As some of you may already know, our Chief Executive Steven Wilson has announced that he will be leaving his role next year.
Steven joined the United Synagogue in October 2014, having previously led the International Council for Science. Under his leadership, the United Synagogue has grown from 50 communities to 56, with new ones being seeded through the charity’s Communities of Potential programme.
He has been one of the drivers behind JCAT, the Jewish Community Multi Academy Trust, one of the most complex undertakings the United Synagogue has considered. Steven has supported the launch of the new Centre for Rabbinic Excellence which will provide United Synagogue Rabbis and Rebbetzens with ongoing professional development opportunities to create a word-class rabbinate.
Steven also led the United Synagogue’s response to Covid-19 and its strategy to reopen the charity’s synagogues and restart communal life in person post-pandemic.
I want to thank Steven for his outstanding leadership of the United Synagogue. Steven has led our organisation for the past eight years with integrity and distinction. During this period he has driven significant positive change for the charity.
Steven was brought in to implement the strategic review. Since then, he has brought a clarity of vision and shared purpose to our work and has substantially strengthened our senior leadership team.
He has driven community building projects forward and enhanced our property team to be able to deliver large and complicated projects.
The last two years of course have been defined by Covid-19. The pandemic brought an unprecedented challenge to all parts of society. The United Synagogue reacted swiftly and decisively during this period acting as a leader for the whole Jewish community and beyond. Steven was at the centre of the organisation’s response, analysing, on a daily basis, the changing statistics, the government guidance and what the scientists were saying. I have no doubt that his strong leadership at this time saved lives and prevented illness.
On a personal note, I have enjoyed a close and trusting working relationship with Steven that I will be forever grateful to him for. I know that my fellow Trustees and the senior leaders Steven works closely with value his thoughtfulness, his intellect and his compassion.
While the role of a chief executive of an organisation of this size and complexity inevitably means some time spent on firefighting, Steven has never lost sight of what we are all here for: to have more Jews doing more Jewish things more of the time.
I look forward to hearing about the next stage of his career and am sure he will have a positive effect on whatever he chooses to do.
Steven said: “Having reflected over my recent sabbatical, I’ve come to the decision that it is time to set my timeframe to step down as Chief Executive. In setting this timing, it gives me the opportunity to complete some of the key things that I want to get done before I go and it gives the organisation an appropriate amount of time to recruit my successor.
“It has been a huge honour to lead this inspiring organisation working with such dedicated Rabbis and Rebbetzens, professional staff and local lay leaders. Their amazing work and achievements over these eight years for our community and beyond have been transformational.
“None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary support of our Presidents and Trustees, and Michael, our President is both an outstanding leader of our community and an amazing personal support to me, and those things don’t always come together. I could not have asked for more and I have learned and am learning so much from him.”
Steven will be stepping down by the end of April 2023 and we are embarking on a recruitment process with immediate effect to ensure we can attract a range of candidates of the highest quality, as we begin our search for a worthy successor.
Trustees have appointed Saxton Bampfylde, one of the world's leading independent global executive headhunting firms, to lead the search. Saxton Bampfylde have an extensive track record supporting Jewish charities with their executive searches. Candidates can contact them by emailing theus@saxbam.com and applications can be made from Monday on their website. Interested candidates are also welcome to reach out to me for an informal conversation via president@theus.org.uk.
