KIPP DC
Director of Academic Operations
Knowledge and Learning - Washington, DC - Full Time
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Director of Academic Operations
Job Summary
The Director of Academic Operations role is an integral part of KIPP DC’s Academic and Knowledge & Learning teams, accountable for key processes in supporting senior academic leaders. The starting salary range for this role is $125,223-$138,403. This is a full time, occasionally flexible role based at KIPP DC HDQ with an anticipated start date of ASAP or July 1st at the latest.
About KIPP DC
By 2025, KIPP DC will build upon two decades of proven results to develop into a more impactful, innovative, and inclusive school system that provides joyful, identity-affirming learning experiences so that all students and alumni achieve extraordinary outcomes.
Our work is grounded in a commitment to excellence, equity, and justice. We believe all students have the right to rigorous, relevant, and joyful learning experiences led by exceptionally talented and diverse educators who promote student achievement and a sense of belonging. We believe students and teachers best succeed when surrounded by an ecosystem of supports, including our central headquarters team that supports KIPP DC’s 20 schools and two programs, 7,500 students, and 1,300 teachers, leaders, and staff members dedicated to this mission.
About the Role
The Director of Academic Operations supports regional senior leaders to amplify the success and efficiency of KIPP DC’s academic team. This includes maintaining and optimizing systems, owning key processes such as agendas and schedules for meetings and professional development, leading procurement and budget tracking, and providing strategic, project-based support for senior leaders. The Director of Academic Operations plays a key role in maintaining systems for the academic leadership team, and has the unique opportunity to work across a variety of functional teams.
Location and Type of Work
As a headquarters team that is focused on being responsive to our schools and meeting the needs of our students and families, we approach our work in a way that reflects these priorities. Schools operate in person and our students and families rely on us for in-person support, and this position will regularly provide on-site support to school teams, frequently partner with other headquarters teams, or regularly work in multiple locations. Because of the nature of the work, this role allows for occasional flexibility. This role will have approximately 20% flexibility to work remotely.
Responsibilities
Organizational Strategy, Planning & Execution (35%)
- Create, build and maintain academic management systems to improve cross functional team access to critical information and priorities
- Develop and keep records of meetings, significant engagements, and project plans
- Create and manage systems for communication across academic teams; maintain collaboration with all stakeholders
- Drive decision-making for initiatives and priorities across the embedded teams within the entire academic team
- Provide analysis and strategic consultation on major issues impacting the academic team
- Advise leaders on decisions that impact the organization, schools and stakeholder groups
- Manage and execute scheduling, correspondence, and administrative tasks related to senior leaders of the academic team; Prepare academic leaders for meetings, manage follow-up and support prioritization of content
- Lead academic team in coordination across functional teams to execute projects and priorities
- Drive the logistical planning and execution of major professional development strands (summer regional PD, school leader PD, professional development days, school leader retreats, etc)
- Manage pre-event details including, but not limited to: ordering food, assembling materials, managing attendance, communicating to attendees, contributing to joy factor
- Plan and manage day of logistics (calendaring, A/V, catering, vendor and event management, materials, etc.) for professional learning events
- Lead the collaboration of cross-functional teams, external stakeholders, and logistical partners
- Develop and drive systems to track and communicate progress towards strategy team goals within the academic team and across functional teams
- Generate the production of communications on behalf of senior academic team leaders, including all-staff communications, memos, reports, speeches, talking points, and presentations
- Coordinate change management and communications to implement specific workstream initiatives across functional teams
- Manage externs, contractors, and part-time workers on academic projects
- Manage projects, deadlines, submissions, and communications related to One KIPP initiatives; build systems for collaboration across embedded teams
- Foster equitable engagement by enhancing feedback loops and use of data.
- Manage large contracts, coordinate with academic team leaders to draft RFPs and set KPIs
- Design systems to track the academic team’s budget, invoices, and reimbursements to ensure the team manages to the financial plan and complies with internal controls and procedures
- Build and maintain ongoing systems to provide budget updates to senior leaders
- Organize and manage all centralized Academic Team purchasing, including large curricular orders, regional orders for development sessions, and items for academic team member programming
- Collaborate with external stakeholders regarding contracts; manage delivery with school and operations teams
- Collect and analyze data, surveys, feedback to provide insights and recommendations on strategic priorities
- Seek out and assess external data sources and research to inform and support KIPP DC’s academic priorities; examples include D.C. legislation focused on academic initiatives, research in best practices, development opportunities, work from stakeholder groups within the DC region, etc.
- Analyze internal datasets in support of the Academic Team; examples include academic data and annual staff surveys (TNTP), in partnership with the KIPP DC Data Team
- Create and generate progress reports on strategic initiatives for academic team and internal projects; provide recommendations on progress and future actions
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required (Master’s preferred)
- 2+ years’ experience in team coordination, communications, management, teacher leadership, operational leadership, and/or project management
- 6+ years’ PK-12 teaching or school-based leadership experience; team leadership or management experience strongly preferred
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in strategy, data analysis, project management, and budgeting
- Ability to work in a dynamic, fast paced environment and an eagerness to build relationships
- Strong judgment and decision-making skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Physical Requirements
- Ability to travel across KIPP DC schools
- Flexibility to work outside normal business hours or weekends for KIPP DC events
Demonstrated Excellence in the Following Areas:
- Commitment to Students and Schools: Demonstrates commitment to education reform, believing in every child's potential for success and prioritizing students, schools, and the essential role of families.
- Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving: Finds creative solutions to challenges that achieve broader goals of team and organization.
- Project Management: Sets a high bar for own work and supports others to achieve desired team outcomes.
- Communications and Influence: Demonstrates adept communication skills and influence to advance work by adjusting content and style.
- Teamwork: Contributes to a supportive team culture, fostering diverse work styles and maintaining a high performance standard.
- Trust and Collaboration: Establishes and nurtures effective relationships with a diverse set of stakeholders to support the best outcomes for our work.
- Cultural Humility: Advances KIPP DC’s commitment to anti-racism by creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all stakeholders.
- Continuous Learning: Commits to continuous learning through feedback, self reflection, humility, and action.
Benefits & Compensation [edited this section for your role]
KIPP DC offers an extremely competitive compensation and benefits package:
- The anticipated starting salary range for this position is $125,223-$138,403. At KIPP DC we strive for clarity, equity, and to be highly competitive. When determining salaries we look at benchmarks in the education and non-profit sector.
- KIPP DC offers a robust benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurances; various voluntary benefits; and employer paid benefits such as short term disability, long term disability, life insurance, and a membership to One Medical.
- KIPP DC also offers a 403(b) retirement account with a 3% employer contribution and a 3% match with vesting after three years.
- Choose One (and place in this bullet line:
- Currently, individuals in this role have up to 15 paid time off days, up to 10 paid sick days, and 12 paid holidays. This is subject to change and your exact schedule will be shared in your offer letter.
Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
KIPP DC Public Schools does not discriminate against, or tolerate discrimination against, employees or applicants for employment on any legally-recognized basis or protected class including, but not limited to, actual or perceived race, color, national origin, immigration status (except as necessary to comply with federal, DC, state, or local law), religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity or expression), marital status (including domestic partnership status), genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy, family responsibilities, personal appearance, veteran status, uniform service member status, status of being unemployed, status of victim a survivor of domestic violence, sexual offense or stalking, matriculation or any other protected class under federal, state, DC, or local law.
Click here or here to review KIPP DC’s non-discrimination policy and KIPP DC’s Title IX Coordinator’s contact information.
Please Note: If you encounter difficulties submitting your application or fail to receive a confirmation email after applying, kindly reach out to Danica Cunningham at danica.cunningham@kippdc.org. Please include your name, resume, and specify the role you are applying for in your email. We appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience caused.
