KIPP, the Knowledge Is Power Program, is a national network of free, open enrollment, college preparatory public schools dedicated to preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and life. There are 285 KIPP schools across the nation and the District of Columbia, serving more than 175,000 students and alumni with more than 15,000 educators. 

Founded in 2008 with 50 students in 5th grade, KIPP Columbus currently educates  2,000 students in grades Kindergarten through twelfth.  With a mission to, together with families and the community, create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose -- college, career, and beyond --  KIPP has maintained excellence in its growth, and will improve upon that standard – proving what is possible in public education.

KIPP Columbus continues to rank as one of the top schools for academic growth of any school in the state of Ohio, and is a top performing urban school in the state for academic growth. In our first three graduating classes (in spring 2020, 2021, and 2022) 100% of students were accepted to college and/or military service  with nearly $40 million in merit scholarships from colleges and universities awarded.

In addition to academic excellence, KIPP Columbus also partners with nearly 100 community organizations to provide extracurricular activities, programming, health and wellness services, meals, and more to KIPP students, families, and the broader community. KIPP is also a member of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, offering more than 10 varsity sports. 

The KIPP Columbus learning campus will continue to advance student learning, expand partnerships, enable superior programming, and serve as a teaching and leadership lab for schools nationwide, reimagining education through a deeper lens of antiracism, excellence, and joy as we expand to educate nearly 4,000 students on our learning campus in the coming years. 

Interested in learning more about our school?  Please check out our website: https://www.kippcolumbus.org/

The Opportunity

The Director of Public Accountability and Compliance will lead KIPP Columbus in meeting all public program and reporting obligations associated with receiving state, federal and local funds, while also meeting all compliance requirements associated with KIPP Columbus schools. . The Director will be responsible for strategically stewarding public funds and maintaining strong systems for public and authorizer reporting by working across the regional and school teams to responsibly sustain and maximize funding opportunities for our schools and communities in alignment with KIPP’s strategic priorities. This individual will embrace continuous improvement and innovation, is able to keep an eye on short, mid, and long-term strategy and execution, can flex between direct hands-on work and leveraging others to achieve success, and relishes in the challenge of securing long term-sustainable funding sources for our schools.  

The Director of Public Accountability and Compliance will report to the Managing Director of Operations and Compliance. They will also work closely and collaboratively with the regional school support team, school leadership and cross-functional departments including School Leaders and School Leader Managers, Data, Finance and Accounting.  

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: 

Public Programs and Funding 

• Lead KIPP’s annual strategic process for managing and monitoring compliance related to state funding, our school sponsor, and other reporting structures.  
• Lead KIPP’s annual process all local funding opportunities in alignment with county and authorizer requirements 
• Collaborate with regional and school teams to allocate public funds and plan in alignment with KIPP’s priorities 
• Seek, assess and apply for opportunities for new public grants to support KIPP Columbus priorities and vision, particularly multi-year funding opportunities that contribute to sustainable school programs 
• On an on-going basis, oversees the researching and interpretation of regulations and laws to establish education compliance standards or programs, and may direct the development and delivery of training and communications/change management relative to new standards

State, Federal and Authorizer Compliance 

• Provide leadership in the interpretation and application of state and federal education laws and regulations
• Develop, implement, and monitor the process for meeting state, federal and authorizer compliance reporting across multiple authorizers, counties and state and federal agencies 
• Manage critical non-fiscal reporting to the state, including attendance, student demographics and teacher assignments that directly impact school funding, authorizer oversight and public accountability  
• Establish and maintain collaborative and cooperative relationships and communications with district administrators, directors of categorical programs, and other personnel assigned to state and federal programs
• Serve as the operational liaison to the auditors in managing the non-fiscal annual audit processes
• Ensure that all authorizer agreements between KIPP and district/ state are executed and compliant 

Team Management Leadership 

• Uphold high-performing team culture, setting clear goals and expectations, and coaching team to deliver results
• Commit to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion, with an ability to serve as an exemplar for the team and organization’s commitment to creating a work environment that values and embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion

• 5+ years work experience doing compliance, accountability reporting, or education project management 
• Direct management, team leadership and professional development experience 
• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience
• Knowledge of the current state and federal education compliance requirements
• Knowledge of Columbus and Ohio requirements for charter accountability
• Exceptional communication and preparations skills to collaborate with colleagues at all levels
• Outstanding project management skills and the ability to coordinate and maximize the contributions of others
• Ability to develop, manage and lead an effective team in meeting stated goals
• Ability to balance data, experience, and judgment to make sound decisions aligned with our culture and values
• Ability to self-direct and prioritize among competing goals and exhibit flexibility in a complex environment
• Excellent problem solving and decision-making ability
• Desire to continuously learn and increase effectiveness as a professional
• Belief that outstanding school leaders, staff, and teachers can achieve excellent outcomes for all students
• Ability to persevere with a sense of optimism, strong problem solving skills, and desire to learn and grow in a collaborative professional learning community
• Willingness, and commitment, to go above and beyond to prove the possible with students.
• Ability to multi-task and work within an ambiguous, fast-moving, start-up environment, while driving toward clarity and solutions

Compensation and Benefits

KIPP Columbus offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefit plan including medical and dental insurance, as well as group term life insurance, retirement plan and paid time off.

Sign on Bonus:  Successful candidates for the 22-23 school year, who are new to the KIPP Columbus team, will receive a $5,000 bonus ($2,000 provided after the first 90 days of employment, and the remaining $3,000 upon the successful completion of the school year).

Statement of Non-Disclosure

KIPP Columbus is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying to the school for consideration of any position (admission, employment, etc.). KIPP Columbus does not discriminate on the basis of disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 4112.02 of the Ohio Revised Code.