What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Operational Initiatives position at KIPP DC?
Director of Operational Initiatives
Job Summary
The Director of Operational Initiatives role is an integral part of the Information & Operations team, responsible for spearheading strategic projects, driving impactful collaboration, and playing a key role in shaping innovative solutions that enhance operational excellence, optimize systems, and streamline non-academic work streams for long-term success. The starting salary range for this role is $125,223-$138,403. This is a full-time, occasional flexibility role based at HDQ with an anticipated immediate start date.
About KIPP DC
By 2025, KIPP DC will build upon two decades of proven results to develop into a more impactful, innovative, and inclusive school system that provides joyful, identity-affirming learning experiences so that all students and alumni achieve extraordinary outcomes.
Our work is grounded in a commitment to excellence, equity, and justice. We believe all students have the right to rigorous, relevant, and joyful learning experiences led by exceptionally talented and diverse educators who promote student achievement and a sense of belonging. We believe students and teachers best succeed when surrounded by an ecosystem of supports, including our central headquarters team that supports KIPP DC’s 20 schools and two programs, 7,500 students, and 1,300 teachers, leaders, and staff members dedicated to this mission.
About the Role
The Director of Operational Initiatives role is a key member of the Chief Operating Officer’s leadership team. This team member will be responsible for various high-stakes, cross-functional strategic projects. You will also lead complex coordination geared toward planning, supporting and executing the non-academic work streams for operational effectiveness, systems optimization, and strategic project management.
As a director, this position must also ensure adherence to established internal control policies and procedures and maintain compliance within the organization.
Location and Type of Work
This is an exempt position and will report to the Chief Information & Operations Officer.
As a headquarters team that is focused on being responsive to our schools and meeting the needs of our students and families, we approach our work in a way that reflects these priorities. Schools operate in person and our students and families rely on us for in-person support, and this position will regularly provide on-site support to school teams, frequently partner with other headquarters teams, or regularly work in multiple locations. Because of the nature of the work, this role allows for occasional flexibility. This role will have approximately 20% flexibility to work remotely.
Responsibilities
Leads high-stakes, cross-functional special projects (40%)
- Based on changing organizational needs and demands, collaborate with KIPP DC leadership to create short- and long-term plans for high-priority areas (e.g., annual goals, strategic plans, operational excellence). Examples could include:
- Running the School Operations Manager (SOM) staffing pilot. This would include: developing a vision, end goals, marketing and comms (to other internal teams and ops team), feedback cycles, joint hiring processes, coaching and development cycles, etc.
- Working with Operation and Academic leadership team for alignment and smooth implementation of summer projects
- Supporting broader communication on program to stakeholders
- Lead meetings that direct attention to critical management issues, and offering strategic recommendations for resolution
- Synthesize complex information, and translate it into exceptionally clear reports for an executive audience
- Plan and conduct comprehensive operational and financial analysis as required
Supports Workstream Leads in Planning, Implementation, and Monitoring of Mission Critical Projects (30%)
- Support work stream leads directly (when needed):
- Helps build documentation / processes / timelines with workstream leads
- Supports individual work stream in any immediate execution needs
- Acts as an advisor to work streams leads - pressure test assumptions and plans, bring in secondary research, and build in new perspectives from other stakeholders (i.e., external, academic, etc.)
- Keep the overall non-academic working team on track with internal and external deadlines
- Coordinate change management (small or big) and communication to implement specific work stream initiatives across, schools, Academic team, Executive Team (with CIOO), all other HDQ teams, and externally.
- Act as the eyes and ears for work stream leaders across the organization and from external stakeholders – i.e., facilitates cross-team communication to ensure that everyone has access to the same information, pressure test assumptions and plans to ensure that they sync
- Act as the bridge between non-academic planning efforts and school operationalization
- Assess what’s working / what’s not across functions and communicate across teams
- Specific priorities to be defined by the CIOO. Example support projects could include:
- Effective space planning based on academic needs and health guidelines
- Setup and foster consistent cross-sector lines of communication with other headquarters teams
Leads Non-instructional planning and alignment (20% of time)
- Serve as strategic advisor to the Chief Information & Operations Officer and leadership, providing sound counsel and maintaining complete confidentiality
- Provide analysis and strategic consultation on major issues impacting the organization
- Provide coordination and oversight in the development of strategic initiatives
- Work alongside functional leads to create integrated systems—e.g., dashboards, frameworks, and other tools—that will drive efficacy and provide real-time feedback, monitoring and adjustment
- Support the information and operations leadership team to create alignment between the team vision and annual goals. This could include:
- Thorough analysis of the roles of various individuals on the team and the responsibilities and expectations for each role with criterias for success
- Developing talent management and development systems to create a pipeline of information and operations talent (e.g. hiring, onboarding, coaching cycle)
Assists the Chief Information & Operations Officer with communication and coordination of the leadership team (10%)
- Develop, cultivate and manage relationships with senior leaders throughout KIPP DC to ensure timely execution of key initiatives
- Assist in developing meeting agendas, ensuring pre-work is completed and distributed, and managing follow-up for important meetings
- Preparing briefings or materials in advance of important internal and external meetings
- Lead the rollout of key initiatives and serve as primary contact for questions from the organization (e.g., regional support survey)
- Partner with other teams to ensure successful marketing, engagement, and roll-out of new initiatives, including campaigns for major launches and shifts in culture, thinking and behavior
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required
- 3 years of operations and/or strategy or consulting experience required
- 5 years of experience managing and supporting cross-functional teams required
- Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills (or equivalent) required
Preferred Qualifications
- 8 years of work experience preferred
- 5 years of K-12 experience preferred
- 5 years of operations and/or strategy or consulting experience preferred
- MBA or relevant Masters preferred
Physical Requirements
- Ability to travel across KIPP DC schools regularly
- Ability to work outside normal business hours as projects needs require
Demonstrated Excellence in the Following Areas:
- Commitment to Students and Schools: Demonstrates commitment to education reform, believing in every child's potential for success and prioritizing students, schools, and the essential role of families.
- Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving: Finds creative solutions to challenges that achieve broader goals of team and organization.
- Project Management: Sets a high bar for own work and supports others to achieve desired team outcomes.
- Communications and Influence: Demonstrates adept communication skills and influence to advance work by adjusting content and style.
- Teamwork: Contributes to a supportive team culture, fostering diverse work styles and maintaining a high performance standard.
- Trust and Collaboration: Establishes and nurtures effective relationships with a diverse set of stakeholders to support the best outcomes for our work.
- Cultural Humility: Advances KIPP DC’s commitment to anti-racism by creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all stakeholders.
- Continuous Learning: Commits to continuous learning through feedback, self reflection, humility, and action.
Benefits & Compensation [edited this section for your role]
KIPP DC offers an extremely competitive compensation and benefits package:
- The anticipated starting salary range for this position is $125,223-$138,403. At KIPP DC we strive for clarity, equity, and to be highly competitive. When determining salaries we look at benchmarks in the education and non-profit sector.
- KIPP DC offers a robust benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurances; various voluntary benefits; and employer paid benefits such as short term disability, long term disability, life insurance, and a membership to One Medical.
- KIPP DC also offers a 403(b) retirement account with a 3% employer contribution and a 3% match with vesting after three years.
- Currently, individuals in this role have up to 15 paid time off days, up to 10 paid sick days, 12 paid holidays, and paid Thanksgiving week break, winter break, and spring break. This is subject to change and your exact schedule will be shared in your offer letter.
Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
KIPP DC Public Schools does not discriminate against, or tolerate discrimination against, employees or applicants for employment on any legally-recognized basis or protected class including, but not limited to, actual or perceived race, color, national origin, immigration status (except as necessary to comply with federal, DC, state, or local law), religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity or expression), marital status (including domestic partnership status), genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy, family responsibilities, personal appearance, veteran status, uniform service member status, status of being unemployed, status of victim a survivor of domestic violence, sexual offense or stalking, matriculation or any other protected class under federal, state, DC, or local law.
Click here or here to review KIPP DC’s non-discrimination policy and KIPP DC’s Title IX Coordinator’s contact information.
Please Note: If you encounter difficulties submitting your application or fail to receive a confirmation email after applying, kindly reach out to Danica Cunningham at danica.cunningham@kippdc.org. Please include your name, resume, and specify the role you are applying for in your email. We appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Salary : $125,223 - $138,403
