KIPP Foundation

Multiple Locations
Type: Leadership & Support Staff
Full Time/Part Time: Full-Time
Start Date: Immediate
Subject:
Grade:

Organization: KIPP Foundation
Preferred Locations: New York, NY

Contact: Nikeya Elliott
Email: nelliott@kipp.org


Regional Support Specialist, Literacy
Regional Success Team, KIPP Foundation
KIPP

Great education transforms lives. KIPP, the Knowledge is Power Program, is a non-profit network of 224 college-preparatory, public charter schools educating nearly 100,000 early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school students.  KIPP schools are tuition-free, public charter schools open to all students. KIPP schools, KIPP regions, and the KIPP Foundation - are united by a common mission, a commitment to excellence, and a belief that if we help children develop the academic and character strengths they need for college and choice filled lives, they will be able to build a better tomorrow for themselves, for their communities, for us all.
 
The non-profit KIPP Foundation trains and develops outstanding educators to lead KIPP schools, provides tools, resources, and training for excellent teaching and learning, promotes innovation, and facilitates the exchange of insights and ideas within the KIPP network and with partners including: other charters, districts, colleges and universities, and non-profit organizations across the country.
 
Why work at KIPP?
By working for the KIPP Foundation, you help more students across the country receive the high-quality education they deserve.  Since our founding in 1994, we've sought to prove what is possible in urban schools - to demonstrate that demographics need not define destiny and that all our students can learn and achieve. 
 
Along the way, KIPP has grown from two teachers in a single classroom to 224 schools in 21 states and the District of Columbia serving 100,000 students with more than 10,000 alumni currently in college. More than 87% of our students are from low-income families and 96% are African American or Latino. Nationally, 94% of KIPP middle school students have graduated high school, 81% of KIPP alumni have enrolled in college, and 44% of alumni have earned four-year college degrees - more than four times the rate of students from similar economic backgrounds.
 
If you believe all children deserve great schools and programs where they can gain the knowledge, skills, character, and habits necessary to achieve their dreams while making the world a better place, join us!
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Position Overview
The Regional Support Specialist is a perfect position for a seasoned instructional expert with deep expertise in Literacy who is ready to make a significant impact on student outcomes at KIPP.  In this position, he/she will have an opportunity to support KIPP regional leaders in creating systems for high expectations, accountability, and continuous learning and improvement in early literacy that will contribute to an excellent, equitable education for each KIPPster.
 
The Regional Support Specialist will support Regional Academic Leaders in KIPP NYC, primarily developing their early literacy instructional improvement systems.  The RSS will support regions in developing a vision for high-quality early literacy instruction and facilitate the regional team's creation of the overall goals, implementation strategy, and the change management approach for the region to achieve its goals.  In parallel, the RSS may work with KIPP NYC to develop a vision and strategy for professional learning related to early literacy needed to reach the region's goals. The RSS will spend multiple days a week on the ground, supporting the regional literacy team deeply.  Ultimately, the RSS will hold themselves and their regional teams accountable to the region's student outcome goals for early literacy. 
 
Beyond direct support, the Regional Support Specialist will spend a portion of their time as part of a KIPP Foundation "home team."  He/she will play a critical role in the development of a standardized national model for evaluating school and regional health; and participate in cross-team training and professional development to build their own skills and knowledge. When working with the Foundation team, they will: identify trends in development areas across the network and ensure the systems that they are supporting get embedded across KIPP regions; he/she will support the development and refinement of a national perspective in their area of expertise.
 
The Regional Support Specialist reports to the KIPP Foundation's Chief Academic Officer and will have dotted line reporting relationships with the KIPP Network Coach also deployed by KF to support KIPP NYC and the Executive Director for KIPP NYC. It is expected that the Regional Support Specialist will have a two-year embedded engagement with the region.  The Regional Support Specialist will have a few potential role opportunities after the two-year period, including possibly joining the regional team (dependent on need and fit), or becoming a Regional Support Specialist in a different region. He/she is a member of the KIPP Foundation's Regional Support Team, works collaboratively with the KIPP School Leadership Programs, all members of the Network Services Team and leaders across the Foundation and KIPP Network.
 
Key Responsibilities and Duties
•Provide on the ground, embedded support in Literacy to Regional Academic Leaders within KIPP NYC focused on the creation and management of instructional improvement and progress monitoring systems; and, coach and support the Instructional Leadership Team in partnership with the KIPP Network Coach
•Diagnose needs (related to their subject matter expertise) within the region and deploy a growing team of Foundation and external experts to meet those needs.
•In collaboration with KIPP NYC's instructional leadership team, develop a comprehensive plan for providing job-embedded support to all teachers in early literacy, and supports for K-8 literacy
•Support regional and school improvement root cause analysis, planning, and progress monitoring
•Collaborate with other Foundation staff to codify methods of building systems within regions. Collaborate with the broader RST to identify barriers regions face and support the development and implementation of solutions
•Play a critical role in developing a School Health and Region continuum that will be leveraged across the network
•Identify trends in regional needs and elevate to regions and Foundation to inform future development opportunities, including Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
•Collaborate with the Foundation Literacy team to share learning and best practices
•Build capacity with NYC academic team to turn-key professional learning sessions for KIPP NYC leaders and staff
•Build understanding of and expertise in NYS' reading, writing, and communicating standards, effectiveness of dedicated literacy planning time, effectiveness of data-driven instruction, and use of formative assessments
•Lead walkthroughs and analysis of student work to assess levels of implementation and determine next steps, including identifying and implementing professional development and appropriate interventions for students.
•Provide dedicated professional learning and coaching to ensure central academic team, Heads of Schools, and School Leaders build capacity to effectively coach teachers and implement instructional systems.
•Partner with Relationship Managers to ensure coordinated Foundation support to their region; coordinate with other teams supporting their region to ensure an aligned KF point of view and aligned support
 
Key Competencies
•Drive Results: Planning and Execution
oMethodically backward plans to achieve short- and long-term goals.
•Drive Results: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
oGathering information: Gathers information from multiple relevant sources and stakeholders when problem-solving.
•Building Relationships: Stakeholder Management
oSeeks opportunities to work with a wide range of individuals and organizations to achieve common goals and better outcomes.
•Building Relationships: Impact and Influence:
oAdapting style: adapt personal leadership style/approach to influence others
•Building Relationships: Cultural Competence
oDemonstrates knowledge of and respect for the cultures of the communities we serve.
•Instructional Leadership:
oAcademic vision: established (in concert with regional team) academic vision and goals
 
Experience and Qualifications
Required:
•10+ years of professional experience in a K-12 education setting
•Prior experience as a school leader and / or Regional Academic Leader
•Demonstrated success in improving student achievement by developing and implementing policies and practices that prepare all students, irrespective of socio-economic background and English language development, to be prepared for college and choice-filled lives
•Demonstrated success in building instructional improvement systems that lead to gains in student achievement, particularly within literacy
•Able to effectively facilitate large groups of adult learners; expertise in adult learning practices
•Is a self-starter with a strong sense of personal accountability and responsibility
•Able to spend ~3-4 days a week on the ground in New York City
•Willing to continually learn and collaborate with all stakeholders; a very good listener
•Passion for KIPP's mission and values
•Demonstrated ability to keep the interests and needs of student learning as the focus for the organization
Preferred:
•Training in Relay instructional practices
•Deep knowledge of best practices in leadership and teams, expertise in equity, inclusion and culturally responsive education
 
The Regional Support Specialist is expected to work on-site with their regional team approximately 3-4 days a week.  Therefore, if he/she is not local to the regional office, he/she will travel approximately 60% of the time.  The role will be based in the New York Metro Area. This is a full-time, exempt position.
 
Compensation and Benefits
KIPP offers competitive salary commensurate with experience. A comprehensive benefits package, generous vacation and PTO, 401k retirement plan with both pre- and post-tax options, as well as gym reimbursement, flexible spending account (FSA), and cell phone reimbursement are also offered by KIPP.

To apply please submit your resume and cover letter online. Resumes submitted via email will not be accepted.

KIPP Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.