Company Description
About KIPP DC Public Schools
By 2025, KIPP DC will build upon two decades of proven results to develop into a more impactful, innovative, and inclusive school system that provides joyful, identity-affirming learning experiences so that all students and alumni achieve extraordinary outcomes.
Our work is grounded in a commitment to excellence, equity, and justice. We believe all students have the right to rigorous, relevant, and joyful learning experiences led by exceptionally talented and diverse educators who promote student achievement and a sense of belonging. We believe students and teachers best succeed when surrounded by an ecosystem of supports, including our central headquarters team that supports KIPP DC’s 20 schools, 7,300 students, and 1,300 teachers, leaders, and staff members dedicated to this mission.
Position Overview:
As a leader on the advancement team, the director of student recruitment is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive multi-year student recruitment strategy for KIPP DC’s 20 schools. This individual will lead KIPP DC’s student recruitment team and manage the associate director of student recruitment and student recruitment associate. They will work with organizational leaders, the community engagement team, and the marketing and communications team to highlight and promote the unique value proposition of each KIPP DC school to potential families. They will partner with academic leaders and school leaders, particularly in our early childhood schools, and the school support and service team to ensure full enrollment across our network.
The ideal candidate is an energetic, forward-thinking, and detail-oriented individual. They are an exceptional listener, comfortable with the complexity inherent in an organization of KIPP DC’s size, and have an orientation towards action. They are comfortable with ambiguity and can craft a vision for this work and laterally and upwardly manage others to this vision. Candidates should have experience building consensus, managing teams, and driving change management across various senior level/c-suite stakeholders, while keeping the needs of KIPP DC students and schools top of mind. A strong results orientation and exceptional interpersonal skills are a must, as is an ability to work in a constantly changing environment and balance multiple priorities and competing deadlines.
Frequent evening events means this individual may not have a traditional headquarters staff schedule during peak recruitment and enrollment periods. This team leader and the direct reports may work from 11 am to 8 pm somedays, and 9 am to 6 pm other days. This is an exempt role and reports to the chief strategy & advancement officer.
Job Description
Student Recruitment Strategy, Project Management, & Execution (40%)
- Creates, executes, and oversees a comprehensive student recruitment plan so that families are aware of the benefits of attending a KIPP DC school.
- Meet directly with students and their parents to explain and support them navigating the My School DC application process, including holding office hours for families, training school leaders, the engagement team, etc. on how to support families with common questions/
- Track applicant data, report progress to key stakeholders, and adjust recruitment tactics to maximize enrollment.
- Partners with school-based recruitment chairs and principals, especially in early childhood schools, to facilitate and plan programs (open houses, school tours, etc.) for students, families, and staff that highlight the unique programming available at KIPP DC schools.
- Partner with school and instructional leaders to continue to refine how we communicate KIPP DC’s student experience.
- Serve as a representative of KIPP DC’s school leaders and present directly to students, families, and the broader community about the academic, extracurricular, student support, and post-secondary opportunities available at schools.
- Through the supervision of the associate director who leads high school recruitment work, improve retention of KIPP DC middle schools students to KIPP DC high schools.
Team Management (30%)
- Lead a process to set vision, goals, and execution for the student recruitment team and manage towards them.
- Directly manage the associate director of student recruitment and student recruitment associate, ensuring collaboration between team members and other members of the marketing, communications, and advancement teams.
- Laterally manage key external facing staff members to recruitment outcomes (school leaders, engagement team, school-based recruitment chairs, etc.).
- Onboard new team members and set individual goals with and provide coaching and feedback.
- Unite the team to identify and work through areas of improvement and innovation.
- Lead by example to create and reinforce positive and productive team culture.
Direct Outreach & Marketing (20%)
- Represent KIPP DC at key community events, fairs, festivals, and other outreach events that bolster enrollment.
- Develop, plan, and lead initiatives and events to reach prospective KIPP DC families.
- Train, empower, and coordinate headquarters and school-based staff to communicate KIPP DC’s value proposition and multiply outreach efforts.
- In partnership with members of the marketing and communications team, elevate through social media, newsletters, events, etc. the academic successes, student life, and accomplishments of our students to the broader KIPP DC network.
- Partner with other members of the marketing and communications team and KIPP DC’s digital marketing agency partner to design collateral and digital marketing campaigns.
Advancement Team Responsibilities (10%)
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date records, budgets, and applicant data to track effectiveness of recruitment tactics.
- Develop and maintain operational systems to manage complex projects and report progress across to key senior-level stakeholders.
- Participate in KIPP DC headquarters and external affairs-related activities, including staff meetings, professional development conferences and retreats, fundraising events, and other public relations opportunities.
Qualifications
Skills & Qualifications:
- Seven to nine years of marketing, recruitment, sales, or school leadership-related experience with demonstrated success in leading effective teams and complex projects.
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- Strong cultural competency skills, including ability to communicate and work effectively and cultivate relationships with a diverse set of stakeholders.
- Passion for education equity and the belief that every child can succeed; experience in education sector required.
- Advanced knowledge and skill in Microsoft PowerPoint, Outlook, Google Drive, Excel required, ability to learn and optimize constituent tracking databases for applicant tracking (EveryAction, Salesforce, etc) preferred.
- Experience tracking expenses and budgeting for year-long projects against a $125,000+ student recruitment budget.
- Ability to laterally manage stakeholders with a broad range of skill and experience levels.
- Willingness to travel between our eight campuses and attend frequent evening events at our schools.
- Commitment to advancing KIPP DC’s anti-racist ambition through their work with staff, students, alumni, and families.
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills and an ability to take initiative, receive feedback, and seek out creative ideas.
- Excellent time management skills and a detail and results-oriented team player who is dedicated to getting the job done.
- Successful track record of collaboratively working with a wide range of senior level stakeholders and families.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfort with working in a fast-paced, nonprofit environment along with an outstanding ability to multi-task, prioritize, manage and execute projects at a high level.
- Unquestioned integrity and commitment to KIPP DC’s mission and community
Additional Information
KIPP DC offers an extremely competitive compensation and benefits package:
- The anticipated starting salary for this position is $112,042-$138,403. At KIPP DC we strive for clarity, equity, and to be highly competitive. When determining salaries we look at benchmarks in the education and non-profit sector.
- KIPP DC offers a robust benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurances; various voluntary benefits; and employer paid benefits such as short term disability, long term disability, life insurance, and a membership to One Medical.
- KIPP DC also offers a 403(b) retirement account with a 3% employer contribution and a 3% match with vesting after three years.
- Currently, individuals in this role have up to 15 paid time off days, up to 10 paid sick days, and 12 paid holidays. This is subject to change and your exact schedule will be shared in your offer letter.
- As a headquarters team that is focused on being responsive to our schools and meeting the needs of our students and families, we approach our work in a way that reflects these priorities. Schools operate in person and our students and families rely on us for in-person support, and this position will regularly provide on-site support to school teams, frequently partner with other headquarters teams, or regularly work in multiple locations. Because of the nature of the work, this role allows for occasional flexibility. This role will have approximately 20% flexibility to work remotely.
HOW TO APPLY:
All interested applicants should visit online at http://www.kippdc.org/careers/apply-now/. If you have any questions, please contact the Recruitment Team via e-mail at careers@kippdc.org.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
KIPP DC Public Schools does not discriminate against, or tolerate discrimination against, employees or applicants for employment on any legally-recognized basis or protected class including, but not limited to, actual or perceived race, color, national origin, immigration status (except as necessary to comply with federal, DC, state, or local law), religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity or expression), marital status (including domestic partnership status), genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy, family responsibilities, personal appearance, veteran status, uniform service member status, status of being unemployed, status of victim a survivor of domestic violence, sexual offense or stalking, matriculation or any other protected class under federal, state, DC, or local law.
Click here or here to review KIPP DC’s non-discrimination policy and KIPP DC’s Title IX Coordinator’s contact information.
KIPP DC requires all staff to provide proof that they have had all doses of a primary COVID vaccine or obtain approval for exemption for medical or religious reasons before beginning employment. New hires who have not received all doses of a primary vaccine or who are waiting approval for exemption will not be able to begin employment.
All KIPP DC staff are strongly encouraged to stay up to date on their vaccinations. The CDC currently defines being up to date on the COVID vaccine as having had all doses of a primary vaccine and as having received a booster, if eligible.U