Our family office is embedded within our principal's operating business, which serves as the parent company for a diverse portfolio of businesses located in the United States and abroad. Over the past decade, our family office has played a crucial role in managing family affairs, particularly servicing the lifestyle and concierge needs of our principals. However, following the sale of our family's primary operating business in 2023, our family office is undergoing a significant transformation, including a desire to scale, and become a sustainable, multi-generational family office for future generations. Our rising generation family members currently range in age from their late 20s to late 30s and are beginning to have families of their own. This period of renewal provides a unique opportunity to redefine the office's structure and objectives with a fresh perspective. We are dedicated to making a significant impact on society and the environment. This commitment is guided by our strong belief in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Head of Family Office, reporting directly to the Co-Principals, will lead the Krause Family Office (KFO), ensuring alignment with the family's purpose, values, and goals. This role oversees all family office operations, including administrative, governance, compliance, and personal services.
Principal Functions of the Job
Family Office Strategic Operations
- In partnership with the family, lead the development and execution of the family office's strategic vision, ensuring alignment with the family's core values and long-term objectives.
- Act as a key advisor and influential member of advisory boards and committees, offering expert guidance on critical decisions. Champion transparent and effective communication strategies that engage and inform all family stakeholders.
- Provide executive leadership and strategic overnight for initiatives essential to the family office's multi-generational success, driving the execution and integration of transformative change.
- Lead the initiative to define, streamline, and institutionalize operational workflows across the family office. Ensure these systems are optimized for clarity, efficiency, and scalability in support of long-term goals.
- Oversee long-term strategic planning, succession planning, and enterprise risk management - including personal security - to safeguard the continuity and resilience of the family office.
- Operate in a hands-on capacity within a lean and agile environment, working closely with internal team members and external service providers to establish governance frameworks, policies, procedures, and operating models.
- Embed Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the family office's strategic planning and execution.
- Provide oversight of the family's contemporary art and wine collection, including acquisitions, inventory, transportation, insurance, and conservation, through direct supervision of the Art Curator and Registrar.
- Oversee private aviation operations, ensuring safe, efficient flight planning, aircraft maintenance, and adherence to safety protocols. Provide financial oversight and ensure operational standards are met.
Family Harmony
- Organize family meetings, retreats, and communication workshops that help members navigate complex family relationships while maintaining focus on shared financial goals, including conflict mediation training and establishing protocols for family decision-making processes.
- Assist family members in identifying the core family issues and developing effective resolutions while planning activities that keep the family connected, promote mutual understanding, and encourage engagement in achieving shared goals.
- Strengthen family bonds and deepen personal relationships by minimizing business discussions during family time and delegating operational responsibilities to the family office and established governance structures.
Family Governance
- Lead strategic initiatives to define and operationalize the future-state family office, including the refinement of the family constitution, establishment of governance structures, implementation of service offerings, and development of core workflows.
- Engage the family in the continued evolution of its mission, values, and guiding principles. Facilitate key family meetings to reinforce shared values and support collaborative decision-making. Supporting the development of frameworks for financial oversight, insurance, legal and risk management, safety protocols, and family-wide budgeting and financial reporting.
- Provide executive leadership in designing and implementing sophisticated, multi-generational family governance structures. Develop policies and processes that foster long-term family unity and harmony while empowering both current and future generations through education in stewardship, financial literacy, and wealth management.
- Establish clear legal and operational governance frameworks to support a thriving multi-generational family enterprise. Define decision-making protocols, trustee responsibilities, communication standards, and systems for equitable treatment within agreed-upon structures.
Family Education
- Support current and future generations with formal and ongoing education in stewardship, financial literacy, wealth management, and the role of the family office.
- Provide leadership in developing and ensuring robust financial and business education curriculum and communication strategies that facilitate family continuity and success.
- Ensure family members are knowledgeable about the businesses, family investments, and personal wealth management strategies to maintain informed decision-making across generations.
- Prepare younger family members for eventual leadership and ownership responsibilities through structure mentorship programs, internship opportunities, and educational pathways that combine formal education with practical experience.
Family Office Services
- Serve as the primary point of contact for the principals, ensuring the seamless delivery of personalized lifestyle services both in the U.S. and internationally including personal asset acquisition, travel planning, and property and home management.
- Coordinate communication with family members in collaboration with Family Service Associates, keeping them informed, engaged, and aligned with family office initiatives.
- Directly manage relationships with internal and external legal advisors, ensuring compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements while providing strategic legal guidance.
- Maintain strong partnerships with operating company associates who support the family office, fostering seamless collaboration and alignment across functions.
- Establish clear, consistent policies, procedures, and communication protocols to ensure operational clarity and accountability within the family office.
- As the functional leader, define the vision and operational strategy for the family office team. Build a cohesive, agile, and service-oriented culture that attracts, develops, and retains top talent. Inspire and empower the team to deliver high-touch, personalized service while scaling capabilities to meet the evolving needs of the principals and future generations.
Philanthropic Strategy
- Partner with the Co-Principals and family members to articulate a clear philanthropic purpose, mission, and guiding values aligned with personal passions, legacy goals, and societal impact.
- Determine key priority areas (education, health, climate, arts, equity) and geographic scope based on the family's values and desired long-term impact.
- Develop a comprehensive governance model including board structure, roles and responsibilities, decision rights, and multi-generational family member involvement.
- Outline strategic objectives, funding strategies, grantmaking models (responsive, strategic, venture philanthropy) and evaluation frameworks to measure impact.
- Connect philanthropic initiatives with broader organizational frameworks or family enterprise goals where aligned to maximize synergies.
- Unite the family around leveraging their wealth for positive contributions that reflect their collective desire to make meaningful societal impact locally, domestically, and globally.
- Balance immediate wealth benefits for current members with long-term sustainability through responsible stewardship that serves future generations.
Knowledge and Experience
- 10-15+ years in a senior leadership role with direct oversight of multi-disciplinary, diverse functions.
- Experience leading within a single-family office with multi-generational family members.
- Proven ability to build, scale, and manage a lean, high-performing team in a confidential, service-driven environment.
- Hands-on experience in developing and implementing governance structures (e.g., family constitutions, decision-making frameworks).
- Proven experience managing administrative compliance and personal services within a family office, focusing on operational leadership rather than direct investment responsibilities.
- Deep understanding of family office operations, administrative functions, and compliance requirements, including experience defining and documenting processes and workflows.
- Exposure to succession planning, family continuity, and multi-generational wealth preservation.
- Experience managing family assets and integrating lifestyle services.
- Ability to develop and maintain SOPs, technology systems, and reporting tools for operational efficiency.
- Experience in managing family foundations or donor-advised funds.
- Ability to align philanthropic efforts with family values and broader impact strategies (e.g., ESG, SDGs).
- Understand and ensure expertise is available concerning tax concepts and structures prevalent in multi-generational family office environments (encompassing individuals, trusts, investment partnerships, exempt organizations, and international interests).
- Experience serving ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients, understanding their unique needs and family dynamics.
Skills and Competencies
- Knowledge spanning tax planning, estate planning, philanthropy, and family governance.
- Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Strong project management and organizational management skills, with a proven track record of managing strategic initiatives.
- High level of integrity, confidentiality, and discretion.
- Deep emotional intelligence and experience navigating complex family dynamics and sensitive interpersonal issues.
- Trusted advisor capable of maintaining strict confidentiality and impartiality.
- Excels in environments characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.
- Strong communicator and facilitator across generations and with external advisors, board members, and stakeholders.
- Ability to manage expectations, resolve conflicts diplomatically, and build lasting trust with the principal and family members.
Krause Group believes in People First. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer building a culture of equity and inclusion.
Krause Group Purpose
Our purpose is to enhance the way people experience the world.
Krause Group Mission
Our mission is to nurture our family of brands, creating opportunities to do good in the world.
Krause Group Values
- Agility- We challenge the status quo with open minds, flexibility, and speed. We are comfortable being uncomfortable. We view change as opportunity.
- Courage -We take risks. We innovate. We win or learn. We push limits, disrupt norms, and define our own path.
- Growth Mindset - We are building an organization and legacy that will outlive us. We are continuously learning. There is no final-destination, only the journey to be better than we were yesterday.
- Inclusion -We actively seek and welcome alternative points of view. Diverse perspectives improve decision-making and make us all more successful.
- Integrity - We do the right thing, even when it’s difficult. We do not take shortcuts and always take accountability.
- Community Focused -We are committed to positively impacting our communities, stakeholders, and associates. We do good and encourage others to join us.
