Operations / Administration Director of Regional Academic Operations
Job Description
Company Description
Important Employment Requirement: All employees of KIPP Colorado Public Schools must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by September 30, 2021. All persons offered a position will be required to provide valid proof of vaccination prior to starting employment or must be approved for a medical or religious exemption by submitting appropriate documentation.
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.
Job Description
About this role:
This position will be a key member of KIPP Colorado’s Academic Leadership Team. Reporting to the Chief Academic Officer, this position partners with the Chief Academic Officer, Academic Leadership Team, and campus leadership to establish and refine a regional academic vision, program, and instruction-enabling systems. The person in this position must be skilled at developing and coaching people, building systems at a network level and navigating relationships among schools, regional staff and DPS. This full-time position is a part of our Regional Team.
Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Management & Culture Leadership
- Proactively works to build a shared culture of equity, joy and and trust across all teams.
- Model cross-cultural agility and a commitment to anti-racism.
- Partner with the Chief Academic Officer, Academic Leadership Team, and campuses to establish and refine a regional academic vision, program, and instruction-enabling systems.
- Collaborate with key stakeholders across the region to develop and execute a comprehensive academic strategy that incorporates a focus on curriculum, instruction, assessments, student supports, and other systemic reforms and/or ensuring alignment at every level to rigorous state academic standards and culturally sustaining pedagogy.
- Develop and co-create, with our campuses and regional team as partners, theories of action and specific approaches to academic strategy, including support for high-quality instructional materials in K-12, which will improve the quality of instruction at scale.
- Cultivate and manage relationships with senior regional leaders and other critical stakeholders, especially Head of Schools, school leaders and teachers.
Systems Leadership
- Manage the design and implementation of complex projects, strategies, change leadership, and trainings for regional leaders, school leaders, teachers, and other stakeholders to support strong instruction and ensure progress towards ambitious goals that improve outcomes for students at scale.
- Creates and maintains structures that support School Readiness planning and execution in partnership with the Head of Schools
- Manage academic assessment tools, data systems, and progress monitoring, including working with external partners like iReady and our internal teams at the Home Office and schools.
- Liaises with DPS and external partners (including consultants), as needed.
- Track progress towards goals and make strategic decisions regarding collaboration and support or campuses, including vetting contractors, coordinating strategic planning needs, and collaboration between campuses and Home Office
- Design and refine tools and resources in real-time to respond to campus and student needs, in support of academic and instructional goals.
- Communicate progress to a variety of regional, school, and community stakeholders.
Instructional Expertise and Agility
- Exhibit a passion and understanding of the education landscape and communities, direct experience in Denver is a plus.
- Employ research-based instructional strategies and content approaches aligned with rigorous standards for students, teachers, school leaders, and district staff and how the different elements of the standards (the research, the shifts, the standards, etc.) work together.
- Ensure academic systems are coherent and support rigorous instruction.
- Translate your academic expertise, including strong public presentation skills, ability to assess and adjust to the learning needs of your audience, and ability to communicate complex information to a variety of audiences, including teachers, school leaders, and district staff.
- Innovate and implement solutions to complex challenges.
Qualifications
Skills and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree required;
- 6+ years of relevant experience and 3+ years of experience managing a team
- Deep knowledge of K-12 content and instruction, with teaching experience and a proven track record of raising student achievement.
- Proven success coaching other leaders and teachers, preferably as an Instructional Leader or Principal and/or at the district/system level.
- Strong familiarity and expertise with College and Career-Ready standards, such as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), including:
- Experience as a lead practitioner in a school system that has adopted the CCSS and/or a deep conceptual understanding of the instructional shifts in ELA and Math.
- Experience with the role of complex text in ELA instruction and research-based approaches to foundational literacy skills.
- Previous experience developing and facilitating adult learning/training.
- Adept at thinking strategically, translating plans into action, and exhibiting excellent judgment
- Detail oriented with exceptionally strong follow-up and follow-through skills
- Unquestioned integrity and commitment to KIPP Colorado’s mission and values, including a strong commitment to the belief that all children can learn and deserve access to an excellent public education
- Naturally and readily assumes responsibility to fix problems and create improvements
- Ability to quickly and effectively build relationships with, motivate, and engage a diverse group of stakeholders
- Ability to self‐direct and prioritize among competing goals and exhibit flexibility in a fast‐paced, entrepreneurial environment
- Skilled at analyzing, interpreting, and using data to collaborate, identify best practices and areas for improvement, and drive results
- Commitment to the belief that all students can learn and to the mission of educational equity
Additional Information
Compensation and Benefits
- The compensation for this role is $80,000 and is negotiable depending on experience.
- This is a full time administrative position that is exempt under the FLSA
- Benefits package including medical, dental, and vision
- Employee Assistance Program
- Participation in PERA
- Paid family or medical leave of absence
- Paid time off
- Relocation reimbursement (when applicable)
- Wellness reimbursement
- Voluntary employee, spousal, and child life insurance
- Voluntary long term disability insurance
- Voluntary short term disability insurance
- Optional 401(k)
- Optional Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
- All staff members are issued a laptop computer and cell phone.
- Numerous professional growth and leadership opportunities within KIPP Colorado Schools
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.