KIPP Public Schools is a national network of public charter schools that prepares students with the skills and confidence to create the future they want for themselves, their communities, and us all. We are a network of 280 schools, nearly 15,000 educators, and more than 175,000 students and alumni.  

Our mission: Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. 

Our vision: Every child grows up free to create the future they want for themselves and their communities. 

The KIPP Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports KIPP schools across the country. The KIPP Foundation trains and develops outstanding educators to lead KIPP public schools; provides tools, resources and training for excellent teaching and learning; promotes innovation; and facilitates the exchange of insights and ideas across KIPP and other public schools and organization.

About The Position 

The Director, Talent and School Leadership Development is responsible for partnering with KIPP regions to design, launch, and maintain the Principal-in-Residence (PIR) program.  In this role, you will support the vision and execution of KIPP’s leadership development and talent systems, working alongside regional talent and academic leaders to implement and sustain equitable, anti-racist in-region talent practices to ensure all aspiring school leaders thrive and are prepared to achieve our mission. The ideal candidate will be dedicated to racial and educational equity.  The role sits on the Network Talent Team, which works collaboratively with our K-8 Academics Team, High School Team and Strategy teams.  

Responsibilities 

Partner with KIPP regions (a geographic collection of KIPP schools) to build their leadership development systems so that they create robust and equitable talent pipelines for aspiring principals  

• Intensively support regions in their design and launch of their principal-in-residence program, including:  

• Facilitating planning sessions and collaboration/coaching calls with regions to build out the program design 

• Supporting regions in developing the program design elements in alignment with the KIPP PIR model, e.g., a list of critical skills for principals to be ready for leadership, an assessment toolkit that diagnoses proficiency on said skills, approach to mentor school leader development, formal learning scope and sequence, etc. 

• Conduct site visits to support regional implementation and norming against the KIPP Principal-in-Residence program model  

• Co-developing program-related tools, like a talent tracking system 

• Supporting regions in creation of program content, which may include formal learning content, mentor school leader training, etc. 

• Providing regular feedback and coaching and implementation of the PIR program, including periodic step-backs 

• Progress monitor delivery of supports using impact data, feedback from KIPP regions, and an anti-racism approach to evaluate and adjust strategies and supports 

• Design and lead professional development to KIPP school and regional leaders 

• Design formal PD that will complement what these leaders receive for their in-region leadership development 

• Lead in-person and virtual professional development providing key framing and stamping of concepts and connections across the instructors 

• Design, plan and instruct on various topics, such as visioning for new or existing schools, case studies, action planning, instructional coaching, etc. 

• Build relationships with regional leaders to ensure consistent on-the-job development for participants 

Support the developing vision and execution of the ONE KIPP talent strategy  

• With the Senior Director, Talent Strategy & Leadership Development, you will continue to build out KIPP Foundation’s approach to in-region leadership development by  

• Researching and codifying best talent practices from both inside and outside of KIPP; a particular focus will be on refining our leadership development tools and strategies (e.g., leadership competency model, performance management frameworks) to ensure alignment to regional and network commitments to racial equity  

• Developing useable and valuable tools that will be used by regional leaders to ensure effective assessment and development of talent and allow for adoption of effective talent practices  

Knowledge, Mindsets & Skills  

• Mission & Student Focus:  Passion for education equity and KIPP’s mission and values (sense of purpose, results, respect, constant learning & humility, and diversity & inclusivity)  

• Talent Systems: Demonstrates expertise in multiple areas of talent practices (e.g., talent planning, talent development, talent acquisition, talent operations/systems); committed to continuously align knowledge to best practice 

• Stakeholder Engagement & Relationship Building:  Strength in building relationships and stewarding system-level changes across a complex network that facilitate the accomplishment of broader organizational objectives; able to adapt to audience and quickly establish credibility with and influence senior leadership  

• Vision & Strategic Thinking: Can craft a vision for how an organization can systemically achieve equity, inclusion, and strong outcomes in talent strategy; can diagnose root causes of pain points, solve complex problems and implement solutions for multiple regional realities; able to manage both the big picture and the details  

• Planning & Execution:  Considers multiple priorities when developing and executing plans; creates and executes plans with agility, proactively evolving plans and processes and in anticipation of changing circumstances; can build complex project plans and hold teammates and stakeholders accountable to agreed-upon processes, procedures, and deadlines 

• Research & Analysis:  With limited assistance, can outline a structure and path to test hypotheses, can complete quantitative and qualitative research across a variety of sources and creatively devise methods to collect from new data sources; can carefully include research that will center Black/Latinx students and staff. 

• Cultural Competence & Commitment to Equity: A proactive cultural leader and team player who thrives on collaboration and learning while promoting the value of diversity and inclusion across the organization; ensures perspectives from within the organization and from constituent groups are reflected in decision making and planning; can effectively examines the impact of their identities, biases, assumptions, and behaviors on their power and privilege, interactions with others, work, and leadership in the organization; able to recognize, immediately respond, and consistently remedy interpersonal and systemic bias and inequities. 

Experience and Qualifications 

• 10+ years of work experience and strong results in leader development, education and/or talent management 

• 3+ years of experience as principal with track record of result; academic leadership and teaching experience highly preferred 

• Experience leading at the district or regional level highly preferred 

• Experience using project management frameworks and tools to effectively achieve high impact, results and outcomes; thrives in an entrepreneurial environment and comfortable operating in ambiguity 

Work Conditions 

• Travel requirements: 3-5 days of travel each month.   

• Full time, Exempt  

Location 

It is preferred, but not mandatory for this role to be based out of a KIPP Foundation office.  This role also has the option of working from a remote office full-time.  KIPP Foundation office is in NYC, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington DC.    

Compensation and Benefits    

The salary range for this position is [$120,000-$145,000], commensurate with relevant experience. 

Our comprehensive benefits package include:  

• 20 holidays + 18 days additional flexible PTO days (flexible PTO increases to 23 days for year 3 and 4 and to 28 days for years 5+).  

• 100% paid parental leave  

• 100% coverage of the premium for employee and 75% for employee + family’s medical/dental/vision plans. 

• Wellness benefits such as fitness reimbursements, discounted tickets to theme parks/attraction, back-up care support for children and adults/elders, and our employee assistance program 

• Finance Security benefits include such as a 401K retirement plan with 4% match, employer sponsored legal plans, and life/disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts