KIPP Texas Public Schools is a network of 59 public charter, open-enrollment, pre-k-12 schools educating nearly 34,000 students across Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Together with families and communities, our mission is 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.

Founded in Houston in 1994, and operating as KIPP Texas since 2018, our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism in our classrooms, in our offices, and in the communities we serve is unwavering. We are looking to hire a diverse team of dynamic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals with an unyielding belief that every child will succeed. Join our Team and Family and champion equity, chase excellence, persist with purpose, bring joy, and help us rise together.

KIPP Texas is part of the national KIPP network of 255 college-preparatory public charter schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Nationwide, KIPP students complete four-year college at a rate of 36 percent, comparable to the national average for all students and approximately three times higher than the average of students from low-income communities.

You can see all our job opportunities at https://kipptexas.org/join-our-team/.

ROLE OVERVIEW:

The Senior Director of Culture and Engagement will help KIPP Texas build high-performing teams and embody our core values. The ideal candidate possesses the ability to lead the design and implementation of talent management programs that drive the organization's core values, increase employee engagement and accelerate performance. This leader will act as a hands-on strategic partner of culture, connection, and change management. Executing on projects and initiatives across multiple teams is an everyday requirement in this role. 

You know you are successful if: 

• You communicate and embody KIPP Texas' core values
• You help foster a culture of sustainable change through embedding KIPP Texas’ mission and core values and supporting anti-racism frameworks to deliver KIPP Texas transformation.
• You communicate and represent KIPP Texas's culture and core values, working to build and institute consistent opportunities and vehicles to the entire team to embody and experience KIPP Texas’s culture through events, team-building, retreats, etc.
• You develop and rollout a Rewards & Recognition program
• You work closely with Senior Director of Process Improvement to ensure all new employees have a successful onboarding experience
• You create a strong organizational culture that allows employees to thrive throughout their tenure with KIPP Texas

Key Responsibilities

• This leader will act as a hands on strategic partner of culture, connection and change management
• Executing on many projects and initiatives across multiple teams is an everyday requirement in this role
• Utilize data from engagement surveys and other teammate feedback to provide programs, resources, and coaching to leaders and employees on strategies to build engagement and enhance the employee experience  (engagement measures, turnover & exit interviews)
• Create calendar/programming for employee engagement events/initiatives and partners with other People Leaders
• Ensure all new employees have a successful onboarding to KIPP TX
• Partner with internal communications on an employee communication strategy
• Understanding of and ability to use organizational development and change management strategies and tools to enhance engagement and build culture
• Create and rollout a Rewards & Recognition program centered around core values  
• Collaborate with DEI team in creating strategic initiatives to enhance attraction and retention of under-represented groups

Skills

• Experience in the diagnosing, designing, developing and implementing and evaluating strategic culture and engagement strategies 
• Proven ability to facilitate change in a complex environment
• Subject matter expert in culture and engagement
• Manage multiple high-level programs and projects
• Strong analytical skills, interpretation, and research skills
• Data driven thinking
• Project management skills
• Ability to effectively communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing  
• Proven ability to build healthy, effective working relationships with employees at various levels of an organization 
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple projects and varying topics and prove ability to quickly learn and get up to speed on a variety of subject matters
• Handle sensitive situations with tact and diplomacy
• Maintain a professional demeanor in all interactions

Required Education and/or Experience: 

•  Bachelor’s degree or 5 -10 years of equivalent work  experience 

Required Licensure/Certification/Specialized Training:

• Certifications in group facilitation, organizational diagnostics, or talent development is preferred

Travel Requirements:

• Ability to travel to various locations, travel time approximately 30% - 40%

Compensation and Benefits

As a full-time KIPP Texas employee you are eligible to participate in all KIPP Texas’ benefit plans. KIPP Texas offers a robust variety of benefits choices with competitive rates, including medical, dental, and vision options, life insurance, and disability plans.

KIPP provides equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.