Director of Strategic Partnerships
$200,000 USD/year Pay is set based on global value, not the local market. Most roles = hourly rate x 40 hrs x 50 weeks 

Santa Barbara, CA; Palo Alto, CA; Piedmont, CA; Lake Forest, CA; Bethesda, MD; Austin, TX; Fort Worth, TX; or Kirkland, WA.
In-person
Flexible schedule
full-time (40 hrs/week)
Long-term role

Director of Strategic Partnerships   $200,000 USD/year

Description

LOCATION NOTE: This position is on-site in the cities listed below and includes local travel. We provide relocation support for candidates who have concrete relocation plans and timelines.

You excel in high-growth startup environments. You have a successful history working with affluent clients who demand exceptional service. You are convinced AI will transform education and welcome the opportunity to challenge doubters. If that description doesn't resonate, this position is not the right fit.

Alpha is not a conventional school. We are a technology startup demonstrating that every child has extraordinary potential. Our students complete their core academic work in two hours per day through AI-driven applications, then dedicate the remaining time to skills that matter in the real world: public speaking, critical thinking, collaborative challenges, and meaningful projects. No traditional lectures. No redundant assignments. Just accelerated mastery and performance in the top 1% nationally. Families expect concierge-quality service. You will consistently advocate for this model against concerns about technology use, traditional education advocates, and skepticism that our results are too impressive to be real.

During the first year to eighteen months, this is fundamentally an enrollment sales position. You are accountable for the entire pipeline from initial inquiry through executed enrollment contracts, including conversion metrics and CRM ownership. We will not launch a campus with fewer than 25 enrolled students. Achieving that enrollment threshold is your responsibility. You will deliver compelling information sessions, facilitate personalized campus tours, pursue leads persistently, and close enrollments. After you reach 25 students and bring on an admissions director, your role evolves into serving as the campus's lead parent-relations executive. You will cultivate loyalty, address concerns with white-glove responsiveness, and convert satisfied families into vocal advocates who bring in additional enrollments.

This position offers high trust and high autonomy with transparent accountability. You will operate independently without substantial administrative support, marketing resources, or established operational playbooks. Strategy adapts based on evidence. Systems are still being developed. You will create them. Most of your time will be spent outside the facility (coffee appointments, networking lunches, Chamber of Commerce participation) rather than at a desk. You will be present during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. You will participate in evening family events and occasional weekend student programs. A single poorly aligned family in a cohort of 25 can compromise the entire group, so declining families who are not the right fit is as critical as enrolling those who are.

The upside? You will observe transformations rarely seen by educators: skeptical families becoming passionate advocates, hesitant students presenting with confidence to adults, families selecting your campus over prestigious private schools. You will build something from the ground up and own the outcomes. 

If you believe the majority of schools are underserving students and a superior model exists, this is your opportunity to demonstrate it.

HIRING FOR THESE LOCATIONS:

  • CA: Santa Barbara, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Piedmont (East Bay), & Lake Forest (Orange Co.)
  • MD: Bethesda
  • VA: Chantilly
  • WA: Kirkland (Seattle)

What you will be doing

  • Manage the complete enrollment sales pipeline during the first 0-1 years, from initial inquiry through signed contracts, including conversion goals and CRM oversight until the 25-student threshold is reached
  • Deliver information sessions and campus tours that successfully convert interested families while strategically declining families who are not aligned (selectivity is as critical as enrollment)
  • Act as the primary relationship owner for high-net-worth families investing $40K+ annually, delivering white-glove experiences that transform parents into advocates
  • Establish community presence through consistent on-site availability during morning arrival (7-9am) and afternoon dismissal (2-4pm), while dedicating most of each day to external activities including coffee meetings, networking initiatives, and community partnerships
  • Advocate for Alpha's AI-driven educational model to skeptical families who raise concerns about screen time and non-traditional schooling
  • Cultivate parent champions by creating exceptional experiences that motivate families to actively recruit their networks

What you will NOT be doing

  • Maintaining standard 9-5 schedules (early morning availability, late afternoon presence, and evening programming are required)
  • Implementing established playbooks and standard procedures (you will create systems in a startup context)
  • Depending on administrative personnel, marketing departments, or enrollment coordinators (you operate independently)
  • Enrolling every applicant (strategic selectivity is essential)
  • Working primarily from a desk (this position demands daily community engagement and relationship cultivation)

Key responsibilities

Lead enrollment sales during the initial 0-1 year period, then transition to cultivating parent relationships that generate advocates and fuel organic growth through referrals.

Candidate requirements

  • Currently reside within a commuting distance of one of these campuses OR willing to relocate within 60 days (preference for existing local connections): Santa Barbara, CA; Palo Alto, CA; Piedmont, CA; Lake Forest, CA; Bethesda, MD; Fort Worth, TX; Austin, TX; or Kirkland, WA.
  • Legally authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship
  • 5+ years in a position involving work with high-net-worth clients in consultative sales or premium customer experience capacities (examples include private school admissions/enrollment, luxury retail, hospitality, philanthropic development, etc.)
  • Proven enrollment or sales funnel performance with conversion metrics you can articulate 
  • Executive presence and communication capabilities to build trust and influence sophisticated decision-making among affluent families 
  • Entrepreneurial self-starter who thrives as an independent operator in startup settings
  • Authentic passion for AI-driven education, with confidence defending the approach to skeptical parents who question technology use and non-traditional methods
  • Availability for non-standard hours: early mornings (7-9am), late afternoons (2-4pm), evening programming (2-3x/month), and weekend events

Nice to have

Exceptional candidates will possess at least one of the following: 

  • Established network within the local affluent community with existing relationships
  • Private or independent school enrollment/admissions leadership background with documented success
  • Sales, business development, or fundraising achievements with high-value clientele
  • Prior startup or early-stage organization experience managing ambiguity and rapid evolution
  • Event planning and community organizing capabilities producing memorable experiences
  • Real estate, development, or major gift fundraising experience engaging ultra-high-net-worth individuals

Meet a successful candidate

Watch Interview
CeCe
CeCe  |  Lead Guide
United States  

Has the harsh reality of teaching in a broken system worn you down? This compassionate Lead Guide is redefining what it means to support kid...

Meet CeCe

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Work examples

This is not traditional education, and this is not conventional parent engagement.

At Alpha, parent advocacy functions as a growth engine rather than a support activity. You will facilitate high-stakes conversations, produce events that convert prospects, and build conviction one family at a time. That requires mastery of both the messaging and the model. You must understand precisely what differentiates Alpha—and how to articulate that in ways that inspire action.

Want to explore the stories you will help shape and communicate? Begin here:

🎥 Why Families Leave Traditional School for Alpha
Listen to three Alpha fathers explain why they rejected conventional schooling—and how Alpha's approach has transformed their children's confidence, independence, and academic progress.
👉 Watch the conversation (24 min)

📘 Alpha's Learning Model: The Science Behind 2x Results
This is the framework you will use to build advocacy. Master the academic foundation before generating momentum.
👉 Read the whitepaper

🔥 Testing Is Not the Problem—Low Standards Are
Alpha does not avoid standardized testing. We embrace it. If you seek a school that diminishes rigor or lowers expectations, do not apply. But if you believe in establishing high standards—and supporting every student to meet them—begin here.
👉 Watch MacKenzie explain (3 min)

🎙️ Student Perspective: Rourke on Switching to Alpha
In her own voice, a 12-year-old former NYC student describes why her family relocated for Alpha, and what education feels like when designed for mastery rather than memorization.
👉 Watch the student interview (18 min)

🎬 Inside the Classroom: 2-Hour Learning in Motion
A one-minute overview of what makes Alpha's model effective, from AI-powered instruction to the guides who facilitate it.
👉 Quick look (1 min)

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