Organizational Overview

In 2020, KIPP Eastern North Carolina (KIPP ENC) and KIPP Charlotte took the first steps to begin to merge to form KIPP North Carolina Public Schools (KIPP NC). Starting in July of 2021, KIPP NC will be a network of eight high-performing, college-preparatory public charter schools providing an academically rigorous and joyous school experience to more than 3,500 students in grades K-12 in Charlotte, Durham, Gaston, and Halifax. Additionally, KIPP NC will support several thousand alumni on their journey to and through high school, college, and career.   

KIPP NC will build on a rich tradition of academic excellence and relentless fight for social justice present from the founding of both KIPP ENC and KIPP Charlotte. KIPP ENC is the second oldest KIPP region in the nation. In its 20 years of operation, KIPP ENC has been a cornerstone for students and families in rural Gaston and Halifax, operating two primary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. Over the past five years, it grew to serve even more students by opening up a middle school in Durham, an urban center in the center part of the state. KIPP Charlotte, which grew out of the strong traditions and academics of KIPP ENC, has supported students and families for the past 13 years, operating one primary school and one middle school in the largest city in North Carolina.

KIPP North Carolina will build upon the successes and experiences of KIPP ENC and KIPP Charlotte to provide inclusive school environments and an educational program that will enable our students to lead full lives and equip graduates to be future leaders and agents of change in North Carolina and beyond. KIPP NC also will continue to engage in direct, anti-racist work, and it will contribute meaningfully to the dismantling of structures of inequality within our organization, schools, and classrooms. KIPP NC will be committed to expanding our efforts to embed anti-racism in all of our activities and engagements within our classrooms and schools, across our organization, and throughout the State of North Carolina. All of this will be in a tireless effort to create classrooms that are homeplaces for our students, places where they feel safe, loved, validated, seen, and heard, places where all their beautiful identities will be affirmed and celebrated, and places where they will learn the academic knowledge and skills needed for college, career, and beyond.

The Opportunity

The founding Regional Director of School Operations will be responsible for leading and supporting school operations for all eight KIPP NC schools, while partnering with school leaders to upkeep, elevate, standardize, and progress monitor school operations. The Regional Director of School Operations will be responsible for generating operational efficiencies that will directly impact quality classroom experiences for each student. They also will help remove obstacles to teaching and learning so school leaders can better focus their time on supporting and developing teachers and instruction generally. As an integral member of the Central Office Operations Team, the Regional Director of School Operations will be responsible for leading and guiding school operation team members by building a school operations collaborative; creating professional development scope and sequence plans and leading professional development sessions; developing and implementing scalable processes and systems; providing regional operational resources and expertise; and supporting and acting as a critical thought partner of school-based Directors of School Operations. The Regional Director of School Operations will report directly to the Chief Operating Officer.

This is an ideal opportunity for a dynamic and visionary organizational leader to play a critical role in building and shaping a premier K-12 charter management organization committed to supporting all our students to graduate college and succeed in school and life. 

Key Responsibilities

Team Development

• Helps to build a strong, cohesive school-based Directors of School Operations culture that reflects the core values of KIPP NC
• Serves as a thought leader on cross-team projects, and support KIPP NC’s innovation efforts
• Helps school leaders to complete annual performance evaluations of school-based Directors of School Operations

Supportive Leadership for School-Based Operations Leaders

• Creates, trains, and implements standard and scalable processes, protocols, and systems aimed at improving school operations and solving common challenges across schools across the state
• Develops common expectations of school operations and measures via key performance indicators
• Helps set and collaborates with Director of School Operations colleagues on the vision and direction for school operations
• Serves as a liaison to all non-academic central operations functions impacting school operations, including but not limited to Facilities & Real Estate, Information Technology, Transportation, School Nutrition, and Data & Assessment
• Demonstrates financial responsibility by helping to manage school-based budgets and participating in the analysis of monthly financial statements
• Collaborates with city- and state- wide team members to support and implement the KIPP NC  Strategic Plan
• Works to centralize best practices via handbooks, toolkits, and playbooks; leads training and implementation for school-based colleagues
• Builds relationships with internal and external stakeholders that positively impact school operations
• Fosters collaborative work with school-based Directors of School Operations to nurture a culture of process standardization and structure so that school leaders can focus on student achievement
• Leads communication with internal and external stakeholders to efficiently inform members of any emergent or planned protocols involving school operations; serves as the school-based Directors of School Operations liaison to other operational teams regarding important topics like space planning, feedback, and input
• Works closely with the Chief Operating Officer to establish strategies and goals in support of schools and the organization’s strategic plan
• Works relentlessly to integrate teams and continuously seeks operational innovation
• Participates and supports school special projects by participating in planning meetings on request or as needed; plans and hosts school-based Directors of School Operations staff development and planning
• Establishes themselves as a lifeline for school-based Directors of School Operations to help solve challenges, be a thought partner, and help with other operational needs
• Formally checks-in with school leaders and school-based Directors of School Operations twice a month to build relationships, better understand bright spots and challenges, and gain general feedback
• Builds relationships, leads by example, and helps coach school-based Directors of School Operations, ensuring alignment with school leaders

KIPP North Carolina Leadership

• Participates in KIPP NC operations leadership team that oversees the strategy for all KIPP North Carolina operations programming
• Works with KIPP NC operations leadership to develop a vision and comprehensive long-term plan for the design of integrated, scaffolded K-12 schools
• Recommends to the KIPP NC Chief Operating Officer system-wide goals; monitors and reports back to the Chief Operating Officer on the progress toward achieving those goals

KIPP NC’s Regional Director of School Operations candidates will have the following:

• A deep commitment to the mission of KIPP NC and an unwavering belief in the potential of all our students
• An unwavering commitment to anti-racism, equity, and inclusion
• A strong desire to collaborate with school leaders and Central Office teammates in service to a new KIPP region growing out of two exceptionally strong ones
• 5+ years of progressively responsible work experience, preferably in a  business, nonprofit, or school operations environment; school-based experience in an operational leadership position preferred; 3+ years in a leadership role with supervisory experience preferred
• Proven experience building operational efficiency while proactively finding solutions
• Meticulous attention to detail with an ability to produce high-quality work in a dynamic environment
• Outstanding leadership and management skills, particularly as it relates to building teams, working through others, promoting collaboration, managing conflict, goal setting, and holding people accountable
• An entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrated success in building a program, department, or organization
• Ability to interact with a broad range of stakeholders with different interests and needs
• Possess a deep commitment to both racial equity and improving the lives of kids from low-income communities; experience working within predominantly Black, Brown, and/or low-income communities
• Understanding and willingness to work in both rural and urban communities, including exhibiting resourcefulness and willingness to travel up to five hours within North Carolina multiple days per week based on need
• Must live in North Carolina; Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, ideal, given the area’s equal distance from our schools in Charlotte, Gaston, and Halifax

Salary is based on years of experience, degree of education, and level of expertise.  A competitive benefits package is offered. 

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