School Network Staff Senior Director of Academic Strategy
Job Description
About the Senior Director of Academic Strategy Role: The Senior Director of Academic Strategy will set the instructional and academic vision as well as 1) oversee academic partnerships, 2) create systems for curriculum implementation and 3) support instructional coaching development in order to provide a cohesive vision for regional academic achievement. This role will be an essential support partner to the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) and the Academics Teams. They will also partner closely with KIPP’s school leaders, instructional staff and external stakeholders. This full-time position is a part of our Home Office Team and is a key member of KIPP Colorado’s leadership team. This role will report to the Chief Academic Officer.
About KIPP: Together with families and communities, KIPP creates 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. KIPP is a national network of tuition-free, public charter schools open to all students. There are 255 college-preparatory KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 100,000 students. Nationally, KIPP students are graduating four-year colleges at three times the national average for low-income students.
Who we are: KIPP Colorado Public Schools is a network of six free college-preparatory public charter schools open to all students. Our 350-person staff educates 2,600 students from ECE to 12th grade. At KIPP Colorado, we partner with our KIPPsters, educators, families and communities to ensure that we are all united around the goal of a choice-filled future for our KIPPsters. Our KIPP Forward Team supports our 1,000+ high school Alumni as they create their own paths. Our core values of excellence, belonging, belief, advocacy and courage are central to who we are and how we operate at all levels of our organization.
What we do: We believe in the unique gifts and brilliance of every student. We believe in setting a high bar for joy and academic excellence to ensure the infinite possibilities our students have before them become a reality. We aspire to create and reinforce a culture of achievement, belonging and support. We know that every student is different and we personalize learning based on a student’s needs, skills, and interests.
Role Responsibilities and More About How You’ll Spend Your Time in this Role
Initiative Organization and Management
- Create multi-year project plans from instructional aspects of strategic plan
- Lead work around two major academic workstreams: 1) moving 5th grade to elementary school and 2) bilingual/biliteracy programming for 5-12 in the southwest
- Execute the implementation of Academic-based strategic priorities in pursuit of achieving organizational goals.
- Track and progress monitor against large-scale Academic priorities and initiatives, working closely with the Academic team leaders to gather relevant data and project manage accordingly.
- Perform research and development activities to determine whether new initiatives are viable and worthy of prioritization for Academic Team efforts.
- Maintain existing partnerships and lead the exploration of new vendors, opportunities and program priorities, including serving as a liaison with Denver Public Schools, our authorizer, as needed.
- Additional duties as assigned.
Academic Strategy
- Build out academic strategy in partnership with CAO to include aligned metrics, goal / progress monitoring, curriculum and assessment
- Serve as the lead project manager and problem solver for academic program initiative efforts, moving into launch and implementation.
- Design tools and systems for high-level accountability tracking for academic program requirements.
- Manage several high-impact, academic strategic projects for the Academics team, to be determined collaboratively with the Chief Academic Officer
Leader Development
- Work in conjunction with CAO and Academics Team to provide strong leadership development opportunities for campus-based leadership
- Create a pipeline for PIR and other leader development programs to ensure consistent coaching can continue through various transitions in contribution to our talent vision
- Streamline coaching strategies as outlined in the Cohesive Coaching Cycle
Support the Chief Academic Officer (CAO):
- Serve as the key organizer for the CAO related to projects, calendaring, and delegated communication management (emailing, Zoom meetings, other coordination, as needed).
- Manage scheduling for the CAO to ensure her time is directed towards the team’s top priorities.
- Manage details for complex meetings and schedules while maintaining accuracy and confidentiality; ensure that meeting details are confirmed (attendance, time/duration, location, agendas, materials) and proactively plan for travel time and other logistical considerations.
- Create and distribute draft agendas, provide advance materials, and execute follow-up for meetings and events.
- Keep current on CAO’s priorities and anticipate needs in accordance with those priorities.
- Respond to requests for information from individuals, schools, KIPP CO staff, and other external stakeholders on behalf of the CAO, as appropriate.
- Track deadlines and/or update organizational systems to best support productivity and effectiveness.
Content Creation
- Create visually appealing content that successfully communicates compelling and meaningful messages.
- Use data to create presentations, one-pagers, online content, and other media to support CAO/your/team recommendations.
Project/Systems Management
- Determine the priority level of various projects to be completed and take initiative to create action plans and move forward
- Create long- and short-term plans, including setting targets for milestones and adhering to deadlines
- Delegate tasks on the project to team members best positioned to complete them
- Make effective decisions when presented with multiple options for how to progress with the project
- Communicate with team members, school-based staff or other KIPP CO staff to keep the projects aligned with their goals and on deadline
- Adjust schedules and targets on projects as needs for the project change
- Create systems for tracking team long- and short-term plans, including setting targets for milestones and adhering to deadlines.
Relationship Management
- Cultivate and manage relationships with regional leaders and other critical stakeholders, especially Head of Schools, principals and school leadership team members.
- Meet with internal and external stakeholders and synthesize their concerns, challenges, and ideas into easily understandable and actionable recommendations.
Special Projects
- Lead strategic initiatives and special projects as determined by the CAO that are critical to KIPP Colorado’s long-term success
Professional Responsibilities
- Believe deeply in the mission, values, and Race, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (RIDE) commitments of KIPP Colorado Schools and that all children can and will learn.
- Providing an active presence, strategic supervision, and intentional monitoring to ensure student safety and engagement in rigorous learning (regardless of my role and its proximity to students)
- Take ownership for the development of your craft (meet 1x/1-2 weeks with a manager, implement feedback, engage in active practice, etc.)
- Meet professional obligations including and not limited to meeting deadlines and honoring schedules.
- Collaborate with colleagues and seek feedback in the spirit of continuous improvement.
- Reflect on professional practices to meet individual professional development goals.
- Assume personal responsibility for student achievement.
- Actively participate in professional development, grade level, and department meetings.
- Actively engage in all school-wide professional development.
- Serve as a positive, contributing member of a grade team, collaborating with colleagues to tackle common challenges and implement grade-wide initiatives.
- Share candid, solutions-oriented feedback with peers and leadership on a regular basis.
- Maintain strong attendance each day and be on time to all responsibilities
- Assist with both student and staff recruitment.
- Other duties as assigned
Senior Director Role Level Specifics, Scope of Work, and Level of Responsibility For more about how you’ll lead at the Senior Director level, please visit the KIPP Colorado Role Levels Matrix (this is an internal document, only).
About Your Skills and Qualifications at the Senior Director Level
- Bachelor’s Degree (required)
- At least seven to eight years of relevant experience (required)
- At least 5-8 years of experience in academic programming or coaching (required)
- Three or more years of experience managing a team (preferred)
- A full understanding and Commitment to an Exceptional Student Experience (more about that HERE) (required)
- Previous experience developing and facilitating adult learning/training (required).
- 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
- Skilled at analyzing, interpreting, and using data to collaborate, identify best practices and areas for improvement, and drive results
Compensation and Benefits:
Staff retention and satisfaction is imperative for KIPP Colorado. We seek to provide competitive compensation and benefits including the following:
- Competitive Market Salary: Starting salary for this role begins at $115,000
- Please submit a comprehensive resume to assure all your experience is accounted for! (Tip: We don’t care if your resume is more than one page, we are eager to see and compensate you for all of your experience and accomplishments.)
- Excellent Healthcare Plan: 100% of employee-only monthly premium paid by KIPP Colorado and options for family enrollment and coverage, through United Healthcare.
- Time Off !!!: More than 6 weeks of annual vacation and Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Based on hire date, employees are eligible for up to 8 days of Paid Time Off (PTO)
- All employees receive summer break through an Org closure, based on work location and position
- Access to Parental and medical leave: Includes 6 weeks paid and 6 weeks unpaid for a total of 12 weeks (after your first year).
- Career Trajectory: Access to opportunity to to move up, across schools, and grow your career and weekly coaching session to refine your craft.
- Mental Health Care: Immediate and ongoing access to mental health support through our Employee Assistance Program.
- Technology & Access: Equipment provided: laptop & phone
- Retirement Planning: Participation in the Colorado PERA retirement program, including a PERA 401k option.
- Move to Join Us: Relocation reimbursement (when applicable)
- Additional Pay: Most school offer various stipend opportunities
- All the Insurance Options:
- Wellness reimbursement
- Voluntary employee, spousal, and child life insurance
- Voluntary long term disability insurance
- Voluntary short term disability insurance
- Optional Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
- All the Info: For more information, you can view our benefits FAQ here .
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.
