School Network Staff Chief of Staff
Job Description
About the Role:
This leadership position works directly with the Chief Executive Officer, leadership team and school leaders across the entire KIPP Colorado Schools network. This individual will establish strategy and drive creative solutions in service to the broader KIPP Colorado goals, fulfilling an imperative role to the strategic planning process. The ideal candidate will be dedicated to racial and educational equity and will lead on embedding these values in all regional priorities. The Chief of Staff will report directly to the CEO.
About KIPP Colorado:
KIPP Colorado Schools is part of the national KIPP network of tuition-free, open enrollment college-preparatory public charter schools dedicated to preparing students from underserved communities for success in college and life. We are a network of six high-performing, college-preparatory public charter schools that educate students from ECE through 12th grade. We currently serve two communities within Denver; the Northeast and Southwest. Both communities serve students in elementary, middle and high school.
Our Vision:
Every child grows up free to create the future they want for themselves and their communities.
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.
Position Overview:
KIPP Colorado Schools is seeking a Chief of Staff to serve as a key member for the Executive Team. This role is directly responsible for ensuring strong execution and coordination of the KIPP Colorado strategic plan through facilitating effective coordination and communication amongst schools, regional departments, the regional leadership team and the Board of Directors. The Chief of Staff designs and hosts key staff meetings/retreats, and ensures a coordinated approach to the effective learning and development of network support team members. The Chief of Staff also coordinates the leadership teams for the organization, manages critical decision-making processes, and ensures effective internal communication so that the key activities of the organization are well coordinated, especially between our schools and regional support teams. Finally, the Chief of Staff leads strategic initiatives and special projects determined by the CEO that are critical to KIPP Colorado’s long-term success. The Chief of Staff reports directly to, and serves as a critical thought-partner to the CEO.
Job Responsibilities
Management and Leadership (50%)→
Serve as a critical thought partner, collaborator, and organizer to the CEO, Senior Leadership Team, and Board of Directors
- Serve as a key member of the Senior Leadership team. Support the CEO to coordinate weekly team meetings, develop meeting agendas, ensure pre-work is completed and distributed, and manage follow-up to key actions and decisions.
- Work with senior leadership team to set team purpose and define roles and responsibilities
- Collaborate with CEO and other members of the regional leadership team to coordinate leadership team meetings and develop critical regional communications
- Work closely with the Executive Team to support leadership development and building bench depth for all key leadership positions and lead the annual long-term talent strategy process
- As relevant, may attend internal or external meetings with (or on behalf of) CEO
Facilitate coordination among functional teams to enable the most high impact work
- Manage norms and rituals around adult culture on the network team by facilitating key network team meetings, and support senior leaders in establishing norms across all teams to align to the organization’s core values.
- Set up, monitor, and execute communication structures and mechanisms for internal communications
- Serve as critical point of contact for the regional board to share updates on regional progress
Strategy and Growth (50%) →
Set vision for, plan, and manage communication to stakeholders, and execute annual and strategic planning processes for the region
- Provide coordination and oversight in the development of strategic initiatives and special projects for the CEO, regional team, and broader organization
- Execute regional team engagement events (including two annual retreats) to facilitate relationship-building, and clear communication about strategy/priorities
- Establish alignment for progress monitoring our strategic priorities leading the effort to have disciplined processes to create and track progress against organizational priorities
- Perform integrated analysis and strategic consultation on major priorities impacting the organization and prepare briefings, memos, or presentations to communicate findings as appropriate
- Convert new ideas to action; promote efficiency by assessing processes, determining gaps, and offering solutions; generate new ideas; serve as a thought partner to leadership and strategic plan initiative owners
- Oversee the execution of coordination tools, such as org charts, expansion plans, decision rights, and the regional calendar
- Advise the CEO on region-wide matters of strategic importance; identify and mitigate impending risks and barriers to successful strategic plan implementation; ensure that the strategic plan and growth plan are integrated throughout all regional functional areas of work; educate others both internally and externally on the strategic plan
- Clearly define and communicate the outcomes and timelines of the organization’s planning process; ensure alignment across the organization during these planning processes
- Assist in screening and selection of consultants on special projects; manage overall relationship to ensure alignment and successful execution
- Manage implementation of the organization’s next five-year strategic plan and priorities
- Facilitate implementation of KIPP Colorado’s’ five year strategic plan
Help bridge the gaps between teams by providing coordination and oversight among functional teams to enable the highest impact work
- Manage cross-functional team meetings and facilitating cross-team collaboration
- Lead cross-functional project teams to achieve specific outcomes on behalf of the organization
- Supports and monitors communication structures and mechanisms for internal and external communications
- Develop and execute a plan for supporting learning and development for Regional Team members, focused largely on effective management training but also including other development opportunities
- Establish and manage clear divisions of responsibilities and decision rights within and across teams.
Job Qualifications:
- Strong commitment to the belief that all students can learn and to the mission of anti-racist, educational equity – required
- Bachelor’s degree required & master’s degree strongly preferred (MBA or related field)
- Demonstrated leadership in organizational culture planning and execution
- Minimum 7 years of work experience with 3 or more years of project management experience, preferably at an organizational level
- Excellent relationship builder with demonstrated experience managing diverse stakeholders, leading change, and promoting strong collaboration across teams in service of the relentless pursuit of improvement and driving results through collective achievement
- Exceptional strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to solve complex problems and implement solutions; ability to manage both the big picture and the details; a strong sense of judgment; ability to navigate complex legal, political, and community issues
- Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing priorities; ability to multi-task and work in a fast-paced, demanding environment; thrives in an entrepreneurial environment; willing to learn and take on new responsibilities; comfortable with ambiguity
- Exceptional organizational skills; effective and efficient in developing systems, managing projects and processes
- High self-awareness, humility and integrity; personally driven to learn and grow; values enabling others to succeed; builds relationships marked by respect, trust, and integrity; objectivity when making resource allocation decisions
- Strong team player with excellent customer service orientation; articulate, professional demeanor with strong self-confidence and initiative; ability to communicate, teach and present to all levels of the organization and Board members; capacity to influence and build consensus
This position is open for an immediate start date. Compensation is competitive and is negotiable based on experience. Employee benefits include medical, dental, participation in PERA, and a paid time-off package.
KIPP Colorado Schools is dedicated to equal employment opportunities and fair labor practices. KIPP Colorado Schools, KIPP Denver Collegiate High School, KIPP Northeast Denver Middle School, KIPP Northeast Elementary, KIPP Northeast Denver Leadership Academy, KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy and KIPP Sunshine Peak Elementary provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals based on job-related qualifications, and the ability to perform a job without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religious creed, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, legally protected medical condition, veteran status, sexual orientation, or on any other basis made unlawful by federal, state or local laws. It is our policy to maintain a non-discriminatory environment free from intimidation, harassment or bias based upon these grounds.
