Senior Project Manager (Mega Projects)

The YAEL Foundation, headquartered in Jerusalem, is a rapidly expanding nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening Jewish identity worldwide by providing accessible, high-quality educational opportunities to Jewish children. Founded in 2020 by philanthropists Uri and Yael Poliavich, the foundation has quickly grown to become one of the largest funders of Jewish education globally, supporting over 85 schools and educational initiatives across 37 countries and impacting more than 14,000 students daily.

With a current team of 20 dedicated professionals and plans for continued growth, the YAEL Foundation is committed to ensuring that every investment is mission-aligned, cost-effective, and delivers measurable impact.

Position Summary

The Senior Project Manager (Mega Projects) will work closely with a cohort of partner schools in the Enlargement Track, guiding them through meaningful transformation aligned with the YAEL Foundation's educational vision and standards.

This role is designed for a strategic thinker and proactive doer — someone who can support schools in developing a holistic vision for growth, while also helping them execute step-by-step toward measurable results. You will act as a trusted advisor to school leadership, ensuring each school journey reflects the mark of quality associated with the YAEL Foundation.

This is not a supervisory role, but one that requires strong coordination skills, strategic insight, and the ability to influence change across multiple school environments.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic School Engagement

• Partner with each school to assess strengths and challenges, define goals, and build realistic transformation plans
• Guide implementation across academic, organizational, and operational dimensions
• Maintain close contact with school leadership to support sustained progress and accountability

Planning & Execution

• Help schools operationalize their growth plans through ongoing check-ins, milestone reviews, and resource coordination
• Act as the main liaison between schools and the Foundation’s internal teams
• Ensure all initiatives reflect the values, rigor, and long-term thinking of YAEL’s approach

Partnership & Quality Assurance

• Support school leaders in navigating change, including staffing, curriculum development, or community engagement
• Ensure alignment with the Foundation’s holistic educational philosophy and standards of excellence
• Share insights and best practices internally to strengthen the broader YAEL school network

Required Skills

• Assessment & Strategy: Ability to see the big picture and create actionable, goal-aligned plans
• Multi-Faceted Planning: Comfort with complexity and cross-functional implementation
• Stakeholder Coordination: Experience working with high-level school leaders and diverse teams

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in project management (preferably large-scale education projects)
• Knowledge of European Jewish communities is a plus
• Proven ability to manage complex processes with multiple stakeholders
• Deep understanding of how schools operate across education and administration
• Familiarity with Jewish day schools and international Jewish education (preferred)
• Excellent communication in English; Hebrew is an advantage
• Collaborative, mission-driven, and results-oriented

What We Offer

• A high-impact leadership role at the heart of Jewish educational transformation
• A unique opportunity to partner deeply with schools and help shape their trajectory
• A fast-paced, purposeful work environment that values innovation, clarity, and strategic execution