25-26 Director of Operations

About Us

KIPP is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools in educationally underserved communities.  Over 120,000 students attend one of the 275 KIPP schools that operate in 27 regions across the United States.  KIPP Philadelphia Schools Public Schools (KPPS) is a part of the national KIPP network and currently leads eight schools serving approximately 3,200 students in North and West Philadelphia. 

Our Mission

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

Life at KPPS

We know that talented, committed, culturally competent teachers and leaders have the power to amplify our children’s potential by creating a school experience that affirms, values, and challenges them each day. We seek to create a professional environment full of joy, candor, care and community where excellent educators can make a long-term home. Educators at KIPP –

• Are committed to anti-racism, equity and inclusion
• Are part of a close-knit, diverse community of educators
• Show up as themselves, inspiring our children to do the same
• Access resources and affinity spaces that support well-being and sustainability
• Lead with care and candor and take ownership of our children’s learning and growth
• Evolve their craft via 1:1 coaching and quality professional development
• Have access to leadership pathway programming and opportunities to grow their career
• Enjoy a competitive, equitable, transparent approach to compensation, comprehensive health benefits for employees and their families, a 403B matching program, and free access to financial advising services

Position Overview 

We are seeking a talented, committed, culturally competent Director of Operations [DOO] to join KIPP Philadelphia. A successful DOO will operate with innovativeness, dynamism and strategic decision making in order to drive and implement school operational systems and infrastructure. This forward thinking DOO will cultivate operational excellence across our schools. With the close partnership and support of the school Principal, the school based leadership team, and our regional operations team, you will design, implement, and continuously improve systems that enable your school to operate efficiently so that instruction and academic excellence can remain at the forefront! 

Key Responsibilities

Lead and Manage the Operations Team's Responsibilities

• Directly manage, coach and support an operations team
• Coordinate transportation services including working with the school district to set and adjust routes, hire/supervise bus monitors, and work with families to resolve bus issues
• Oversee food services including working with partners to make sure school needs are being met and National School Lunch protocols are followed
• Supervise the main office, including answering phones, meeting visitors, and other office responsibilities
• Maintain personnel, student and compliance files
• Work with the school leader and regional office staff to prepare the school budgets and track micro-budgets for school with budget managers
• Oversee and place all purchase orders
• Maintain and utilize PowerSchool, including attendance, student demographics and grade entry
• Prepare and distribute student report cards
• Manage all forms of official KIPP communication, including communicating excessive student absences, weekly parent bulletins and monthly calendars
• Create strong operations systems to ensure that day-to-day operations run smoothly and that all school staff members have what they need to effectively do their jobs
• Monitor supply levels for school, managing classroom inventories and replenishing them as needed

Student Enrollment 

• Manage and oversee entire student enrollment, home visit, and registration process throughout the year
• Develop and execute student recruitment efforts that target families with school-aged children immediately surrounding each school
• Lead a team to recruit new families with specific applicant goals per grade level by attracting high quality applicants that ultimately lead to enrolled students
• Ensure all new families are effectively welcomed into the community and persist through their first year
• Comply with all federal, state, and organizational student registration requirements throughout the enrollment process (i.e. transfers, testing, etc.)

Maintain and Build Operational Systems

• Implement effective school systems to ensure maximum efficiency
• Manage partner organization relationships at school level, including work study interns and volunteers
• Serve as the point of contact for all building maintenance issues and 3rd party vendors and work with the in-school technology vendor to resolve technology issues
• Coordinate monthly and end of year field lessons
• Plan and manage logistics for special events (Back to School night, Thanksgiving Potluck, etc.)
• Prepare reports and/or provide accurate information to KIPP Philadelphia regional staff for state reporting.
• Document Act 48 Credits for teachers
• Beautify and maintain shared-school space (bulletin boards, signage, photos, quotes, commitment to excellence forms, etc.)
• Coordinate logistics for all in-house professional development sessions and external PD logistics for staff
• Coordinate and/or serve as the point of contact for the School Yearbook and picture day

School Leadership (Instruction and Culture)

• Serve as an active participant on the school’s leadership team, coordinating and collaborating with the School Leader and Assistant Principals regularly
• Meet weekly with the school leader to report on school needs, concerns and opportunities
• Provide insight, perspective, proposals, and actions in regard to school culture and instruction
• Provide tangible and intangible support for teachers and assistant principals
• Coordinate and oversee implementation of daily duties (Morning, Lunch, Dismissal)
• Exhibit positive rapport with students, parents and staff and act as a role model for students
• Implement the school-wide student management policies within classrooms and throughout school
• Attend all staff meetings and other professional development sessions
• Be available for report card nights and other events involving parents
• Serve on school committees as needed
• Other duties as assigned by the school leader

Transformational Leadership and Fostering a Strong School Community 

• Model KIPP Philadelphia’s values and beliefs at all times (Children First, Cultural Competence, Community, Ownership)
• Support the implementation of proactive student discipline strategies
• Build strong relationships with students and implement systems that develop their knowledge, skills, social-emotional development, and positive sense of self
• Establish and maintain strong lines of communication with all fellow employees, parents and community partners
• Lead school-wide events and act as school leader when necessary
• Remain on call in the evenings (via school cell phone) to provide student support
• Lead and help execute school initiatives including but not limited to, annual planning for the coming year, implementation of new focus areas, and other duties as assigned by the school leader

Who You Are: 

• You love and see the high potential of all children
• You love creating and systems and have the ability to successfully juggle multiple projects at once  
• You possess strong organizational skills and are extremely detail oriented 
• You have experience with student enrollment, school operations and family engagement 
• You operate with a customer service oriented mindset and encourage your team to do the same 
• You have passion for facilitating professional learning, including a desire to continuously grow and learn as a leader
• You operate with cultural competence and a commitment to inclusion, anti-racism, and the eradication of anti-Blackness 
• You believe that teachers are the primary drivers of student growth, learning and achievement and that school operations should support the ability for them to focus on academics 
• You have high expectations for students, teachers and staff; and the ability to motivate, inspire and hold others accountable
• You are solutions orientated and have an eagerness to adapt in order to solve problems

Qualifications & Credentials

• Minimum of 2-3 years of large scale project management experience 
• Minimum of 3 years of full-time operations or student recruitment experience, ideally in a K-12 school setting 
• Minimum 2-3 years experience leading a team and driving results through data and systems tracking 
• Bachelor’s degree 
• Complete all required criminal and child abuse background checks:
  • PA State Police Clearance
  • PA Child Abuse Clearance
  • Cogent Federal Fingerprinting

Compensation

• Salary is competitive with other Charter Management Organizations (CMOs) at a salary of $95K+ commensurate with experience 
• All full-time team members at KPPS enjoy a comprehensive health benefits package (including vision and dental, a telehealth option, and flexible spending accounts) for themselves and their families as well as a 403B matching program for retirement savings. 

Note To Applicants

KIPP Philadelphia Schools is an equal opportunity employer.  Employees are selected on the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation, in accordance with federal and state law.