Senior Associate, Fundraising Travel Experiences

Job Description

Job Description

Are you looking for a mission-driven non-profit where your skills can help people in need around the world? At the Jewish United Fund (JUF), we take pride in our mission and in having a work culture that fosters a sense of belonging and feels rewarding, supportive, and inclusive. We have a hybrid schedule and offer generous benefits including a 401(k) match, up to 22 days of paid time off (starting with 15), up to 11 sick days (starting with 7), and up to 21 paid holidays. The salary range for this role is $55,000-$60,000.

What you’ll be responsible for:

The JUF Missions team plans immersive travel experiences for donors, young professionals, and civic leaders to volunteer, learn, and strengthen community ties to Israel and other global destinations. As Senior Missions Associate, you will play a key role in planning and executing impactful mission experiences by coordinating across internal and external partners, managing recruitment and logistics, and supporting participant engagement from start to finish. In this role, you will lead itinerary development, oversee external and internal communications, and ensure smooth operational execution, including budget tracking and on-the-ground support during missions. You will also represent the organization’s work with knowledge and professionalism.

What you’ll be doing:

• Serve as a primary liaison between land agents, JUF’s Israel Office, and partner agencies (e.g., JAFI, JDC, ORT) to support the planning and execution of mission trips. Ensure clear communication, alignment on goals, and timely follow-through.
• Take ownership of building and refining mission itineraries by facilitating planning calls, synthesizing stakeholder input, conducting independent research, and recommending impactful sites, speakers, and experiences. Maintain a strong working knowledge of relevant regions and global travel considerations.
• Partner with lay leaders to support their involvement in missions, ensuring they are well-prepared, informed, and meaningfully engaged.
• Manage all pre- and post-mission communications with participants, ensuring clarity, timeliness, and a high-quality participant experience from recruitment through follow-up.
• Manage recruitment lists in Salesforce, ensuring statuses are up-to-date and ready to share in a timely fashion for relevant staff and lay leadership.
• Partner with the Marketing and Communications department to develop mission-related marketing assets, leveraging platforms such as Hive to track projects, timelines, and deliverables.
• Track progress against the Missions To-Do list, proactively identifying gaps or delays and adjusting priorities to ensure deadlines and program goals are met.
• Monitor mission budgets, track expenses, and process vendor invoices in a timely and accurate manner.
• Escort mission groups, manage logistics in real time, troubleshoot challenges, and support participant engagement. Contribute to fundraising efforts during missions.
• Support initiatives for the JUF Annual Campaign as needed, particularly where mission programming intersects with fundraising and donor engagement.
• Develop and demonstrate a strong understanding of JUF’s mission, programs, and global impact, and confidently represent this work to participants and stakeholders.

What you need to succeed:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• 2+ years of relevant work experience (non-profit, fundraising, travel, etc.)
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship‑building skills.
• Extraordinary organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proficiency in data analysis, reporting, and performance measurement.
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office Suite of Products; Salesforce experience preferred.
• Experience staffing or leading a group travel experience preferred.
• Passion for immersive travel experiences.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex challenges across itinerary design, donor engagement, and real-time operational logistics during trips.
• Ability to work independently.
• Knowledge of Jewish community, culture, and communal service strongly preferred.
• Must be able to travel abroad 1-2 times per year (on average).

What you’ll love about us:

At JUF, you can be part of one of the largest non-profit social welfare institutions in Illinois. We provide food, refuge, healthcare, education, emergency assistance, and essential services to 500,000 Chicagoans of all faiths and millions of Jews around the world. We offer medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) with base contribution and match, additional health and wellness benefits, financial benefits, professional training, tuition reimbursement, paid family leave, and much more.

Our Hybrid Schedule:

We have a hybrid work policy to allow staff the flexibility to work from home / remotely on Mondays and Fridays. Tuesdays-Thursdays, the standard work location is 30 South Wells Street in Chicago, and staff are expected to work in person. We have a 36.5 hour work week, not a 40 hour work week. Our work hours are 8:30am-5pm Monday-Thursday and 8:30am-4pm Friday with a daily 1 hour lunch break.