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 255 KIPP schools across the nation and the District of Columbia, serving more than 100,000 students. Nationally, KIPP students are graduating at 3x the national average for low-income students.

Founded in 2008 with 50 students in 5th grade, KIPP Columbus currently serves nearly 2,000 students in grades Kindergarten through twelfth.  The mission of KIPP Columbus is to create a system of schools where students develop the intellectual, academic, and social skills needed to understand and take action on issues they encounter in everyday life. 

KIPP Columbus continues to rank as one of the top five 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 second class of graduating high school seniors in the spring of 2021, 100% of students were accepted to college with over $20 million in merit scholarships from colleges and universities awarded.

In addition to academic excellence, KIPP Columbus also partners with more than 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.  

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

The Opportunity

KIPP Columbus seeks a detail-oriented, results-driven Finance Coordinator. The Finance Coordinator will be responsible for the day-to-day handling of purchasing, accounts payable, grant management and monthly reconciliations. This position will work closely with school teams and operations and reports to the Director of Finance.  

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Purchasing

• Serves as the primary purchaser for KIPP Columbus, verifying that requests comply with internal policies and procedures
• Develops systems and tools to assist Office Assistants for school purchasing requests
• Creates requisitions to turn into purchase orders
• Issues purchase order change forms
• Ensures compliance with federal procurement requirements

Accounts Payable

• Reviews and approves invoices for goods and services, verifying that transactions comply with internal policies and procedures
• Reviews and approves credit card expenses for goods and services, verifying that transactions comply with internal policies and procedures
• Reconciles expenses and other financial reports with account balances and other office records
• Assists with accounting records and ledgers by reconciling monthly statements and transactions.
• Maintains organized accounting files
• Researches and prepares documents for grant reporting
• Other related duties as assigned

• Bachelor’s degree; with preference for degrees in a finance,  business administration, purchasing or accounting related field
• Preference for 2+ years of experience related to an education setting, financial or otherwise
• Strong organizational skills, ability to set up systems and processes to streamline finance functions
• Excellent computer skills using Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Powerpoint
• Detail- and results-oriented team player who is dedicated to getting the job done accurately and on a timely basis
• Flexible, creative, collaborative, and inquisitive working style
• Strong judgment and decision-making skills
• Excellent organizational, verbal, and written communication skills
• 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
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Extreme flexibility, with a strong work ethic and an entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate high levels of responsibility and multiple priorities
• Model the values of KIPP Columbus (Imagine, Navigate, Seek, Persevere, Integrity, Responsibility, and Empathy)

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.  

Competitive Market Salary: The salary range for this role begins at $50,000 (with the scale going to $64,000) based on experience.

Please submit a comprehensive resume to assure all your experience is accounted for! (Tip: We don't care if your resume is more than one page, we are eager to see and compensate you for all of your experience and accomplishments.) 

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.