Superintendent

Job Summary
The Superintendent role is an integral part of the executive team ensuring that KIPP DCs academic and school performance strategy translates from vision to results across all 22 schools through systems-level leadership rigorous accountability and trusted relationships with school communities. The starting salary range for this role is $244025-$269712.This is a full-time fully in-person role based at our KIPP DCs headquarters office with an immediate start date.

For 25 years KIPP DC has partnered with students families and the community to create joyful academically excellent schools across the nations capital. Today our network of 22 schools educate more than 7500 students in grades PreK3-12 supported by 1500 dedicated teachers leaders and staff.

Our work is grounded in five pillarsAcademic Excellence Joy & Sense of Belonging Highly Effective Teachers and Leaders Safe Structured and Nurturing Learning Environments and Commitment to College Readinesswhich ensure every student is equipped with the knowledge skills and confidence to pursue success in college careers and beyond. Our schools combine high expectations with joyful affirming environments that nurture academic success and personal growth for students and staff alike.

As part of the national KIPP network we share best practices and innovations while maintaining deep roots in Washington D.C. Together we strive toward a future without limits for our students alumni and community.

The executive team is KIPP DCs senior leadership body composed of the school systems functional leaders who drive strategic direction operational performance and organizational health.

The Superintendent sits on the executive team as a cabinet-level peer to the President & Chief Operating Officer and the Head of Strategy Impact and Transformation providing systems-level leadership for academic and school performance across all 22 schools. This work instructional strategy school leadership and everything that shapes what students learn and experience is carried out through the teams of the Chief Academic Officer and the Chief of Schools both of whom report to the Superintendent. The Superintendent is responsible for system-level coherence prioritization and cross-functional alignment across both teams.

The Superintendent serves as KIPP DCs senior executive accountable for the coherence of academic strategy and school leadership across all 22 schools. This is a rare opportunity for a systems-level leader to guide a school system with 25 years of legacy and impact through a consequential academic transformation with a focus on preparing all students to pursue the paths they choose college career and beyond.

Fully on-site (5 days per week onsite)

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 which requires this position to be fully on-site. This role is currently required to be on-site or in schools during regular work hours.

Lead academic and school performance transformation (35%)

• Shape the school systems academic vision for students within the direction set by the multiyear strategic plan leading the integration of academic strategy and school leadership into a single coherent academic and school performance strategy.
• Monitor academic and school performance across all 22 schools on a regular cadence using that visibility to inform enterprise-level decisions and priorities.
• Hold academic and school-level work coherent with the school systems broader strategic commitments surfacing risks and bringing timely clear-eyed recommendations to the CEO before they compound.
• Push the school system to innovate where innovation is needed to deliver on its commitments to students bringing new academic and school-level approaches into the strategy where they are warranted.
• Serve as a cabinet-level peer to the President & Chief Operating Officer (COO) and the Head of Strategy Impact and Transformation participating fully in shared enterprise work on behalf of the school systems academic and school performance.
• Partner with executive leaders across the school system understanding how their work affects academic and school performance and elevating what students and schools need from them so the academic and school performance strategy is properly resourced and represented.

• Set clear expectations for the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) and Chief of Schools (COS) and hold each accountable for leading their teams day-to-day work and the outcomes their team produces.
• Ensure the CAO and COS each operate at the right altitude: each manages their own portfolio with appropriate independence while the Superintendent maintains the cross-functional coordination and enterprise orientation the transformation requires.
• Lead and coach the CAO and COS sharpening their systems-level leadership and building the capacity each needs to translate the academic and school performance strategy into excellent execution as the school systems transformation deepens.
• Ensure the CAO and COS each build a strong talent bench within their own portfolio. Provide additional support when capability gaps require enterprise-level structural adjustment across the academics and schools portfolio.

• Hold the school system accountable for delivering on its academic and school performance commitments to students naming gaps directly and ensuring they are addressed while identifying and scaling what is genuinely driving strong outcomes.
• Oversee the school systems progress toward the academic and school-level standards required for charter renewal and regulatory compliance including under applicable school performance frameworks. Hold the CAO and COS accountable for the strategies that meet or exceed those standards.
• Serve as the primary liaison to the boards School & Community Affairs committee giving the committee the information and access it needs to fulfill its oversight of academic and school performance.
• Serve as the school systems point of decision and escalation for academic and school-level matters requiring enterprise-level resolution ensuring the school system responds with clarity and speed.

Build and steward relationships in service of the portfolio (15%)

• Maintain a visible and consistent presence across school communities and at key school and community moments building trust with families and communities and ensuring firsthand observation from schools informs how the academic and school performance strategy is refined.
• Engage regularly with school leaders through purpose-built structures gathering a firsthand read on whether academic and school systems are functioning as intended.
• Represent the school systems academic and school performance work with external stakeholders including DC PCSB and OSSE in coordination with the CEO and Chief External Affairs Officer as appropriate.
• Serve as one of the school systems primary points of contact within the broader KIPP network engaging in network-level convenings and peer learning communities and keeping the school systems academic and school-level work aligned with national priorities.
• Build relationships with peer leaders and external organizations in and outside the KIPP network whose expertise and perspective strengthen the school systems academic and school-level work.

KIPP DC offers an extremely competitive compensation and benefits package:

• The anticipated starting salary range for this position is $244025-$269712. 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.

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 DCs non-discrimination policy and KIPP DCs Title IX Coordinators contact information.

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