ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
SF Parent Coalition (c3) and SF Parents Action (c4) are San Francisco’s leading independent
organizations for public school families. Working across a unified strategy, SF Parents
informs, organizes, and mobilizes a diverse coalition of parents and caregivers to advance
student-centered decision-making and exert influence in San Francisco Unified School
District, one of the country’s most complex and consequential public school systems.
SF Parents has built a distinctive identity at the intersection of four capabilities: serving as an
information hub and watchdog that translates school board decisions and policy tradeoffs
into clear, accessible insight for families; building a broad and diverse parent coalition
grounded in trust-based relationships; operating with sophistication and discipline in San
Francisco’s demanding political landscape; and earning the credibility to be the go-to media
voice and trusted source on SF public education. The results include a strong track record
of school board endorsements and electoral wins, major policy victories, and thought
leadership that district leaders, city officials, media, and funders all take seriously.
The work requires navigating three strategic tensions that are not problems to be solved,
but defining features of the mission: staying broadly inclusive while taking sharp
advocacy positions; narrowing gaps for the most underserved students while raising the
bar for all; and elevating authentic parent voice while grounding that voice in evidence
and rigorous analysis. The next Executive Director will need to be genuinely at home in and
excited by all three tensions.
SF Parents is entering a new chapter. After five years of founder leadership, the organization
is transitioning from a startup to a resilient, durable institution—clarifying its structure,
building a coherent operating model across its C3 and C4 entities, and expanding its
community reach and financial base. The incoming Executive Director joins an organization
with real momentum, deep community trust, and an extraordinary foundation to build from.
This is an opportunity to leverage the past and shape what comes next.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
SF Parents is looking for an Executive Director who is energized (not just undeterred) by
complexity. This is a role for a leader who can read a room, hold a coalition together under
pressure, and make consequential calls when political winds shift and stakeholders hold
strong and competing opinions. If that sounds like the work you’ve been looking for, we
want to hear from you.
Values-driven holder of the vision
You are radically passionate about all kids and student outcomes, and about studentc entered decision-making as the north star of this organization. You can spot a values misalignment from a distance, and you know how to name it directly and constructively.
You bring genuine passion for the mission alongside the judgment and steadiness to
translate that passion into durable strategy.
Strategic and adaptive
You translate vision into execution. You set goals, work from evidence, and stay focused
when the environment is noisy. You maintain a focus on long-term thinking while
addressing urgent issues demanding real-time attention.
High-EQ communicator and coalition builder
SF Parents’ work is deeply rooted in its relationships and its credibility. You listen more than
you talk in rooms where trust is still being built. You code-switch fluently—between a
parent meeting in the Excelsior, a conversation with a major donor, a media call, and a
session with city leaders. You know the difference between the moment that calls for bold
positioning and the one that calls for bringing people back together.
Systems thinker
You understand how policy, politics, and organizing interact to produce change—or block it.
You can quickly size up whether a school board decision or district initiative is good, bad, or
complicated for kids, and you can explain your read credibly to parents, reporters, and
funders alike. You think in structures, incentives, and long-term dynamics rather than in
individual programs or direct-service delivery. Experience in education policy, education
systems, or an adjacent field of civic and systems-change work that has developed this
orientation is highly valued.
Appetite for SF’s political environment
You have the instincts, thick skin, and judgment to operate effectively in San Francisco’s
unique political terrain. This is a city where education, politics, and identity are deeply
intertwined, where advocacy requires navigating relationships across ideological lines, and
where the organization’s independence is both its greatest asset and a perpetual test of
nerve. Good judgment and a strong backbone matter more than an existing political
network.
Chief fundraiser and small-team leader
In a small organization with outsized influence, every member of the team matters—and so
does the leader who builds and sustains it. You thrive in a lean, fast-moving environment
where you roll up your sleeves alongside your team. You know when to take a project on
yourself and when to delegate. You bring the operational discipline to run a high-
performing organization and the governance steadiness to lead across a C3/C4 structure
with distinct legal entities.
Ready to step into a founder transition
You are joining an organization shaped by the relationships, reputation, and institutional
knowledge its founder has built over the past five years. SF Parents’ founding Executive
Director will remain actively involved in the organization’s political and C4 strategy during
the transition period, and key political and media relationships will be co-stewarded as the
new ED builds context and trust. The pace and shape of the leadership handoff will be
designed collaboratively—with input from the successful candidate, the founder, and the
board. We are looking for someone who sees this structure as a strategic asset and brings
ideas for how to leverage it.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
The Executive Director serves as the chief executive of SF Parent Coalition, entrusted with
overall leadership and strategic direction. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED acts as
the organization’s primary representative and spokesperson, working to build and
strengthen partnerships with community leaders, families, educators, donors, and elected
officials.
The Executive Director will lead SF Parent Coalition (C3) from day one, with full
responsibility for organizational strategy, operations, fundraising, and team leadership.
Leadership of the C4 and PAC will be integrated over time through a transition designed
collaboratively with the successful candidate, the founding ED, and the board. During the
transition period, the founding ED will continue in a senior role focused on C4 political
strategy and electoral work, ensuring continuity in an active political environment while the
new ED builds relationships and context. The ED has the authority to delegate
responsibilities to staff members, ensuring that all aspects of this role are efficiently
managed by the team.
Strategic Leadership and Vision
● Develop and execute a comprehensive annual and multi-year strategy in collaboration
with the Board of Directors, Managing Director, Strategic Advisory, and Parent
Leadership Council
● Set the organizational agenda proactively, translating vision into clear goals, aligned
resources, and measurable outcomes
● Engage and energize stakeholders—including parents, board members, committees,
and partners—through an effective, inspiring vision
● Inform and develop ideas for current and new programmatic efforts to enhance the
organization’s impact and reach
External Relations and Advocacy
● Serve as the organization’s primary point of contact for San Francisco City leaders,
SFUSD leadership including the Superintendent and Board of Education, and other key
district stakeholders; during the transition period, key political and media relationships
will be co-stewarded with the founding ED, with a planned handoff as relationships are
established
● Represent the organization as its primary spokesperson at public events, conferences,
forums, and in media, communicating the mission, goals, and policy campaigns with
clarity and conviction
● Build and strengthen partnerships with community leaders, educators, families,
students, and donors to support a broad, student-centered coalition
● Oversee advocacy and issue campaigns, ensuring alignment with mission and vision;
develop strategies to effectively engage stakeholders in these efforts
● Strengthen the organization’s power and influence across San Francisco; help shift the
narrative on public education by fostering collaborative relationships and supporting
transformative advocacy
Fundraising and Development
● Own the fundraising strategy and lead efforts to meet fundraising goals across the
organization’s three entities (C3, C4, and PAC)
● Collaborate with the development team, the board, and the Managing Director to set
annual fundraising goals and develop comprehensive fundraising plans
● Cultivate and steward relationships with major donors and grantors; develop and
implement strategies to increase donor engagement and retention
● Develop a compelling, multifaceted case for support—including tailored narratives for
different audiences—ensuring stories of impact resonate with current and prospective
funders
● Support board members in carrying out fundraising activities with major donors
Board Management and Governance
● Serve as the primary contact with the Board of Directors, ensuring effective, transparent,
and proactive communication
● Provide the board with the resources, information, and context necessary to fulfill their
governance duties and make informed decisions
● Present clear, accurate financial reports and operational updates to ensure transparency
and sound fiscal oversight
● Maintain governance steadiness across the C3/C4 structure; run effective board
meetings and manage up to boards with different operating rhythms
● Support recruitment, orientation, and development of board members to enhance
governance capacity
Team Leadership and Organizational Management
● Lead a mission-aligned, high-performing team; model a culture of collaboration,
accountability, innovation, and results
● Attract, recruit, develop, and retain talent; invest in staff growth and professional
development
● Partner with the Managing Director to ensure excellence in programmatic operations,
finance, administration, communications, and systems
● Ensure adherence to legal, accounting, and regulatory requirements across all
organizational entities
Brand and Reputation
● Steward the SF Parents brand—defining its voice, ensuring consistency across all
audiences, and authentically building the organization’s reputation and public presence
● Adapt the organization’s voice and messaging to address the shifting social and political
landscape
● Identify and mitigate threats to the organization’s reputation and relevance
KEY QUALIFICATIONS
● Demonstrated track record of senior leadership in advocacy, organizing, policy, or a
related field, with meaningful tenure and sustained commitment to organizations and
causes
● Systems-change orientation: thinks at the level of structures, incentives, and long-term
dynamics—not direct service or individual programs. The pathway through which a
candidate developed this orientation is flexible; what matters is that it is demonstrably
present
● Experience or strong appetite for fundraising strategy and implementation; readiness to
own this function matters more than pre-existing expertise
● Experience and comfort as an organizational spokesperson and public representative
● Demonstrated experience connecting strategy to budget decisions and leading
organizations through periods of growth or change
Highly Valued
● Experience as a current or former SFUSD public school parent; the ability to speak on
behalf of SF public school families—not just about them—is core to the organization’s
credibility and public voice
● Education policy background (research, advocacy, think-tank) or education setting
experience (administration, teaching) where the candidate has demonstrably
transitioned to systems-level thinking
● Existing relationships within the SF and SFUSD community, though the ability to build
relationships quickly and earn credibility fast is the more transferable and durable skill
● Experience with political campaigns, endorsement processes, or advocacy within San
Francisco’s political environment
● Experience working with the complexities of 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and PAC structures, or
enthusiasm and aptitude for learning and implementing in this area
POSITION DETAILS
Location: San Francisco, CA — Hybrid. The SF Parents team works from the Hayes Valley
office approximately three days per week, with flexibility for remote work. The ED role
includes significant time in the field meeting with funders, district leaders, elected officials,
and community partners across San Francisco.
Reports to: Board of Directors, SF Parent Coalition (C3). The reporting relationship to the
C4/PAC board will be established as part of the collaboratively designed leadership
transition.
Compensation: $190,000–$210,000 annually, commensurate with experience. Benefits
include fully employer-paid medical coverage for employees (50% for dependents), dental
and vision plans, a 401(k) retirement plan, 15+ days of PTO, 14 paid holidays, and paid winter
and summer closures. SF Parents is a family-centered organization that trusts its team to
manage their time in ways that support both the mission and their own wellbeing.
Status: Full-time, exempt
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, please complete this application form. No cover letter is required. You will be
asked to upload your resume and optionally to provide a link to your LinkedIn profile. We
also request responses to a short set of questions about your interest and experience. You
may submit your responses in writing or as an audio recording—whichever format best lets
you tell your story.
Candidates will be evaluated as applications are received, although we strongly encourage
applications before May 8, 2026.