Director of AJC Abu Dhabi

American Jewish Committee

Your Impact

Incumbents in this position provide leadership, management and vision to AJC Abu Dhabi: The Sidney Lerner Center for Arab-Jewish Understanding in carrying out the initiatives and work of the organization. The Director ensures that AJC s interests are appropriately represented in the Gulf regions, and that AJC is the go-to Jewish communal organization for the governments, foreign ministries and thought leaders therein.

This position makes an impact at AJC by planning, overseeing, and developing work with significant impact on the organization's mission and goals; including managing a country regional office and staff team. Works with significant latitude to solve complex problems and make strategically important decisions impacting the department.

The Director also helps support AJC CNME s mission and operations by fundraising and friend-raising directly for the department/institute and for AJC at large.

Your Role

Promote AJC s mission and programs as they relate to strengthening diplomatic, economic and civil society relations between Israel and the Arab world; in particular, promoting Emirati and Bahraini bilateral relations with Israel and attitudes toward Israel; and leading AJC s efforts throughout the region to counter antisemitism, radicalism, and extremism. The Director serves as a front-line observer, analyst, and voice on Gulf regional strategic affairs of concern to AJC. The Director is responsible for, and is the public face of, AJC s -- and, specifically, CNME s -- advocacy and programming efforts in the region. The Director is responsible for all matters relating to execution of AJC s mission in alignment with the priorities and strategic plan of CNME in the region, and the operations of the assigned office(s).

Specific Responsibilities:

Diplomatic Outreach

• Cultivate meaningful and long-term relationships with senior government officials, rising political figures, business and civil society leaders, and other thought and policy leaders and influencers, including diplomats from the U.S. and relevant countries, assuring AJC access to the highest levels of government in the region
• Communicate regularly with government officials on issues salient to AJC, as they arise
• Be the AJC expert on political affairs in the geographic area and provide analysis to CNME and broader AJC leadership
• Serve as liaison between AJC and local Jewish communities.
• Ensures that AJC's interests are appropriately represented in the UAE and in the Arabian Gulf, as they relate to deepening Muslim-Jewish, Arab-Israeli, and U.S.-Gulf understanding.

Team Leadership and Management

• Lead and manage the office staff in conducting meaningful engagements and programming in the region, and be prepared to expand staff if and when growth demands and budget is available
• Collaborate in close partnership with the VP, Center for a New Middle East, and other AJC senior leadership in executing the strategy of CNME and the broader mission of AJC in the region
• Oversee local office protocols and assure their alignment with AJC policies and protocols
• Ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations
• Lead planning and execution of AJC-related travel and programming in the region
• Work in close collaboration with other international directors, and Global Affairs colleagues globally, on shared agendas and strategies
• Support and assist in developing agendas for and recruiting of Project Interchange participants from the country/region
• Work with Marketing and Communications to develop branded materials for the region, as needed and agreed
• Engage in public speaking opportunities
• Publish blogs, essays, opinion pieces, Op-Eds, letters, and other media in consultation and partnership with the VP, CNME, and the Marketing and Communications department
• Develop/maintain online/social media strategy to advance AJC s agenda

Leadership Development and Fundraising

• Identify potential donors and help raise money to support operations and programming, and recruit existing and prospective donors and lay leaders to engage in Global Forum, AJC missions, and other national events.
• Offer relevant regional analyses and insights to the CNME Board co-chairs, vice chairs, and members, and cultivate strong working relationships with VP, CNME, on same.

Supervisory Role

Small office/team of 1-3