in building capacity to engage authentically with Israel-related topics, in alignment with their missions and communities.

Jewish Content Development

• Create 6–8 new Jewish learning resources annually, aligned with the 4 outcomes (Belonging, Education, Community, Creativity) which define the requirements for a vibrant Jewish future, as articulated in the new Strategic Plan. 
• Design and implement in-person and virtual learning programs, leading new learning program development from ideation through implementation phases. 
• Develop curricula, toolkits, and frameworks that are adaptable for diverse institutions and audiences.
• Pilot AI-enabled formats to enhance personalization, accessibility, and scale of Jewish learning for external network offerings and internal staff initiatives.

Internal Capacity Building

• Lead two board/funder Jewish learning experiences per year.
• Provide Jewish wisdom thought partnership to support the phased launch of UpStart’s Belonging Strategy - an emergent design and implementation framework that serves to nurture a sense of belonging through inclusive innovation and equity-centered design practices. Lend expertise to support the creation of new, Belonging-focused initiatives and policies for internal stakeholders.

Network Engagement

• Deliver 3-4 cohort workshops annually (2 remote and 2 in-person), with content shared across the broader UpStarter Network.
• Provide coaching, mentorship, and Jewish wisdom/Israel engagement support to at least 20 Network leaders each year.
• Translate values into tools that Network orgs can apply with staff, boards, and end-users.

Thought Leadership

• Publish 2-4 public-facing essays or resources annually, exploring Jewish content and intersections with emerging technologies (e.g., AI).
• Represent UpStart at field convenings, workshops, and thought leadership forums.
• Build partnerships with Jewish educators, institutions, and innovators in digital learning and AI.

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, or responsibilities associated with the position.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• 7-10 years of experience in Jewish education, program design, community building, and/or organizational development.
• Advanced knowledge of Jewish texts, tradition, and contemporary application, with experience translating ideas into accessible resources. 
• Rabbinical training, MAJE, or similar degree is preferred.
• Strong experience with digital learning tools, AI, or technology-enhanced education.
• Proven ability as an educator, facilitator, and content creator, able to engage diverse audiences.
• Commitment to upholding UpStart’s values and Guiding Principles Regarding Client and Program Partnerships.
• Ability to design and implement in-person and virtual learning programs from ideation through implementation. 
• Strong experience leading and implementing program design and program logistics.
• Passion for UpStart’s mission and the work of UpStart’s network.
• Familiarity with innovation ecosystems and the challenges/opportunities facing Jewish communities.
• Strong interpersonal and coaching skills, with the ability to support leaders across institutions and ventures.
• Lived experience as a social entrepreneur preferred.
• Commitment to leading through a lens of community and belonging.
• Adaptability and agility in the face of change, both organizational and technological.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

To ensure equitable compensation, UpStart uses labor market benchmarking as the basis for establishing the salaries of employees across all roles at the organization. Biennial labor market benchmarking is conducted by an independent third-party partner retained to review available data and analyze the rates of pay being offered by organizations similar to UpStart located in the Bay Area, CA. Aligned with this practice, and in support of upholding internal equity, we don’t negotiate salaries. The starting annual salary for this role is $100,000.

In addition to a competitive salary, UpStart currently offers the following benefits: 

• A comprehensive benefits package, including 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life, short-term, and long-term disability insurance.
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave with no waiting period.
• 100% employer-funded Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) for medical-related travel, up to $1,950 per year.
• FSA and Commuter Benefits accounts.
• Employer-sponsored 401K with employer match.
• Flexible discretionary paid time off.
• Annual $1,500 professional development stipend.
• One-time $300 office setup stipend and provided Mac.
• Monthly $50 cell phone stipend.
• 3:00pm local close-of-business on Fridays.
• Days off for all work-prohibitive Jewish holidays, in addition to secular US holidays.
• A one-month (30 days) paid sabbatical per every five years of employment.
• Occasional travel for meetings, conferences, and other business-related activities.
• A great workplace culture! Check out our culture deck here.

HOW TO APPLY

Use the fields below to submit your resume and a thoughtful, one-page cover letter to our hiring team.

UpStart is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, UpStart will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided accommodations. If accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Sydney Hirsch at sydneyh@upstartlab.org for assistance.

WHAT TO EXPECT

We are committed to a fair and respectful hiring process, and we do our absolute best to respond to every applicant. We prioritize communication and transparency with all candidates, even those who are not moving forward. For questions or concerns about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice, please contact Sydney Hirsch, Senior Director, People & Culture, at sydneyh@upstartlab.org. 

Here’s an overview of our hiring process*: 

• Step 1: Apply with your resume and cover letter!
• Step 2: Phone screen with an UpStart recruiter. 
• Step 3: Video interview with the hiring manager.
• Step 4: A video interview with a panel of UpStart employees. 
• Step 5: We’ll check your references to learn about your past experience. 
• Step 6: Get an offer letter, sign it, and start your professional journey with UpStart!

*Note: Some of our hiring processes may vary, and not all candidates will advance to each step.