Chief Operating Officer

Company Description

KIPP— the largest nonprofit network of college-preparatory, public charter schools in the nation—has demonstrated, at scale, that all children have the potential to excel academically regardless of race or zip code. KIPP currently serves over 120,000 students in 270 schools across the country, including KIPP Baltimore.  

KIPP Baltimore launched in 2002 with KIPP Ujima Village Academy (grades 6-8) and later, in 2009, opened KIPP Harmony Academy (grades K-5). Both schools serve more than 1,500 kindergarten through eighth-grade students, whose mission is together with families and communities, to 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

Role Overview 

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a critical member of KIPP Baltimore’s three-person C-Suite team, working cross-functionally as an organizational leader to bring KIPP Baltimore into its next chapter of growth and innovation. KIPP Baltimore’s COO manages functions critical to the region’s success, including facilities, finance, information technology, compliance, school operations (e.g., attendance and enrollment), strategic planning, and resource allocation. 

The COO manages the implementation of the growth strategy for KIPP Baltimore and leads the work to define and deliver services provided to KIPP Baltimore’s schools. This role directly manages the Director of Campus Operations, the Manager of Information Technology, the Director of Finance, and construction/vendor contractors.

This is an ideal opportunity for seasoned operations professionals with a track record of building and right-sizing systems in organizations that have moved from start-up to long-term sustainability. The incoming KIPP Baltimore COO is people- and community-oriented in their approach to ensuring KIPP Baltimore’s schools, families, and teams have the resources to thrive. 

Duties and Responsibilities 

1. Operations and Facilities Management: Partner closely with the Chief Academic Officer to ensure schools are joyful, excellent, and equitable. 

• Hire, manage, train, and develop regional and school operations staff to ensure that every function is performed with excellence. This includes student enrollment, facilities, maintenance, student information systems, procurement, compliance, and reporting. 

• Develop a student enrollment strategy and monitor progress toward annual recruitment and retention goals. 

• Participate in the KIPP national and local charter network of operations and leadership staff to access and share learning and support with peers in other organizations. 

• Design systems and strategies that facilitate communication to and from key stakeholders (e.g., parents and the district) across the region and functions. 

• Manage staff and/or contractors providing facilities management and maintenance to ensure buildings are clean, well-maintained, safe, secure, and meeting the school’s needs. 

• Manage region’s real estate portfolio, ensuring facility, financial solutions, and plans are in place to achieve growth. 

2. Risk and Compliance: Partner with the leadership team to develop and maintain compliance systems and risk management. 

• Observe and diagnose current risk and compliance systems to identify key priorities and areas of improvement as KIPP Baltimore grows. 

• Ensure compliance systems are established for charter cycles such that KIPP Baltimore fully complies with federal, state, and local legal and regulatory requirements. 

• Provide oversight to the execution of efforts against KIPP Baltimore’s federal and state grants to ensure grants are secured, allocated, budgeted, tracked, and in compliance. 

• Serve as the district compliance liaison, ensuring state and local safety expectations are met and funds for school safety are appropriately earmarked and allocated. 

• Lead region-wide management of insurance, and other risk management strategies. 

• Create and maintain organizational policies and administrative guidelines. 

3. IT and Data Systems: Establish and maintain information technology and data systems. 

• Oversee strategies for planning, implementation, and support of information technology. 

• Build and maintain data infrastructure to support the region’s instructional goals and growth – all through an equity lens. 

• Manage the integration and maintenance of technology architecture and systems administration which includes network, servers, workstations, connectivity, security, software, and hardware. 

• Ensure efficient, proactive, and responsive user support and customer service for staff and students by collaborating with instructional leaders on educational technology and data management strategies. 

4. Finance: Execute the strategic financial vision for KIPP Baltimore. 

• Partner with the Executive Director to develop and execute a growth strategy for a new school’s model for Baltimore schools, while maintaining the financial health of the organization through the lens of facility acquisition and financing.  

• Serve as a thought partner to school and regional leaders in all aspects of financial decision-making through strong financial reporting and analysis. 

• Oversee strategic financial planning that reflects educational priorities and sustainability. 

• Supervise organization-wide accounting practices to ensure continuous compliance in all aspects of financial reporting. 

• Oversee the long-term financial strategy and ensure financial health, while maximizing resources available to students, including the preparation of rigorous multi-year financial models and projection tools. 

5. Team and Organizational Leadership: Serve as a member of KIPP Baltimore’s regional leadership team to collectively provide strategic direction and oversight of a ~$27M organization with a deep commitment to racial justice and equity 

• Participate in KIPP Baltimore’s 2027 strategic plan and implementation process to execute and evaluate the region’s academic, talent, and alumni success goals, strategies, and financial sustainability. 

• Partner with senior regional leaders to establish, communicate, and constantly refresh the long-term vision for the region 

• Define excellence and equity in regional and school operations for KIPP Baltimore; plan, implement, and develop systems to manage regional office and school-based operations staff members to results. 

• Participate in relevant board committees and meetings to provide updates and solicit input on operation goals. 

• Serve as an exceptional organizational leader, manager, and coach with a high degree of emotional intelligence and a commitment to developing strengths in others; while modeling effective, data-driven, and transparent decision-making. 

• Proactively build an inclusive and equitable culture, continuing to hire, onboard, support, and retain a diverse team. 

Qualifications

KIPP Baltimore’s Chief Operating Officer must possess the following personal and professional attributes: 

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or master's degree in related field preferred 

• Approximately ten years of team management experience in two or more of the following areas: finance, data, operations, facilities, and IT; preferably in a school system that has a focus on closing the student opportunity gap between racial, ethnic, and economic groups 

• Strong operations, and/or strategic experience is required; five or more years of progressively increasing management experience and strategic planning for a growing, multi-site organization is highly preferred 

• A passion for and an understanding of the mission of KIPP Baltimore 

• Commitment to building relationships and trust with leaders, teachers, students, parents, and the Northwest Baltimore community 

• An integrated systems builder with the ability to both build and scale best practices across multiple schools 

• Exceptional organizational skills, specifically in developing and implementing multi-year plans 

Additional Information

Compensation 
The COO salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. KIPP Baltimore’s benefits include generous PTO, and access to medical, dental, vision, and 401k plans. 

KIPP Baltimore is committed to the ideal of diversity in its student body and in its faculty and staff. KIPP Baltimore does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, or ethnicity. We are strongly committed to hiring a diverse and multicultural staff and encourage applications from traditionally under-represented backgrounds. 

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.