Partner, DC

Partner, Wildflower Schools, Washington, D.C.

Who are we?

Wildflower schools are 1-2 room, teacher-led Montessori schools that are deeply embedded in neighborhoods, committed to equity and mindfulness practices and grounded in a deep belief in the awe-inspiring potential of human beings - both children and adults. The Wildflower Foundation nurtures the conditions for Wildflower schools to organically grow across the U.S. and eventually around the world.

Wildflower started in 2013 as a single school affiliated with the MIT Media Lab and has since grown into a decentralized, non-hierarchical network of 15 schools in Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Indiana and Kentucky, with many more under development in communities across the country and around the world.

The Wildflower Foundation operates a bit differently from a typical non-profit organization. We are guided by the transparency and self-management principles and practices outlined in Frederic Laloux's book Reinventing Organizations.

A Summary of the Role of Partner

The Wildflower Foundation is looking for a driven person with an entrepreneurial spirit who shares our commitment to equity, innovation, wholeness, and Montessori education to spread the first seeds and begin the growth of a cluster of Wildflower schools in Washington, D.C. Specifically, this Partner will launch Wildflower’s growth in D.C., a role often referred to within our organization as a the “DC site entrepreneur” and formally titled “Partner” on our team.

What will you do?

As a Partner catalyzing the growth of Wildflower in D.C., you will:

  • Develop the public’s understanding of Wildflower and help people appreciate the beauty of the model.
  • Create pathways for opening new Wildflower schools that allow Wildflower to fully express its purpose of equity and authentic Montessori at the school site level.
  • Build relationships with key partners, including D.C. Public Schools, the D.C. Public Charter School Board, the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education, and other institutions that might sponsor or authorize Wildflower schools and advise on financial and regulatory needs.
  • Cultivate donors to provide startup funds for new schools and the network, and develop and execute overall strategy for generating necessary support for our work in D.C.
  • Identify, welcome and support prospective Montessori teacher leaders who are ready to start new Wildflower schools in D.C. by guiding them through Wildflower’s School Startup Journey.
  • Initiate the supportive community that will provide important coaching to teacher leaders as they launch Wildflower schools, including but not limited to training around school start-up, Montessori, community engagement and equity.
  • Offer guidance to new school leaders regarding local licensing guidelines and applicable D.C. law to support them in opening new schools and maintaining compliance.
  • Foster the practices and structures needed for self-governance within the emerging D.C. network of Wildflower teacher leaders.

This role can be customized to fit a full or part time schedule. Our experience in other communities suggests that this will require at least 75% of a person’s time. We are open to considering candidates looking for less than full-time work, and we are equally excited to combine this role with other areas of responsibility to create a full-time position. As a rapidly growing organization with a lot to do, we will work with you to identify other roles based on your interests and skills.

The Partner role is a salaried position with Wildflower Schools, and is based in Washington, D.C. Wildflower is working closely with CityBridge Education, an organization dedicated to incubating excellent, equitable schools in D.C., to bring Wildflower to the nation’s capital. CityBridge will welcome the Partner to join its cohort of entrepreneurs incubating innovative models in the District. CityBridge Education will provide the partner with office space and a variety of supports, particularly around building relationships with key partners and initiating a supportive community locally.

Who are we looking for?

For this role, we are particularly interested in meeting candidates with experience and relationships in Washington, D.C.


Generally, our Partners in similar roles launching our growth in other regions have at least 7-10 years of professional experience as change agents doing mission driven work with the below skills. We plan to seek out similar qualifications for this D.C.-based Partner role including but not limited to:

  • An appreciation of the Montessori approach and the educators who bring it to life
  • Implementation or active participation in the recruitment, engagement and 1:1 coaching of professionals
  • Ability to forge and nurture productive relationships with philanthropic partners; direct fundraising experience a plus
  • Prior experience working towards educational equity -- within social ventures, non-profit or community-based organizations, charter management organizations and/or school districts
  • Public relations and community outreach experience highly preferred (either professionally or at the volunteer level)
  • Compelling communication skills; both written and public speaking
  • Audacious and humble – You seek advice openly and are curious about working in a non-hierarchical organization. You are flexible, open-minded, see opportunity in obstacles, and are energized by using creativity and resourcefulness to create something new
  • Comfortable using collaborative online tools that connect the Wildflower community, including Google apps and Microsoft Office


Why Wildflower?

In addition to a nurturing, reinvented workspace, The Wildflower Foundation offers a competitive salary and comprehensive health benefits package along with 401(k) plan with employer matching. We also offer a flexible and generous vacation policy as well as an inclusive environment where staff are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work every day.


To Apply:

We encourage interested persons to apply online quickly as we are currently reviewing applications and expect this pool to be competitive.. We suggest a cover letter that explains your interest in Wildflower Schools and this role and require a current resume or CV.


Wildflower Schools is an equal opportunity employer and actively seeks candidates of diverse backgrounds.