Head of Corporate Development & Partnerships

The Opportunity Westmark School—a nationally recognized leader in educating students with language-based learning differences—seeks an entrepreneurial, relationship-driven leader to serve as its Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships. This is a pivotal new role designed to expand Westmark’s philanthropic reach, deepen engagement with mission-aligned external partners, and strengthen the School’s long-term sustainability.
Type: Full Time
Categories: Development/Fund Raising
Preferred Education: 4 Year Degree
The Opportunity Westmark School—a nationally recognized leader in educating students with language-based learning differences—seeks an entrepreneurial, relationship-driven leader to serve as its Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships. This is a pivotal new role designed to expand Westmark’s philanthropic reach, deepen engagement with mission-aligned external partners, and strengthen the School’s long-term sustainability.
A central responsibility of the Director is to strategically support the Head of School and the Board of Trustees in all aspects of major gifts fundraising. At The Same Time, The Director Will Broaden Westmark’s Visibility And Impact By Identifying And Securing New Sources Of External Support, Including Individual philanthropists beyond the immediate School community
Corporate partnerships
Foundation relationships
Mission-aligned organizations in education, neurodiversity, technology, and workforce development
The Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships reports directly to the Head of School and serves as a key member of the senior leadership team.
Physical Demands and Work Environment While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit in on meetings and work on a computer for long periods of time; Westmark School is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit and job performance. School policy prohibits discrimination based on race, color, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, religion, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical conditions (including genetic characteristics or information), sexual orientation, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, and local laws.
What We’re Looking For In a Successful Candidate Westmark seeks a candidate who is both a strategic thinker and a hands-on relationship builder—someone energized by the opportunity to shape and expand the School’s philanthropic reach.
The ideal candidate will bring a blend of major gifts expertise, partnership development experience, and leadership presence required to work closely with the Head of School, Board of Trustees, and senior administrators.
Comfort engaging with high-capacity families, alumni parents, former trustees, and community leaders.
Strategic Vision and Entrepreneurial Drive The ability to translate institutional priorities—especially the 2026-2029 strategic plan—into a clear, actionable roadmap for philanthropy and partnerships.
A growth mindset and entrepreneurial approach to identifying new funding opportunities, building pipelines, and expanding Westmark’s visibility beyond its immediate community.
A willingness to innovate, test new approaches, and build systems that strengthen long-term sustainability.
A collaborative spirit and the ability to work seamlessly across departments: admissions, marketing and communications, programming, and the Head of School office.
Volunteer Management Excellence Demonstrated success recruiting, training, motivating, and recognizing volunteer leaders.
Skill in creating clear roles, timelines, and tools that enable effective peer-to-peer outreach.
Corporate and Foundation Partnership Experience Experience developing multi-layered corporate relationships that may include philanthropy, sponsorships, employee engagement, or workforce-readiness initiatives.
Strong grant-writing skills, including the ability to craft compelling narratives, manage deadlines, and steward institutional funders.
An understanding of trends in DEI and corporate philanthropy—particularly as they relate to neurodiversity, education, and talent development.
Operational Discipline and Data-Driven Decision Making Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work on tight timelines.
Comfort with prospect management systems, dashboards, and data analysis to inform strategy and track progress.
A commitment to best practices in donor stewardship, compliance, and ethical fundraising.
Mission Alignment and Cultural Competence A deep appreciation for Westmark School’s mission, vision, and the strengths of neurodiverse learners.
The ability to communicate the School’s impact with authenticity, clarity, and emotional intelligence.
About Westmark School Westmark School is a creative and supportive college preparatory school dedicated to educating, empowering and celebrating students with distinct learning styles, providing the tools necessary to achieve successful and fulfilling futures. Connections working at Westmark School

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