Executive Assistant to Clergy

Title: Executive Assistant to Clergy

Status: Non-Exempt, Full-Time (~34 hours / week)

Compensation: $31-$34/hour depending on experience, plus benefits

Location: In Person — Tarzana, CA

About Temple Judea

Temple Judea of Tarzana is a warm, welcoming, and thriving Reform Jewish synagogue. Our tradition teaches that synagogues fulfill three core functions: worship, learning, and community, and Temple Judea strives to be a place for all three. We are an inclusive and welcoming community that values meaningful relationships, innovative Jewish experiences, lifelong learning, and vibrant communal life.

About the Position

Temple Judea of Tarzana, California seek a warm, highly organized, and thoughtful Executive Assistant to Clergy to support our clergy team and help care for the day-to-day needs of our congregation.

This is much more than a traditional administrative assistant position. The Executive Assistant to Clergy sits at the intersection of clergy, congregants, staff, programs, worship, and lifecycle moments. On any given day, you might coordinate a rabbi's schedule, help a family navigate funeral arrangements, prepare materials for Shabbat, support an adult learning program, or make sure an important congregant inquiry doesn't fall through the cracks.

We're looking for someone who brings strong administrative skills, a good understanding of Jewish synagogue life, and genuine care for people. Someone who can manage a lot of moving pieces while remaining warm, responsive, organized, and attentive to the person on the other end of an email, phone call, or conversation.

What You'll Do

Clergy & Administrative Support

• Manage clergy calendars, appointments, meetings, and assignments, helping clergy stay organized and prepared for worship, lifecycle events, programs, and other congregational activities.

• Manage clergy-related communications, including emails, phone calls, correspondence, letters, and requests requiring follow-up.

• Anticipate upcoming needs, track outstanding items, and coordinate with clergy and staff to ensure important details are addressed.

• Maintain an organized and welcoming clergy office, including providing administrative support to rabbinic and cantorial interns and other clergy staff as needed.
• Represent Temple Judea and its clergy with warmth, professionalism, discretion, and respect.

Lifecycle & Pastoral Support

• Serve as a warm and sensitive point of contact for congregants experiencing significant life moments, including births, weddings, illness, deaths, funerals, and memorials.

• Coordinate lifecycle and pastoral-care administrative support for congregants, including clergy scheduling, communications, paperwork, and related details with families, staff, and other partners.

• Maintain accurate and confidential lifecycle and pastoral records, including Mi Shebeirach, Shloshim, Yahrzeits, and other congregant milestones with empathy, discretion, patience, and sound judgment.

• Prepare lifecycle certificates, announcements, memorial information, and other materials, ensuring appropriate communication and follow-through, including English and Hebrew names.

Worship, Programs & Congregational Support

• Provide administrative support and clergy coverage coordination for clergy-led and clergy-connected initiatives, Shabbat, High Holy Day, and other worship services.

• Assist with scheduling, registrations, materials, communications, and clergy coverage for adult learning, Caring Community, Social Action, congregational trips, auxiliaries, and other clergy-connected activities.

• Maintain clergy-related information in ShulCloud and Temple calendars, and prepare or proofread clergy communications, acknowledgments, and congregational announcements.

• Work collaboratively with clergy and staff across departments to support congregational activities, address emerging needs, and keep things running smoothly.

• Maintain a flexible, positive, and team-oriented approach, particularly during busy periods and around Jewish holidays, including supporting other staff and working on additional tasks and projects as assigned by clergy and/or senior synagogue leadership.

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate combines strong administrative skills with a genuine understanding of Jewish synagogue life and a love of working with people.

Education and experience

Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred (significant relevant experience in a similar setting may substitute). Prior experience in an executive assistant, administrative support, office management, or comparable role required. Experience supporting senior leadership or multiple executives strongly preferred. Experience in a synagogue, Jewish communal organization, nonprofit, house of worship, or other relationship-centered environment highly desirable.

Qualifications

• Prior experience in executive assistance, administrative support, office management, or a similar role.

• Good working knowledge of Jewish synagogue life, including holidays, worship, lifecycle traditions, and common Jewish terminology.

• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities, calendars, and deadlines.

• Interact positively with clergy, congregants, families, staff, lay leaders, vendors, community partners, and visitors; awareness of interpersonal dynamics in a community-facing role.

• Strong written communication skills, including proofreading skills and attention to detail.

• Communicate effectively (face-to-face, orally by phone, and in writing) and provide information with clarity, diplomacy, and tact.

• Strong verbal communication skills, with a warm, professional, and thoughtful approach to interacting with others.

• Sound judgment, discretion, and sensitivity when handling confidential information or supporting congregants through personal circumstances.

• Ability to work independently, anticipate needs, take initiative, and follow through while remaining a collaborative and flexible team member.

• High Proficiency with Microsoft Office, calendars, databases, and common office technology, with a willingness to learn new systems.

Preferred, but not required

• Experience working in a synagogue, Jewish communal organization, nonprofit, or similar community-centered environment.

• Some familiarity with Hebrew, particularly common words and terminology used in worship and lifecycle events.

• Experience with ShulCloud or similar synagogue management software.

• A bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant experience.

Additional Information

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the position. Responsibilities and duties may change as organizational needs evolve.

We recognize that strong candidates bring different professional backgrounds and experiences. If this position interests you but you don't meet every preferred qualification, we encourage you to apply.

Candidates should be comfortable working within and supporting Jewish communal life, synagogue programs, and religious/cultural events in a respectful, professional, and inclusive manner.

Schedule & Benefits

This is a full-time, non-exempt, in-person position based in Tarzana, California, averaging approximately 34 hours per week. The regular schedule is primarily during weekday business hours, with occasional evening, Friday night, weekend, and Jewish holiday coverage as needed. Hours will be coordinated with supervisors based on congregational needs.

Benefits: Health insurance, paid sick time, vacation, and holiday pay, subject to eligibility and Temple policies. Benefits are offered following the first 90 days of employment. Full-time employees also receive complimentary Temple membership and may be eligible for tuition discounts.

Employment is contingent upon applicable background checks and verification of work authorization. Temple Judea is an equal opportunity employer committed to maintaining a respectful and inclusive workplace. Employment decisions are made without unlawful discrimination or harassment, consistent with applicable law and Temple Judea's rights as a religious organization, including the ministerial exception where applicable.

Join Our Community

At Temple Judea, the work we do matters because of the people we serve. Our clergy office is often where some of the most joyful, meaningful, and challenging moments in congregational life begin.

If you're someone who enjoys helping people, takes pride in making things run smoothly, and would love to be part of a warm and vibrant Jewish community, we'd love to hear from you.