Company Description

At KIPP Michigan, we are guided by a simple, yet powerful mission: Together with families and communities, we 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.  

Currently, KIPP Michigan operates 1 school: KIPP Detroit Imani Academy Elementary School. KIPP Detroit Imani Academy is the first KIPP school in the state of Michigan and in the city of Detroit.  KIPP Detroit Imani Academy opened in Fall 2022 in the Warrendale neighborhood on the west side of Detroit. 

We believe the destiny of students from Detroit is limitless and students should not be bound by their circumstances. Unfortunately, in America, there is still a link between socioeconomic status and educational attainment.  KIPP Detroit Imani Academy seeks to eradicate this injustice.  KIPP Detroit Imani Academy will become the highest-performing school in the city of Detroit; and, to do so, we attract, develop and retain a diverse and talented staff of educators.  Our students and families choose our school because our teachers are exceptional educators who work together as a collective to ensure students achieve and thrive.  For more data and information about our successes and vision for the future, visit www.kippdetroit.org

Job Description

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Managing Director of Finance and HR will be a key member of KIPP Michigan’s leadership team, reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and providing senior leadership for all financial and HR functions within KIPP Michigan.

The MD of Finance and HR must possess an entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to rapidly and creatively adjust plans based on the changing needs of KIPP Michigan, including plans for sustainability and growth. The Managing Director of Finance will be critical in ensuring KIPP Michigan is equipped with the financial resources and HR systems necessary for all students to learn, grow, and achieve transformative life outcomes.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Execute the strategic financial vision for KIPP Michigan (20%)

• Serve as a thought partner to school and regional leaders in all aspects of financial decision-making through strong financial reporting and analysis.
• Refine and develop as needed, document, and implement organization-wide processes, reports, and dashboards to support effective communication on all finance matters across the organization.
• Maintain a nuanced understanding of laws and regulations about school finance and business operations in Michigan.
• Develop and maintain pro-forma financial models that will inform decision-making by school and regional leaders.
• Develop a strategic financial plan reflecting educational priorities and sustainability.

Manage finance function to sustained efficacy in all accounting practices (40%)

• Direct the preparation of reports to meet the compliance needs of government agencies, grants, and bank covenants.
• Manage payroll, accounts payable and receivable, bank reconciliations, and petty cash processes, including management of outsourced accounting functions.
• Supervise organizational-wide accounting practices to ensure continuous compliance in all aspects of financial reporting.
• Manage accounting firm to successfully prepare for organizational audits performed by independent financial auditors.
• Partner with district and state agencies to support strong grant management including applications, budget development, reporting, and reimbursement. 

Oversee HR function to ensure the proper processes, metrics, policies, and procedures are in place (40%)

• Orchestrate the organization’s compensation and benefits structures; consistently review labor market patterns to maintain organizational competitiveness for quality talent. Oversee unemployment, Worker’s Compensation, and management of employee leave requests.
• Lead the KIPP Michigan team in the development, implementation, and documentation of improvement plans, policies, and procedures to ensure positive outcomes for employees.
• Prepare annual recommendations for benefits program offerings and oversee the program’s administration.
• Serve as point person for all staff questions regarding benefits, compensation, hiring, onboarding, leaves, etc.
• Supervise timely and accurate payroll administration.
• Develop and manage efficient processes for new staff onboarding.
• Leads exit process for terminating employees and partners with the operations team on any action items surrounding the exit logistics.
• Support the KIPP Michigan team to lead professional development of all KIPP staff in compliance with state and federal laws.
• Ensures that school staff have complete, current, and accurate employee files and certifications; all personnel interacting with students have background checks on file; and schools comply with all areas of legal compliance (e.g., HR, FERPA, etc).
• Collaborate with hiring managers to access Smart Recruiters platform and to ensure job description and compensation consistency across the organization. 

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, HR, accounting, or a related field; advanced degree in finance, business administration, or accounting-related field preferred.
• Ideally, 7+ years serving in a management role such as Director of Finance, HR Director, Comptroller, CFO, or equivalent.
• Excellent financial modeling skills, which include an aptitude for advanced functions with MS Excel and Google Sheets.
• Experience working in charter schools and/or other education, non-profit, or public sector organizations preferred.
• Strong organization and project management skills.
• Superb written and oral communication skills; comfort in explaining complex financial matters simply and communicating effectively with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Strong work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit, and flexibility to accommodate a high level of responsibility, multiple priorities, and a changing environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, high-energy environment with a proven ability to juggle multiple deadlines and tasks. Detail orientation is a must.
• Unwavering commitment to KIPP’s mission and willingness to go above and beyond to meet the needs of KIPP students, families, and staff.

EXPECTATIONS

• Share a commitment to the success of the mission, vision, and goals of the KIPP Detroit Imani Academy.
• Demonstrate genuine concern for the students and the staff by maintaining high personal standards and strong work ethic.
• Being consistent and reliable; attendance is an essential function to ensure the proper operation of KIPP Detroit Imani Academy.
• An understanding that organizational success is accomplished in collaboration and cooperation with teammates.
• Maintain standards of professionalism and ethical behavior/decision-making that help create a results-driven culture of joy and belonging among teammates.
• Attend workshops, professional development, and seminars for continuous growth and improvement in serving KIPP Detroit Imani Academy.

Additional Information

COMPENSATION

The compensation for this position ranges from $85,000 to $95,000 and is dependent upon experience. KIPP Michigan offers a competitive compensation and benefits package:

• Salaries based on experience related to role and responsibilities
• Competitive rates for medical insurance and short-term disability insurance.  Dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, and long-term disability insurance are offered at no cost.
• Competitive retirement savings benefits 
• Stipends for additional leadership and enrichment leadership  

STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

KIPP Michigan is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying for employment. KIPP Detroit does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic background. All of your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.