Director of Donor Relations $400,000 USD/year Pay is set based on global value, not the local market.
Most roles = hourly rate x 40 hrs x 50 weeks
Description
You entered private school leadership to drive how students learn—not to navigate capital campaigns or mediate parent governance. A version of this role exists where the academic framework is safeguarded centrally, operational functions are managed for you, and your focus remains on what you do best: cultivating trust with the most influential families, transforming them into advocates, and serving as the credible voice when conversations become challenging.
You will lead the parent-facing function for Alpha in a single metro area—Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Miami. Success is measured by enrollment and advocacy: converting prospective ultra-high-net-worth families, ensuring current UHNW families re-enroll, refer others, publicly endorse 2 Hour Learning, and establishing Alpha as a prominent name locally. Approximately half your time is external—facilitating community partnerships, hosting information sessions, and holding 1:1 discussions with discerning parents who have reviewed every AI critique and seek to understand why the model is sound.
The remainder of your role serves as the escalation point. When an Associate Dean of Parents encounters a situation beyond their scope—a board-connected family considering withdrawal, or a campus quietly adjusting the model to appease a vocal parent—it escalates to you. Your responsibility is to retain the family while preserving the model. Both outcomes are required. You then document the resolution so the Associate Dean network can manage similar cases independently going forward.
If you have led a private or independent K-12 institution, or built a career earning the confidence of UHNW families in another sector, and you have been seeking a position where judgment and persuasion are the core outputs, this role delivers that opportunity.
What you will be doing
- Developing local visibility by establishing partnerships with independent advisors, family offices, and private clubs, alongside hosting workshops and community gatherings that drive inbound interest
- Managing the full admissions cycle for affluent families: conducting information sessions, following up individually via the CRM, making enrollment decisions, and when appropriate, communicating that the school is not the right fit for a particular child
- Converting enrolled parents into vocal advocates for 2 Hour Learning by facilitating advocacy workshops and parent-to-parent networks, ensuring enrolled families become your most effective channel for new inquiries
- Addressing escalations beyond the capacity of others: determining whether the issue stems from the model, campus implementation, or family alignment, engaging directly with the family, then documenting the resolution for network-wide reference
- Maintaining consistent engagement with current families through regular touchpoints, and relaying patterns and feedback to leadership
What you will NOT be doing
- Leading capital campaigns, major gifts programs, donor cultivation efforts, or any fundraising activities
- Organizing PTAs, parent committees, School Improvement Councils, or focus groups that influence school policy
- Overseeing facilities, finance, legal matters, vendors, technology, marketing, or community logistics—centralized teams manage these functions, keeping your time dedicated to relationships rather than operations
- Developing curriculum or providing instructional coaching to teaching staff; the academic model is centrally owned and protected
- Granting exceptions or modifications to the educational model in response to parent requests, regardless of the parent's influence
- Merely logging and answering complaints, or drafting newsletters and routine parent updates
- Resolving conflict through avoidance—diplomacy in this context requires delivering difficult messages, not diluting standards
- Operating remotely; this is an on-site, full-time, public-facing position that includes evening and weekend community engagements
Key responsibilities
Create a metro region where Alpha families serve as the most vocal advocates for 2 Hour Learning—and where every parent crisis is resolved without compromising the model.
Candidate requirements
- 7+ years in a position centered on high-stakes relationships: head of school, fundraising, enterprise sales, private wealth management, or client success
- Consistent, direct experience working with ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families, including households with $1M+ annual earnings or families paying full tuition at elite private schools
- Background in a parent-facing or client-facing capacity at an independent or private K-12 school, or within UHNW client services
- At least one instance of personally guiding a sensitive matter to resolution: a parent crisis, staff investigation, press inquiry, or regulatory interaction
- A demonstrated history of upholding a standard when challenged by influential individuals
- Residing in the Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Miami metro area, with the ability to work on-site full-time, including evening and weekend events
- Authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship
Nice to have
- Current or recent Head of School—or the Head's senior deputy—at a top-tier independent K-12 institution (NAIS-member or equivalent tier)
- Leadership experience across multiple campuses or sites (network superintendent, regional director, COO of a school network)
- A UHNW client-services background applied to school leadership: single-family office, private wealth management, or major-gifts development at an elite preparatory school or Ivy League institution
- An established network within UHNW circles or influential local organizations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Miami
- Crisis communication experience involving regulators, press, or board-level stakeholders
- Practical AI development experience—building custom GPTs, agents, or vibe-coded internal tools applied in a real operational setting
- An advanced degree (M.Ed., MBA, or doctorate)—common among candidates in this profile, though not required; no formal education is mandatory for this role
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