IACT Coordinator at Maryland Hillel
Hillel International · College Park, Maryland, United States
IACT Coordinator
University of Maryland Hillel
Role Overview
Maryland Hillel seeks a dynamic, relationship-driven IACT Coordinator to connect University of Maryland students to Israel, Jewish life, and one another through immersive travel, educational opportunities, and ongoing engagement.
The IACT Coordinator will oversee recruitment, planning, and implementation for Birthright Israel, Onward Israel, Alternative Spring Break, and other Israel-centered and engagement initiatives. Beyond managing programs and filling trip spots, this person will cultivate a broad network of student relationships, identify opportunities for meaningful connection, and help students discover how Israel and Jewish experiences can become relevant to their lives.
The successful candidate understands that recruitment grows out of authentic relationships, consistent presence, and a genuine investment in students. They will spend time in the spaces where students already gather, build trust with student leaders and peer networks, and develop creative strategies to reach students who may not otherwise walk through Hillel’s doors.
This is an opportunity for someone who sees Israel travel not as a standalone experience, but as a gateway to deeper Jewish exploration, lasting friendships, and continued involvement in Jewish life at Maryland.
What You’ll Do
Student Engagement and Relationship Building
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Build authentic, ongoing relationships with a wide range of Jewish students, including those who are deeply connected to Jewish life and those who have had limited engagement with Hillel.
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Maintain a visible, approachable presence on campus, meeting students where they are—in residence halls, dining spaces, student organizations, Greek life communities, campus events, and other student gathering places.
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Develop relationships with fraternity and sorority members, chapter leaders, student organization leaders, and other influential peer networks to create pathways for engagement and participation.
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Identify students’ interests, identities, questions, and motivations, and connect them with relevant Jewish experiences, Israel opportunities, and Hillel programs.
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Help students take meaningful next steps after participating in a trip or program, building pathways from a single experience to continued involvement, leadership, and community.
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Collaborate with Maryland Hillel colleagues to integrate Israel engagement into the broader student engagement strategy and ensure students experience Hillel as a connected, welcoming community.
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Serve as an active member of the broader team by staffing Shabbat dinners and other Hillel-wide experiences, including holiday celebrations and other large-scale programs.
Israel Travel and Experiential Education
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Lead the recruitment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of Birthright Israel trips, Onward Israel internships and experiences, Alternative Spring Break, and other Israel-related initiatives.
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Develop and execute year-round recruitment strategies that prioritize relationship-building, peer-to-peer outreach, targeted engagement, and personal follow-up.
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Build and maintain relationships with prospective participants throughout the recruitment process, helping students understand the value of each opportunity and supporting them through application, preparation, and participation.
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Coordinate participant outreach, applications, interviews or eligibility processes as applicable, pre-trip education, logistical preparation, and post-trip follow-up.
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Work with Israel program partners, campus colleagues, student leaders, alumni, and other stakeholders to deliver high-quality, meaningful experiences.
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Develop creative strategies to reach students who may not initially see Israel travel as relevant, accessible, or appealing to them.
Program Development and Jewish Engagement
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Serve as an active member of Maryland Hillel's engagement team, helping to engage students with diverse interests, backgrounds, and levels of Jewish involvement through a variety of relationship-based outreach strategies and experiences.
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Create and implement Israel-centered programs throughout the academic year that invite students to explore Israel, Israeli society, Jewish peoplehood, identity, culture, and contemporary issues.
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Connect students to Israel engagement opportunities beyond travel, including educational programs, speakers, cultural events, fellowships, internships, and leadership opportunities.
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Help students process and reflect on their Israel experiences, encouraging curiosity, thoughtful dialogue, and deeper learning.
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Approach Israel engagement with educational intentionality, recognizing that students bring different experiences, perspectives, questions, and levels of familiarity to the conversation.
Recruitment Strategy, Outreach, and Evaluation
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Develop a comprehensive, year-round engagement and recruitment plan with clear goals, timelines, and strategies for reaching students across campus.
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Use student relationships, peer networks, campus partnerships, and data-informed outreach to identify prospective participants and expand access to programs.
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Track engagement, recruitment pipelines, applications, participation, and post-program involvement to assess impact and improve future efforts.
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Collaborate with the Maryland Hillel team on communications, marketing, social media, and outreach strategies that tell compelling stories about Israel travel and Jewish engagement.
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Evaluate programs regularly, incorporating student feedback and participation data to strengthen recruitment, educational quality, and long-term engagement.
What Success Looks Like
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Build a broad and diverse network of meaningful relationships across Maryland’s Jewish student community.
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Establish strong partnerships with Greek life organizations, student leaders, campus groups, and other key student networks.
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Develop a reliable, year-round pipeline of students who are excited to participate in Israel travel and engagement opportunities.
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Deliver exceptional Birthright Israel, Onward Israel, Alternative Spring Break, and other experiential programs.
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Help students return from trips with stronger relationships, deeper questions, and clear pathways to continued Jewish engagement.
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Collaborate with the Maryland Hillel team to strengthen a culture of connection, curiosity, and belonging.
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Contribute to Maryland Hillel’s continued tradition of excellence by developing creative, sustainable approaches to student engagement
What You’ll Bring to the Job
- Bachelor’s degree required
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0-2 years of professional work experience
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A demonstrated passion for Jewish student engagement, Israel, and creating meaningful experiences for college students.
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Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build genuine relationships with students from a wide range of backgrounds, interests, and levels of Jewish engagement.
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A proactive, outgoing, and entrepreneurial approach to engagement, with a willingness to initiate conversations, show up consistently, and build trust over time.
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Experience in student engagement, Jewish communal work, Israel programming, experiential education, travel programs, campus life, or a related field.
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Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple programs, deadlines, logistics, and relationships simultaneously.
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Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to connect with students in both formal and informal settings.
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Comfort working independently while collaborating closely with a team.
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Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and travel-related hours, particularly around student programming and trip cycles.
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A commitment to Maryland Hillel’s pluralistic approach and to engaging students with a range of Jewish backgrounds, interests, and perspectives.
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Experience with Birthri