Helena, Arkansas

The Organization

Location 

KIPP is currently back in session, onsite, in all five of its Delta locations.  The Executive Director will visit all school site locations frequently and will work out of the Helena and Blytheville offices.

About KIPP Delta 

KIPP Delta Public Schools was founded in 2002 when they opened their doors to 65 fifth grade students in Helena, Arkansas. The ultimate goal was to graduate students with the strength of character and academic abilities needed to succeed in life – and in so doing, prove what is possible in public education. They promised to do whatever was necessary to help their students succeed. KIPP Delta is still making – and keeping – the same promise today. They now lead five schools across the Arkansas Delta serving over 1,100 students and 250 alumni. Since opening, their schools have regularly outperformed local school districts academically, and the work of many of their schools, staff, and students has been recognized on local, statewide, and national levels. To date, 95% of their high school graduates have been accepted into college, and over 75% are currently persisting in or have graduated from college.

What You’ll Do

The Executive Director is responsible for the following in addition to any other projects as determined by the local network Board:

Strategic Planning & Effective Execution 

• Works with the local Board, key funders and partners, and the regional leadership team to develop a strategic vision and implementation plan to accomplish it
• Sets clear multi-year academic, operational, and financial goals and manages to them; adapts as necessary given changes in the internal and external environment
• Provides oversight of strong public transparency systems including public compliance and reporting

Human Capital Management

• Continues to build and nurture a strong, cohesive culture that reflects KIPP Delta values and leads to a strong and aligned regional identity
• Enhances and supports strong and consistent accountability systems to ensure regional progress toward shared goals; promotes transparent decision-making processes and embraces distributive leadership principles
• Ensures the regional team operates in a fair, transparent, student-focused, and client-focused manner when supporting and interacting with the schools
• Directly manages the Managing Director of Academics/CAO, Managing Director of Finance, Managing Director of Regional Operations, and Managing Director of HR/Talent.
• Prioritizes a commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and works to infuse and emphasize these practices throughout the organization

Academic Excellence & Instructional Expertise

• Provides oversight of academic and school culture vision and priorities
• Works with the Chief Academic Officer and Head of Schools; oversees the implementation and alignment of high-quality curriculum, assessment, data management, and other academic systems across the region

Operational Excellence & Financial Management

• Scales the staff capacity and infrastructure systems necessary to sustain the region
• Oversee leadership team to obtain excellence in regional operations ( i.e. budget planning, compliance, human resources, facilities management, fundraising, and information technology)
• Ensures that the region has a viable 5-year financial plan and a sustainable funding base
• Manage development efforts to meet ambitious annual goals by identifying, cultivating, and soliciting public, individual and foundation sources of giving; in particular, ensure that schools are maximizing all public revenue sources
• Oversees marketing efforts, branding initiatives, and advocacy work on behalf of the region at local, state, and national levels

Relationship Building & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serves as the public face of KIPP Delta Public Schools
• Continues to develop active working Board and committees in close partnership with the Board chair
• Builds coalitions, relationships, and partnerships with key stakeholders including parents, donors, community members, political organizations, and the state department of education, in support of the organization’s mission and goals; engages and manages relationships with elected officials and public sector partners (municipal, state, and district staff for Congressional offices) to support the advancement of KIPP Delta Public Schools as a key partner in the region’s educational system in the region
• Demonstrates leadership as a member of KIPP’s national network by fully engaging as a member of the KIPP Executive Director community; ensure key regional constituents are kept fully informed on key developments and national KIPP initiatives

Who You Are 

• You prove the possible, all day, every day. You possess an unshakable, deeply held personal belief that all children can achieve regardless of background.  You consistently make decisions that look to empower the students, families and staff you serve and lead others to make decisions based on what is best for your students.

• You get it done. You have a relentless desire to achieve exceptional outcomes on behalf of kids and do so by developing a vision that everyone in your school community can get behind. You set clear goals and achieve results in a collaborative way that moves hearts and minds. Creating operational and financial efficiencies is your superpower and you’ve seen success doing just this time and time again.
• You lead with vulnerability and compassion. You consistently focus on identifying opportunities to learn and grow and understand managing through change requires a human-centered approach that balances action with active listening. You operate with an exceptional level of self-awareness, humility, and integrity in all interactions, personally and professionally.
• You are a strong, intentional relationship builder and collaborative teammate. ​You thrive on bringing different stakeholders together around a common goal. You seek to understand different contributors’ motivations and enjoy finding creative ways of meeting multiple objectives. You shape relationships with an ethos of reciprocity.

How You’ll be Measured

At the end of year one, as the Executive Director, you will have built strong relationships with your peers and the larger school community, earning their trust and partnership.  You will have hired several key roles within the school leadership team to include a Managing Director of Academics, Director of Development, and School Leaders.  As the instructional leader for the network, you will have identified and begun to implement a plan to increase student achievement and outcomes that both align to the KIPP philosophy while at the same time addressing individualized learning needs and trends that you’ve identified within the student population.  KIPP will be seen in all the communities it serves in Arkansas as a leading community partner and critical stakeholder in all regional conversations.

Additional Qualifications

The ideal candidate will also have a minimum of five years of experience in senior leadership positions within academic entrepreneurial organizations or teams as well as a bachelor’s degree with equivalent work experience, with a strong preference for K-12 experience.

Why Work with Us

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.  Working at KIPP Delta means that you will have:

• Access to health care when you need it most. Whether it be medical, vision, dental, disability or life insurance, we’ve got you covered and offer a bevy of benefits to ensure that you and your family are taken care of during these uncertain times.
• Support to plan for your future.  Team members are required to participate in the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System where we’ll contribute up to 14.75% of your gross salary to the plan. You can find more information here.
• A community of learners. We are a community of learners who are dedicated to reflection and continual improvement. We are passionate about our content, committed to refining our practice, and incorporate curiosity and a love for learning in our classrooms.
• A competitive compensation package. KIPP Delta is offering a generous package that includes a reimbursable relocation stipend (up to max at $1500) and signing bonus (up to 3% of salary).  The range for this particular opportunity is in the six figures.

Position Overview

About the Opportunity

KIPP Delta seeks an Executive Director (ED) to drive the current strategic priorities of the region, as well as set the vision and direction for how the region evolves moving forward. Reporting to the Board of Directors and partnering closely with the senior leadership team, the ED will help ensure success for KIPP Delta students through establishing best-in-class instructional and operational programs. In addition to their internal leadership, the ED will serve as a true external ambassador, deepening existing external relationships and building new ones (e.g., community leaders, partner organizations, donors, education leaders, etc.). This unique role offers an unparalleled opportunity for impact and the chance to develop and grow within a powerful, national network. This is an ideal role for an exceptional manager, motivating leader, and strong external spokesperson, who has demonstrated breakthrough outcomes in a similarly mission-aligned organization or school setting.

How To Apply

Please apply directly at: https://talentedadvisors.applytojob.com/apply/yTBip0e6Mx/KIPP-Delta-Executive-Director?source=ABFE