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Company Description

About KIPP
KIPP Public Schools is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools committed to partnering with students and families to disrupt systemic educational inequity and create a future without limits. Over 120,000 students attend one of the 280 KIPP schools that operate in 27 regions across the United States. KIPP Philadelphia Schools Public Schools (KPPS) is a part of the national KIPP Public Schools network and currently leads eight schools serving over 3,000 students in North and West Philadelphia. By 2030, KPPS will lead ten schools serving approximately 4,000 students.  

Our Mission
Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.

Life at KIPP Philly 

At KIPP Philly, we know that talented, committed, and culturally competent educators are the driving force behind our students' success. By creating a school experience that affirms identities, celebrates individuality, and challenges every student to grow, our teachers and leaders amplify the potential of every child. We are dedicated to building a professional environment grounded in joy, candor, care, and community—a place where educators can bring their authentic selves, receive world-class development, and collaborate with peers equally devoted to the work. Here’s what you can expect: 

• Commitment to Anti-Racism and Equity: Join a team deeply dedicated to anti-racism, equity, and culturally responsive practices, working to eradicate systemic barriers and create truly inclusive environments. 

• Joyful and Inclusive Community: Be part of a close-knit, diverse network of educators who value authenticity, collaboration, and mutual respect, fostering an environment where both adults and children can thrive. 

• Rewarding Impact: Your dedication and hard work will be recognized through competitive compensation structures, including performance-based bonuses that reward meaningful outcomes. 

• Unparalleled Career Growth: Gain access to strategically designed leadership pathways, grounded in research and tailored to help you grow professionally. From one-on-one coaching to high-quality professional development, we’re invested in your future. 

• Authentic Leadership: Show up as your authentic self every day, modeling for students the power of embracing their identities and inspiring them to do the same. 

• Student-Centered Excellence: We believe strong relationships and precise preparation are critical to increasing learning outcomes. Together, we create joyful, affirming spaces where students and educators excel. 

• Comprehensive Support: Experience robust whole-person support, including personalized coaching, mental health resources, and team-building initiatives that nurture professional and personal well-being. 

Job Description

Position Overview 

We are seeking an innovative, people-centric talent leader as our Managing Director of Strategic Workforce Management (MDSWM) to effectively build and refine systems and processes to align our workforce strategy with our organizational mission, a strategy that serves as an ecosystem to shape and sustain the educator experience through the cycle of a school year and the broader cycle of meeting their career goals within KPPS, with an ultimate plan execution that builds the strongest diverse cohort of committed, culturally competent educators in Philadelphia to accelerate outcomes for every student.   

The MDSWM will also build and lead a recruitment team that includes two Directors of Recruitment & Persistence and one Talent Special Projects Manager to collaborate cross-functionally and execute a plan to attract, retain, and connect educators, into KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools (KPPS), that are committed to continuously developing their skills to provide students with the academic foundation and social and emotional intelligence to be prepared for the college or career of their choice.  This leader will work internally to partner with other People team leaders in functional areas of People Analytics, Talent Development, and Staff Engagement in overall people strategy development and implementation as well as regional and school leaders to align on our Portrait of a KIPP Philadelphia Educator, including our employee value proposition.  The MDSWM will also engage externally as our brand ambassador to enhance KPPS’ positive brand awareness, positioning KPPS as an employer of choice in the Philadelphia education and nonprofit marketplace. 

This role is ideal for a customer service oriented, data informed marketer, who possesses a growth mindset, is passionate about KPPS’ mission, and thrives in fast-paced, collaborative environments. 

Key Responsibilities 

Strategic Workforce Planning and Brand Management (15%) 

• Lead strategic process to align KIPP Philadelphia Public School (KPPS) stakeholders on our employee value proposition and in line with developing students into a Portrait of a KPPS Graduate (our vision for the skills, knowledge, and beliefs we believe our students need to thrive--both now and in the future)  

• Continuously improve upon a Portrait of a KPPS Educator, describing the overall vision for members of our KPPS Workforce in alignment with our Employee Value Proposition and Organizational Mission. 

• Facilitate collaborative annual process to update and improve Regional Office and School-Based Staffing Model to optimize workforce capacity to fulfill our organizational mission within limited resources. 

• Develop and execute annual strategy to maximize employee retention of top KPPS educators and external presence as an employer of choice in the Philadelphia education and nonprofit marketplace 

• Manage internal and external people data systems, including applicant tracking systems (currently utilizing Smart Recruiters) to consistently monitor progress towards goals and make real time strategic adjustments when needed to improve performance on key strategic metrics 

• Connect with KIPP Foundation and other KIPP Regions to maximize the collective talents and resources of the KIPP network to enhance KPPS Strategic Workforce Management effectiveness 

• In collaboration with the Director of Marketing and Communications, coach hiring managers and KPPS staff on Brand Management best practices to maximize a positive experience and realistic job preview for candidates, increasing potential to not only accept an initial offer of employment, but create conditions for long term employee growth and development 

• Utilize organizationally aligned strategic integrated marketing communications to maximize overall KPPS employer profile, increase Philadelphia market brand recognition that aligns with positive organizational attributes, utilizing multiple marketing, social media, and public relations vehicles 

Leadership, Engagement and Alignment (20%) 

• Lead and effectively manage a team of two Directors and one Special Projects Manager in execution of external engagement, attraction, recruitment and retention strategies aligned with the KPPS mission and drives positive organizational results 

• Engage with Talent Development, Staff Engagement, and People Analytics teammates to leverage cross-functional skills within the People team to provide an Employee Experience that is consistent and seamless throughout the employee life cycle 

• Participate in cross-departmental alignment as part of the KPPS Bridge Team working group of leading Heads of Schools, Managing Directors, and Senior Directors across all organizational workstreams 

• Liaise with the KIPP Foundation and other Regional Leaders in best practice sharing and facilitation of data analysis and submissions to identify effective strategies and best practices, including monthly engagement calls with other Strategic Workforces Management Leaders throughout the KIPP Network 

• Develop and manage annual KPPS Workforce Management Calendar, including continuous progress monitoring of progress toward workstream completion throughout the annual school year Strategic Workforce Management life cycle 

• Facilitate periodic talent reviews with School and Regional leaders to assess opportunities for continuous development of current educators while understanding specific needs to target in the marketplace 

• Lead annual conversations with school leaders to determine returning staff for future years and recruitment needs for future sourcing strategies and capacity building 

• Maintain job description library for all roles within the organization, updating them annually as the organization grows and evolves 

Staff Recruitment and Persistence (35%) 

• Continuous workforce planning, recruitment, and persistence of 40+ Regional Office Staff 

• Partnering with Managing Director of Talent Development and Staff Engagement, plan for and lead efforts to attract and retain 40+ high potential leaders of school-based teams 

• Partner with Chief Operating Officer on assessing the marketplace for shifts in Total Rewards design competitiveness and updates to optimally leverage resources, maximizing return on investment to attract and retain talent and connect them into conditions for success 

• Manage a team of 3 talent professionals to execute annual plan to fully staff 9 schools with 350+ educators and support the transition of new staff into organizational support systems 

• Design recruitment systems that maximize potential to attract and retain the strongest potential educators aligned with the KPPS Portrait of an Educator and train recruitment team and hiring managers to optimally utilize systems to minimize process throughput time and maximize target candidate acceptance rates 

• Maintain systems to track and communicate progress toward recruitment and persistence goals 

External Engagement and Market Development (20%) 

• In alignment with overall KPPS strategy, develop and implement a comprehensive, integrated, multi-channel, mission-centered marketing strategy aligned with KPPS’ 2030 strategic plan, the KPPS Portrait of a Graduate, and KPPS Portrait of an Educator 

• Partner with KIPP Foundation and KPPS Director of Marketing and Communications to develop strong marketing tools in alignment with the KPPS brand and transparently portraying the KPPS Educator Experience 

• Build strategic relationships to expand educator pipeline networks that can enhance the KPPS workforce 

• Represent KPPS on local and regional Strategic Workforce Management working groups and steering committees to stay on the cutting edge of market conditions and contribute to driving systemic improvements in the marketplace 

Individual Development (10%) 

• Consistently strive towards continuous improvement in role 

• Proactively stay current on most innovative practices in K-12 and Nonprofit Workforce Management innovative strategies 

• Connect into KIPP Foundation training and best practices, incorporating them at local level 

• Manage and maintain a communications calendar to ensure prioritization and values alignment 

• Refine and maintain a stakeholder engagement CRM (Salesforce) system  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required 

• A deep commitment to the mission of KIPP and an unwavering belief in the potential of our students 

• 8-10 years of relevant experience in designing and implementing strategies in workforce management, recruitment, marketing, communications, or brand strategy, preferably in a mission-driven or education-focused organization 

• Proven ability to independently manage complex projects from strategy to execution with exceptional attention to detail, a high bar for quality, and a sense of ownership 

• Experience effectively managing Applicant Tracking Systems 

• Understanding of social media, digital strategy, brand management, and culturally responsive communications practices 

• Demonstrated success building trust and working effectively across all levels of an organization—from school-based staff to senior leadership—while balancing feedback and maintaining alignment to goals 

• Highly-motivated and self-driven, with the ability to prioritize, problem-solve, and navigate ambiguity 

• Customer Service Orientation 

• Growth Mindset 

Additional Information

Compensation 

• Salary is commensurate with experience. Ranging from $140,000 - $150,000

• All KPPS staff members enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, a 403B matching program, and access to free financial advising services.

Note to Applicants 

KIPP Philadelphia Schools is an equal opportunity employer.  Employees are selected on the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation, in accordance with federal and state law.