Judith Flacks-Leigh

Judith Flacks-Leigh has worked with a dizzying collection of Zionist organisations, including being Head of Communications and Campaigns at the JLC (April 2016–July 2019) and a trustee of the Union of Jewish Students (since August 2020). Between December 2014 and January 2016, Flacks-Leigh served as Communications Officer at the UK’s main pro-Israel lobby group, the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre (BICOM). Immediately afterwards, she was employed as parliamentary assistant to John Spellar MP, a vice chair of Labour Friends of Israel with strong connections to BICOM. Flacks-Leigh sat on the defence division of the BoD (2018–2021), was a on the National Executive Committee of the Jewish Labour Movement (July 2017–Oct 2018) and a volunteer with the pro-Israel American Jewish Committee (2014). She was also Trustee and Director (January 2017–December 2020) at Nisa-Nashimthe women's interfaith initiative aiming to normalise Zionism in the UK Muslim community.

Career

LinkedIn disclosures

• Jewish Care 2 yrs 8 mos
  • Head Of Communications and PR Jul 2020 - Present · 1 yr 9 mos

•Leading on key internal and external communications and PR for the organisation, including 10 care homes, 12 community centres, 1,300 staff, and a number of other services reaching 10,000 people each week.

•Managing a team to deliver the PR, press, service marketing, social media and digital marketing to support service delivery, fundraising and events.

•Leading on public affairs and key areas of reputation management.

•Overseeing all printed and digital publications including Careline magazine, read by 14,000 people each year.

•Devising communications plans for change management and leading on their implementation.

•Anticipating, preparing and delivering crisis communications.

• • PR and Communications Manager Aug 2019 - Jul 2020 · 1 yr
• Head of Communications and Campaigns The Jewish Leadership Council Apr 2016 - Jul 2019 · 3 yrs 4 mos London, United Kingdom

•Led coordination of complex, high profile, national, cross-communal campaigns and projects, such as Balfour 100, Cable Street 80 and had integral involvement in Enough is Enough.

•Managed all local, communal and national press (print, digital and broadcast), including media training of all staff.

•Developed integrated communications strategies on a range of projects.

•High profile stakeholder management.

•Drafted comments and op-eds for media.

•Commissioned and edited copy for regular and specialist campaign newsletters.

•Co-director of London Jewish Forum.

• Parliamentary Assistant House of Commons Jan 2016 - Apr 2016 · 4 mos London, United Kingdom. Parliamentary researcher and assistant to John Spellar MP, researching key areas of public policy, drafting responses to public letters and supporting case work.
• BICOM: Britain Israel Communications & Research Centre Communications Officer Dec 2014 - Jan 2016 · 1 yr 2 mos London, United Kingdom

•Recruited journalists for international fact-finding missions.

•Maintained and developed relationships with key media personnel.

•Developed and implemented communications plans around events, projects, and briefings.

•Responsibility for press releases, press notices, and placing op-eds.

•Organised briefings with high-profile political, diplomatic, military and activist guest speakers for journalists, stakeholders and interested parties.

•Worked to further international fundraising capabilities.

•Arranged events, political guests, meetings and presence at UK political party conferences.

•Expanded the reach of the organisation through various media.

• Manager, Leadership Initiatives Jewish Federation & Family Services, Orange County Sep 2013 - Dec 2014 · 1 yr 4 mos Orange County, California Area

•Developed, coordinated and facilitated ongoing leadership development programmes across university campuses in Orange County and Southern California.

•Planned and facilitated regular political briefing events and debates.

•Taught campaigning strategies and effective communication skills to young adults.

•Conducted strategic review of partner organisation, Orange County Hillel.

•Acted as organisational development consultant to the interim Orange County Hillel Director and assisted the implementation of the strategic review.

•Built capacity for interfaith and civic engagement initiatives.

•Organised national and international delegations to conferences across America and the Middle East.

•Prepared strategies for crisis management.

• Union of Jewish Students (UK and Ireland) 2 yrs 1 mo, United Kingdom
  • Campaigns Director Jun 2012 - Jul 2013 · 1 yr 2 mos

• Devised and implemented the political strategy of the organisation.

• Advanced the political welfare of Jewish students on university campuses across the UK.

• Provided guidance on hate speech, extremism on campus, anti-Semitism and campus cohesion.

• Worked with government and various charities on issues related to student welfare.

• Ran educational events and seminars.

• Facilitated the training, development and ongoing engagement of activists across the UK.

• Created and implemented successful national political campaigns.

• Ran successful national and local election campaigns.

• Led international delegations to the Middle East for student leaders and activists.

• Prepared and implemented crisis management strategies.

• Promoted interfaith dialogue and activities.

• Wrote press statements and comment for media.

• Managed finances of department.

• • Developing J-Socs fieldworker Jul 2011 - May 2012 · 11 mos

• Ran training for Jewish Society committees on university campus all over the UK in event planning, finance management and leadership development.

• Developed a new series of regional leadership development training programmes.

• Running and assisting with national leadership projects and events.

• Communications Intern Penn State Hillel · Internship Sep 2009 - May 2010 · 9 mos, State College, Pennsylvania Area

Designed and wrote leaflets, press releases, and newsletters.Designed and wrote leaflets, press releases, and newsletters.

• Government Relations Intern OneVoice Movement · Internship Dec 2009 - Jan 2010 · 2 mos Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Met with office members of the House of Representatives, Senate, and the British Embassy in Washington DC to raise the profile of OneVoice.

• Researched current funding opportunities for non-profit organisations from MEPI and USAID.

• Put together briefings on recent UK coverage of events in Israel.

• Comment and Opinion Editor, The Badger Newspaper, Sep 2008 - May 2009 · 9 mos, Brighton, United Kingdom

•Selecting, editing and formatting submitted articles to be published.

•Contributing my own articles to the section.•Selecting, editing and formatting submitted articles to be published. •Contributing my own articles to the section.

• Street Fundraiser Direct Dialogue Fundraising (DDF) · Contract Jul 2008 - Aug 2008 · 2 mos London, United Kingdom. Street charity fundraiser, registering members of the public to give regular charitable donations.

Volunteering

• Trustee JEWISH WOMENS AID Sep 2017 - Present · 4 yrs 8 mos
• Trustee Union of Jewish Students (UK and Ireland) Aug 2020 - Present · 1 yr 9 mos Aug
• Trustee NISA-NASHIM Jan 2017 - Dec 2020 · 4 yrs
• Representative for Jewish Women's Aid The Board of Deputies of British Jews Jan 2018 - Jun 2021 · 3 yrs 6 mos
• Bus leader MARCH OF THE LIVING (UK) LIMITED Apr 2017 · 1 mo
• NEC Equalities Officer Jewish Labour Movement Jul 2017 - Oct 2018 · 1 yr 4 mos
• Chair of Steering Commmittee European Union of Jewish Students May 2015 - Aug 2015 · 4 mos
• American Jewish Committee (AJC) AJC Access Los Angeles Jan 2014 · 1 mo

Education

• University of Sussex American Studies and English Literature, American History and PoliticsAmerican Studies and English Literature, American History and Politics

2007 - 2011, Grade: 2:1

• • Activities and societies: The Badger (University Union paper) Brighton and Sussex Jewish Society Aegis Society

Extra Curricular:

• • Sussex Centre for Language Studies- Achieved Level 1 Arabic
  • The Badger (University Paper) Comment and Opinion Editor and Writer: 2008-09
  • Brighton & Sussex Universities Jewish Society President/ Campaigns/ Events: 2007-2009
    • Brighton and Sussex Universities J-Soc won the Union of Jewish Students Campus UK Award 2009 for ‘Developing J-Soc of the Year’.
• Penn State University American Studies and English Literature, Study Abroad 2009 - 2010
  • Activities and societies: Hillel Communications Intern
• JFS School A Levels 2005 - 2007 A Levels: Politics, History, English Literature/Language; AS Level: French
• Goffs School GCSEs 2000 - 2005