National Director, K-8 Academic Strategy

Our Goals and Our Team
Great education transforms lives. KIPP, the Knowledge is Power Program, is a non-profit network of 242 college-preparatory, public charter schools educating nearly 100,000 early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school students. KIPP schools are tuition-free, public charter schools open to all students. KIPP schools, KIPP regions, and the KIPP Foundation – are united by a common mission, a commitment to excellence, and a belief that if we help children develop the academic and character strengths they need for college and choice filled lives, they will be able to build a better tomorrow for themselves, for their communities, for us all.

The non-profit KIPP Foundation trains and develops outstanding educators to lead KIPP schools, provides tools, resources, and training for excellent teaching and learning, promotes innovation, and facilitates the exchange of insights and ideas within the KIPP network and with partners including: other charters, districts, colleges and universities, and non-profit organizations across the country.

THE OPPORTUNITY
The KIPP Foundation is seeking a strategic and visionary leader with a demonstrated commitment to racial justice and academic excellence, who will determine the KIPP Foundation’s academic support strategy. As the National Director, K-8 Academic Strategy you will be responsible for driving the academic health of KIPP regions to achieve our 2025 ambitions. You will help diagnose, define and deploy supports to regions; manage our programmatic interventions; and serve as an organizational leader.

This position reports to the Chief Network Services Officer.

You will lead:

Strategy and Systems Development

• In concert with other senior leaders, define a research-informed, evidence-based, and equity-centered framework and standards for KIPP regional health; you will lead the focus on academic systems and infrastructure
• Outline academic strategy and systems to drive KIPP regions to achieve regional health
• In partnership with other senior leaders, create vision for processes to monitor regional and school health and systematize KIPP Foundation interventions

Management and Execution

• Determine menu of appropriate academic systems interventions and supports for Network Services Team to drive regions and schools to meet the bar of excellence and equity, all aligned with our annual 2025 focus areas.
• In collaboration with select regions, determine 1-3 year regional improvement strategies and assemble project teams to deliver KIPP Foundation’s scoped supports, including a focus on continuous improvement practices
• Progress monitor delivery of academic supports for both executional excellence and effectiveness of interventions
• Use impact data, feedback from KIPP regions, and an anti-racism approach to adjust strategies and supports

Team Leadership

• Effectively lead and manage team to ensure cohesive execution of the team academic vision and intra-team collaboration
• Manage the workload, resourcing and supports to team members to enable them to propel regional impact
• Drive development across the team to ensure that each member of the team is flourishing and unleashing their full potential for the benefit of KIPPsters

IDEAL CANDIDATE

• Strategic and systems-level visionary who can determine KIPP Foundation’s academic support strategy to achieve our 2025 ambitions
• Deep expertise in academic systems building, schools management, and short-cycle continuous improvement practices
• Strong people leadership and management; experience building and leading a large, cohesive team that is aligned on a common vision
• Deep commitment to racial justice with experience centering equity in driving work
• Strong stakeholder management; track record of successfully partnering with practitioners to build systems that drive outcomes
• Extremely adept at problem solving and critical thinking; able to formulate hypotheses, pilot new strategies, gather and synthesize data, evaluate impact, develop and assess alternatives and iterate on program design with our students and families in mind
• Passion for KIPP’s mission and values

COMPETENCIES

• Planning & Execution
• Team Leadership
• Strategic & Systems Thinking
• Stakeholder Management
• Achievement Orientation

LOCATION
Flexible

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
KIPP offers competitive salary commensurate with experience. A comprehensive benefits package, generous vacation and PTO, 401k retirement plan with both pre- and post-tax options, as well as gym reimbursement, flexible spending account (FSA), and cell phone reimbursement are also offered by KIPP.

KIPP Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.