Chief Operating Officer Jobs

About KIPP

KIPP Public Schools is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools committed to partnering with students and families to disrupt systemic educational inequity and create a future without limits. Over 120,000 students attend one of the 280 KIPP schools that operate in 27 regions across the United States. KIPP Philadelphia Schools Public Schools (KPPS) is a part of the national KIPP Public Schools network and currently leads seven schools serving approximately 2,800 students in North and West Philadelphia. By 2030, KPPS will lead ten schools serving approximately 4,000 students.

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 KIPP Philly

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 alongside peers who are equally committed to the work. Educators at KIPP –

• Want to evolve their craft via 1:1 coaching and high quality professional development
• Believe school should be a joyful, affirming space for both children and adults
• Believe that strong relationships and precise preparation are critical to increasing learning outcomes
• Enjoy a competitive, comprehensive health benefits package, a 403B retirement matching program, tuition reimbursement to pursue certification, and free access to financial advising services
• Are part of a close-knit, diverse community of educators working together in service of children
• Show up as themselves, inspiring our children to do the same
• Have access to leadership pathway programming and opportunities to grow their career
• Are committed to anti-racism, equity and inclusion

Position Overview

Reporting to the CEO, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a critical member of KIPP Philadelphia’s seven-person C-Suite team, working cross-functionally as an organizational leader to bring KIPP Philadelphia into its next chapter of growth and innovation. KIPP Philadelphia’s COO manages functions critical to ensuring that KIPPsters are welcomed and cared for in clean, safe, and efficiently managed schools, including facilities, information technology, talent, human resources, compliance, school operations (e.g., attendance and enrollment) and resource allocation.

The COO manages the implementation of the growth strategy for KIPP Philadelphia and leads the work to define and deliver services provided to KIPP Philadelphia’s schools. This role directly manages the MD of Operations, the MD of Talent, the MD of Human Resources, and construction/vendor contractors.

This is an ideal opportunity for seasoned operations professionals with a track record of building and right-sizing systems in organizations that have moved from start-up to long-term sustainability. The incoming KIPP Philadelphia COO is people- and community-oriented in their approach to ensuring KIPP Philadelphia’s schools, families, and teams have the resources to thrive.

Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Team and Organizational Leadership

• With the senior leadership team, drive an organizational culture that ensures an equitable, collaborative, transparent and inclusive work environment.
• Participate in KIPP Philadelphia’s 2025 strategic plan and implementation process to execute and evaluate the region’s academic, talent, and alumni success goals, strategies, and financial sustainability.

• Participate in relevant board committees and meetings to provide updates and solicit input on operation goals.
• Partner with senior regional leaders to establish, communicate, and constantly refresh the long-term vision for the region.
• Define excellence and equity in regional and school operations for KIPP Philadelphia; plan, implement, and develop systems to manage regional office and school-based operations staff members to results.
• Proactively build an inclusive and equitable culture, continuing to hire, onboard, support, and retain a diverse team.
• Serve as an exceptional organizational leader, manager, and coach with a high degree of emotional intelligence and a commitment to developing strengths in others; while modeling effective, data-driven, and transparent decision-making.

Operations and Facilities Management: Partner closely with the Chief Academic Officer to ensure schools are joyful, excellent, and equitable.

• Hire, manage, train, and develop regional and school operations staff to ensure that every function is performed with excellence (75%+ of staff Agree/Strongly Agree that Day to Day Ops Runs Smoothly). This includes student enrollment, facilities, maintenance, student information systems, procurement, compliance, and reporting.
• Oversee student enrollment strategy and monitor progress toward annual recruitment and retention goals (100% fully enrolled).

• Design systems and strategies that facilitate communication to and from key stakeholders (e.g., parents and the district) across the region and functions.
• Oversee strategy for driving student attendance and reducing chronic absenteeism (95%+ Average Daily Attendance).
• Manage region’s real estate portfolio, ensuring facility, financial solutions, and plans are in place to achieve growth.
• Manage staff and/or contractors providing facilities management and maintenance to ensure buildings are clean, well-maintained, safe, secure, and meeting the school’s needs.
• Participate in the KIPP national and local charter network of operations and leadership staff to access and share learning and support with peers in other organizations.

Talent and Organizational Development: Provide oversight to all talent functions, including championing a joyous work experience with a commitment to equitable and anti-racist practices that honors and celebrates the diversity of our team.

• Provide strategic oversight to talent acquisition to remain competitive in the Philadelphia talent market.
• Lead efforts to establish management standards and support the ongoing development, implementation, and elevation of KIPP Philadelphia’s core values so that they are both inspiring and actionable.
• Serve as an exceptional organizational leader, manager, and coach with a high degree of emotional intelligence who develops strengths in others and models effective and transparent decision making.

• Proactively build an inclusive and equitable culture, continuing to hire, onboard, and support, and retain a diverse team.

Human Resources: Provide oversight to all human resources functions

• Oversight of all human resource investigations and provide support to School and Regional Leaders around hiring and performance management best practices.
• Partner with MD of HR to set vision and direction for human resources at KIPP Philadelphia and ensure consistent, equitable policies and practices are in place that foster long-term success for all employees.
• Maintain a nuanced understanding of laws and regulations pertaining to human resources in Philadelphia.

Risk and Compliance: Partner with the leadership team to develop and maintain compliance systems and risk management.

• Ensure compliance systems are established for charter cycles such that KIPP Philadelphia fully complies with federal, state, and local legal and regulatory requirements.
• Observe and diagnose current risk and compliance systems to identify key priorities and areas of improvement as KIPP Philadelphia grows.

• Lead region-wide management of insurance, and other risk management strategies.
• Collaborate with Finance Team to provide oversight of the execution of efforts against KIPP Philadelphia’s federal and state grants to ensure grants are secured, allocated, budgeted, tracked, and in compliance.
• Serve as the district compliance liaison, ensuring state and local safety expectations are met and funds for school safety are appropriately earmarked and allocated.
• Create and maintain organizational policies and administrative guidelines. IT and Data Systems: Establish and maintain information technology and data systems.
• Lead charter renewal process for all charters.

IT and Data Systems: Establish and maintain information technology and data systems.

• Build and maintain data infrastructure to support the region’s instructional goals and growth – all through an equity lens.
• Manage the integration and maintenance of technology architecture and systems administration which includes network, servers, workstations, connectivity, security, software, and hardware.
• Ensure efficient, proactive, and responsive user support and customer service for staff and students by collaborating with instructional leaders on educational technology and data management strategies.
• Ensure a secure device network and system.
• Oversee strategies for planning, implementation, and support of information technology.

All successful candidates must be a steadfast believer that all students can achieve academic excellence, regardless of background. In addition, strong candidates will have:

• Passion for KPPS’ mission and values; demonstrated leadership in relation to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Approximately ten years of team management experience in two or more of the following areas: data, operations, human resources, facilities, and IT; preferably in a school system that has a focus on closing the student opportunity gap between racial, ethnic, and economic groups.

• Strategic thinker and systems builder with demonstrated success leading change management initiatives.
• Strong operations, and/or strategic experience is required; five or more years of progressively increasing management experience and strategic planning for a growing, multi-site organization is highly preferred.
• An integrated systems builder with the ability to both build and scale best practices across the network.
• Strong customer service, communication, and problem/conflict resolution skills, balanced by a sense of humor; high EQ with the ability to build strong relationships across functional areas.
• Exceptional organizational skills, specifically in developing and implementing multi-year plans

• Ability to learn quickly; able to flex and/or pivot when needed and operate effectively in a fast-paced, hybrid work environment.
• Strong team manager with exceptional hiring and coaching skills; able to assess, motivate and develop staff in a hybrid work environment.

Compensation

• 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.
• Leader salaries at KPPS are competitive and equitable. The salary range for this position starts at $170,000 and is commensurate with experience.

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.

To apply, visit http://kippphiladelphia.org/join-our-team/apply-now/