KIPP New Orleans Schools (KNOS) is a non-profit network of 13 college-preparatory, public charter schools serving 6,200 elementary, middle, and high school students, and over 1,500 alumni.  While each of our schools is as unique as the community to which it belongs, we are united around a shared promise: To build academically excellent schools that create unlimited opportunity for all students. For over 15 years, we have a proven track record of preparing students for success in college, career, and beyond.

At KIPP, you have the freedom to innovate and the support to grow. You never stop learning, and you’re part of a national network that’s leading the way in getting students from underserved communities to and through college. As we grow to serve more students in communities across the country, we need passionate teammates to join us and make their impact at KIPP. Where will YOU take us?  Click here to learn more about teaching and working at KIPP New Orleans Schools!

The Managing Director of Student Support Services at KIPP New Orleans plays a pivotal role in shaping the vision and direction of Student Support Services, leading special education, English Learner programs, organizational compliance, reporting, related services, attendance, and health and mental health services. Leading a team of Directors, this position ensures that KIPP New Orleans Schools fulfill our commitment to providing unlimited opportunity and access for all students. The role demands a high level of integrity, strategic thinking, problem-solving, innovation, and the ability to initiate and cultivate relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders. Attention to detail is paramount, coupled with the capacity to drive results through effective team leadership and development. Collaboration with functional teams and school teams is essential for success in this role, requiring a forward-thinking approach to ensure the seamless integration of support services for Diverse Learners. The Managing Director reports directly to the Chief Academic Officer, contributing to the overall strategic goals and mission of the organization. This position presents a unique opportunity for an individual with a passion for Diverse Learners, a commitment to inclusivity, and a track record of successful leadership.

Your Core Responsibilities Include:

Leadership of Student Support Team & Regional Impact  

• Establish, model, and lead a best-in-class Pre-K- 12 Student Support program through setting a vision, articulating a robust continuum of services and strategy for supporting Diverse Learner academic outcomes, and goals and aligning development, resources and tools to drive results.
• Work closely with the regional academics team to align support and strategy for academic outcomes and compliance for students with IEPs, 504s and English Learners. 
• Manage and develop a team of Directors responsible for Diverse Learner outcomes at KIPP New Orleans, including Special Education, evaluations, all areas of student support compliance, English Learner programs, related services, and health and mental health services.
• Cultivate, source and manage external vendor partnerships to advance the work of KNOS Student Support functions, and ensure all partners are working towards shared outcomes.
• Partner with regional leaders to establish annual staffing models, develop annual Student Support budget, and strong stewardship of organizational resources.
• Serve as a regional leader supporting organizational initiatives, planning and modeling cross-functional collaboration and communication.
• Execute regional strategy and professional development plan for all Student Support Team roles ensuring opportunities for skill development, growth and professional advancement.
• Model high expectations, organizational beliefs, inclusive language, and a deep belief in the ability of all students to be successful at KIPP New Orleans.

 Compliance Outcomes & Systems

• Facilitate vision, build systems and strategy at scale, lead planning cycles, and present clear communication to school teams to ensure high-level compliance in all internal and external metrics, including state reporting, PreK reporting, state and district monitoring visits, and overseeing all areas of special education compliance. 
• Communicate to KNOS stakeholders compliance requirements, results, and strategy to ensure all organizational and school leaders operate with clarity, accuracy, and alignment.
• Execute process for school-based annual visits by NOLA Public Schools through alignment with all participants, supporting audit-readiness, and facilitating day-of logistics. 
• Work collaboratively to set vision and align key roles  of evolving best practices in school attendance, and lead KNOS attendance strategy, and oversee compliance with state, district and KNOS attendance policies.
• Collaborate with the KNOS Finance Team to ensure compliance with all fiscal reporting requirements and grants, including Medicaid, High-Cost Services, IDEA reporting, and accuracy of student count data.
• Own relationship with NOLA Public Schools hearing office and facilitate systems, Hearing Office case reviews, and track data to comply with NOLA Public Schools Hearing Office requirements and internal procedures. 
• Lead annual contractual services review process, establish annual contracts with Student Support vendors, and lead procurement and spending of Student Support resources.
• Manage regional processes to complete interdisciplinary evaluations for timely, Bulletin 1508 compliant evaluations for Special Education.

Specialized Services & Programing 

• Identify, recruit, and coordinate talent and partnerships, identify new opportunities for growth to ensure all schools have access to high-quality related services to meet program needs. 
• Collaborate across stakeholders to define and implement a continuum of behavior interventions, supports, and services to meet the behavioral and mental health needs of all students.
• Responsible for all areas of specialized and related services, including ESL services, Special Programs/Settings, Social Work services, School Nursing, Speech-Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Adaptive PE, and Psychology services.

Advocacy & Cross-Functional Work  

• Work closely with CAO, KNOS School Leader Managers, School Leaders, and functional team leads to develop and implement policies, and ensure Diverse Learner school-level strategy and supports are integrated and successful.
• Build relationships with all stakeholders in Student Support internally and externally, cultivate partnerships and represent KNOS externally to increase organizational visibility, influence policy, and promote organizational goals and collaboration to the benefit of long-term organizational results.
• Initiate, model and consistently demonstrate cross-functional collaboration and communication with all teams across the School Support Center, integrating Student Support across functions to achieve results for all students.
• Lead complex case strategy for areas of student support, support and model conflict resolution and maintain relationships in challenging circumstances.

• Deep knowledge of all aspects of MTSS, Section 504, Special Education, and English Learner requirements.
• Strategic thinking and an ability to manage complexity, and ambiguity, and create clarity and strategy to move the work forward. 
• Excellent communication skills and ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience managing and leading a team, assembling teams, and leading teams to achieve results.
• Experience building systems at scale.
• Orientation to constant learning and a drive to work hard and persist in the face of challenges.
• Accessibility and reliability outside of standard work hours at times may be necessary. 
• Master's degree + in educational leadership, or J.D.  strongly preferred.
• Successful completion of State and Federal Criminal Background Check
• Personal affinity to our mission and vision, as well as demonstrated commitment to our 5 core beliefs - Relentlessness, Equity, Achievement, Community, and Hope
• Provide documentation of either 1) received a COVID-19 vaccination or 2) have requested, and been granted, reasonable accommodation from the KNOS Director of Human Resources to be exempted from the requirements of this policy

The physical demands and environmental conditions described below are representative, but not exhaustive, of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the role.  All of these physical requirements should be able to be performed with clarity, coherence and connectedness of the KNOS vision, and reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Must be able to sit and work at a desk/computer for extended periods of time
• Must be able to spend the majority of the day standing or mobile throughout a school or office, as well as talk, hear, grasp, reach and lift up to 30lbs with or without accommodations
• Ability to concentrate in active and noisy environments such as schools, to more moderate situations such large group professional settings
• Must be able to have repetitive wrist/hand/finger movement to work on computer and/or related office equipment
• Ability to handle potential high stress conditions 

• We offer a competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package including:
  • Healthcare & Wellness (health, vision, dental, life insurance, Employee Assistance Program, and short-term disability)
• 403(b) retirement plan with up to a 5% contribution match
• 104 hours of Paid Time Off per year
• Approximately 28 holidays per year including Mardi Gras, Juneteenth, Thanksgiving, and Winter Break

As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration of race/ethnicity, economic status, age/ability, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, religion, country of origin, language(s) spoken, and/or other diverse backgrounds.