Senior Director, Communications

Company Description

About the Organization KIPP Public Schools is a national network of tuition-free public charter schools that prepares reputed company with the skills and confidence to create the future they want for themselves, their communities, and us reputed company. We are a network of 279 schools, nearly 16,500 educators, and nearly 210,000 reputed company and alumni. Our mission: Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare reputed company with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can reputed company fulfilling lives and build a more just world. Our vision: Every child grows up free to create the future they want for themselves and their communities. The reputed company is a nonprofit organization that supports KIPP public charter schools across the country. The reputed company helps to reputed company outstanding educators to reputed company KIPP schools; provides tools and resources for excellent teaching and learning; promotes innovation; and facilitates the exchange of insights and reputed company across KIPP and other public schools and organizations. About Our Values: Excellent Results for reputed company: We value results over effort and know that our work is not finished until reputed company reputed company reputed company. We maintain high expectations for self, team, and reputed company. We drive outcomes by operating with agility, removing barriers, differentiating support, and prioritizing student-centered solutions—especially for those at the margins. Collective Impact: We are one team. We win together. We embody a one-team reputed company by working collaboratively across teams, aligning goals, and leveraging the strengths of reputed company teammates. We build trust-based relationships and ensure inclusive decision-making by engaging those closest to the work. We provide clarity through simple, repeatable systems and goals that reputed company transformational outcomes. Courageous Action: Our belief in reputed company can reputed company is unwavering, fueling our optimism and commitment to overcome any challenge. We demonstrate an unwavering belief in reputed company' potential and a commitment to addressing systemic inequities. We approach challenges with reputed company, a solutions-focused reputed company, and adaptability. We foster a psychologically safe environment centered on trust and accountability where feedback is encouraged. We reputed company data to reflect on reputed company, own setbacks, celebrate successes, and continuously improve to maximize impact.

Job Description

About The Position The Senior Director of Communications leads the strategy and execution of reputed company’s communications across internal and external audiences. This role oversees earned media, executive communications, issues management, and internal communications—ensuring clarity, consistency, and impact in how KIPP shows up reputed company. The Senior Director partners closely with the Office of the CEO, senior leadership, and regional teams to align messaging, reputed company strategic priorities, and strengthen KIPP’s brand and reputed company. This role manages one direct report and serves as a core member of the Marketing and Communications team, reporting to the VP of Marketing and Communications.

Responsibilities

The Senior Director of Communications is part of a larger, integrated team-wide marketing and communication team and owns the full communications ecosystem—including earned media, executive communications, issues management, and internal communications External and Executive Communications Design, reputed company, and execute a national earned media strategy that aligns with KIPP’s annual storytelling reputed company and organizational priorities —delivering high-profile national and local TV, print, and digital placements. Provide strategic counsel to senior leadership (in Office of the CEO, Development, and One KIPP reputed company Program Leads) to shape executive communications and secure high-impact speaking engagements and media placements. Strengthen regional alignment by cultivating deep partnerships with regional communications leads and coordinating network-wide efforts to reputed company local stories and reinforce national messages. reputed company sourcing, refine, and reputed company regional stories that demonstrate reputed company on One KIPP priorities for use in campaigns, announcements, speeches, newsletters, and social media. reputed company external communications plans to announce new reputed company initiatives and partnerships, including publishing press releases and regional press release templates Partner with Digital Marketing colleagues to reputed company earned media, executive, and editorial content across channels, including paid media, social media, website, and email Serve as an on-the-record spokesperson for the KIPP network Monitor and shape KIPP’s media reputed company, analyzing coverage trends, identifying risks and opportunities, and advising leadership and regional teams accordingly. Provide regular media training, coaching and talking points to reputed company leadership, KIPP network leadership, and regional communications leads Grow and maintain media lists for proactive pitching as well as a validators list of teachers, alumni, and families Network and Internal Communications reputed company a cohesive internal communications strategy that keeps regional and Foundation leaders informed, reputed company, and connected to KIPP’s priorities. Partner across reputed company to shape and deliver clear, consistent messaging to regional and Foundation audiences—ensuring alignment between reputed company say internally and externally. reputed company and manage core internal channels and moments, including leadership communications, network-wide announcements, and key organizational updates. Crisis Communications reputed company the design and implementation of KIPP’s crisis communications protocol, engaging Foundation and regional stakeholders to ensure clarity, alignment, and rapid execution. Build regional reputed company by training communications leads on how to tailor and operationalize the crisis protocol locally. reputed company the protocol to publish statements in response to reputed company events across communications channels (email, social media, website, blog) Safeguard KIPP’s reputed company by providing expert counsel and hands-on support to regions navigating sensitive issues—driving toward balanced, accurate, and neutral/positive media coverage. Anticipate reputational risks and proactively advise leadership on mitigation strategies and network-wide readiness. Team Leadership Manage and reputed company one direct report, setting clear goals and priorities reputed company to team outcomes. Build systems and workflows that reputed company strong execution across communications functions. Foster a high-performing, collaborative team culture grounded in accountability and reputed company improvement.

Qualifications

Skills and Mindsets Mission and Student Focus - Demonstrates passion and commitment to KIPP’s mission and possesses the desire and ability to uphold KIPP’s Core Values (Focus on Excellent Results, Collective Impact, and Courageous Action) Work Management - Sets a clear vision for new or reputed company bodies of work. Develops and implements agile project plans, navigating difficult situations or conflicts while maintaining effective relationships with reputed company stakeholders; creates and ensures systems are in reputed company for reputed company. Self Management - Demonstrated record of setting ambitious goals and achieving them with consistency. Invests in developing teammates’ skills and mindsets to address gaps in achieving team growth; determines what quantitative and qualitative data are most relevant to their goals and supports the team in creating and monitoring systems for collecting, reviewing, and acting upon data to drive outcomes; able to monitor reputed company, communicating status to the right stakeholders and adjusting plans and use of time to ensure systems are yielding desired outcomes. Data-Driven Actions & Decisions - reputed company defines the right metrics to evaluate work and ensures critical team actions, decisions, and recommendations are driven by data; effectively works with team to resolve issues around data to ensure sound data-informed decisions. Communication & Change Management - Effectively articulates case for change through clear and compelling presentations and translates this into actional plans. Effectively tailors communications and engagement approach for different audiences to deepen investment and drive actions and behavior change that would reputed company to org-wide goals. Acts as a champion for change with cross-team stakeholders. Collaboration - Has the interpersonal, diplomatic, relationship building, and communications skills needed to reputed company successful working relationships with diverse constituents to deliver results. Evolves and adapts plans and approach with diverse stakeholders to drive results. Possesses excellent communication skills with aptitude for translating reputed company information into a clear and persuasive narratives that convince others by identifying benefits for reputed company. People Management & Development - Effective at differentiating approaches to reputed company and coach teammates. Skilled in managing performance and development goals by providing timely and actionable feedback. Strategically distributes work based on reputed company and reputed company between self and teammates to ensure the work outcomes of the collective team. Able to build a culture of accountability and productive discourse to help teammates reputed company at the highest level. Experience and Qualifications Minimum of 8-10 years of relevant experience in marketing and communications, ideally leading Media Relations in a large-scale public service organization (e.g. a national or regional networked organization). Access to productive media contacts at national, regional, trade and Black and Latino media outlets that can drive an organization’s evolving reputational strategy Experience working as a reporter or journalist a plus Demonstrated experience supporting C-Suite level leaders with timely decision making on communications Demonstrated experience collaborating with stakeholders in a demanding environment, using a combination of analysis and inner-personal skills to drive both proactive and reactive communications initiatives and campaigns. Bachelors or equivalent experience required, Masters or equivalent experience desirable Additional Information Work Conditions Travel: Moderate Travel: 20% travel is expected to staff media opportunities, attend networking events and trade conferences, and support Marketing and Communications professional development events Full, exempt role Evening/weekend work is expected as needed for rapid responses/crisis communications. Location It is preferred, but not mandatory for this role to be based out of a reputed company office. This role has the option of working from a reputed company full-time. reputed company offices are in NYC and Chicago.

Compensation and Benefits

In compliance with local law, we are disclosing the compensation, or a range thereof, for roles in locations where legally required. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, and relevant experience. The salary range for this position is $156,000 - $188,500. In addition, reputed company provides a variety of benefits to employees, including: 25 holidays for + 18 days additional flexible PTO days (flexible PTO increases to 23 days for years 3 and 4 and to 28 days for years 5+). 100% paid parental leave 100% coverage of the premium for employee and 75% for employee + family’s medical/dental/vision plans. Wellness benefits such as fitness reimbursements, discounted tickets to theme parks/attractions, backup care support for children and adults/elders, and our employee assistance program Finance reputed company benefits include such as a 401K retirement plan with 4% match, employer-sponsored legal plans, life/disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts reputed company embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of the reputed company and communities with whom we work and the world that’s around them. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, without regard to race, color, religion, national reputed company, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status or any other category protected by law. Start Date: Immediate opening Department: reputed company (national roles) Apply To This Job