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

Reporting to the Superintendent, the Director of Special Projects will lead the development and implementation of assigned initiatives, programs, projects, and systems designed to enhance the effectiveness of the KIPP Columbus campus. The Director of Special Projects delivers project management, strategic planning and implementation support for key organizational initiatives as assigned by the Superintendent. 

The Director of Special Projects will use their experience in systems building, problem-solving skills, detail orientation, time management, and organizational skills to further the mission and vision of KIPP Columbus.  

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Project Planning and Execution 

• Lead and direct project planning and milestone tracking for strategic initiatives implementation
• Prepare and present plans along with overall strategy for identified initiatives
• Draft schedules for implementation of long-range plans and proposals
• Responsible for taking raw ideas, hypotheses, or scenarios and shape them into comprehensive deployment plans to implement effectively
• Monitor project progress, drafting and distributing periodic progress reports for leadership and stakeholders
• Identify barriers to successful completion of special projects
• Other projects as assigned by the Superintendent

Leadership & Team Support 

• Serve as a liaison with leaders, team members, and partners to ensure that goals are met
• Develop and implement strategies to build team capacity in planning and organization functions
• Support team meetings through planning and facilitation, ensuring all time spent together is highly effective and there is clear ownership and follow-through
• In coordination with team leaders, work closely with schools to prepare the campus for annual start-up
• Identify opportunities to increase productivity and efficiency

Compliance and Stakeholder Management 

• Maintain compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and best practices
• Comply with timelines and ensure all established objectives are accomplished
• Collaborate with stakeholders and community partners to strengthen operational effectiveness 
• Coordinate interactions to ensure stakeholders are engaged at appropriate levels

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• Bachelor’s degree with at least 8  years of relevant experience
• 3+ years of project and team management, preferably in an educational setting
• Excellent organization, communication and influencing skills
• Ability to manage the ambiguity and multiple priorities inherent in an entrepreneurial environment.
• Excellent problem solving skills, with an ability to understand impact of short-term and long-term solutions
• An integrated systems builder with the ability to both build and scale best practices across multiple schools 
• Exceptional organizational skills, particularly in developing and implementing multi-year plans 
• Ability to take and quickly implement feedback 
• Adept at thinking strategically, translating plans into action, and exhibiting excellent judgment
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Compensation

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.  

Statement of Non-Discrimination

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.