Category: Executive Level

Company Description

We are seeking a talented, committed, culturally competent Director of Lower Elementary Program with deep literacy expertise to join our regional Teaching & Learning Team. The initial deadline to apply for this position is Monday, October 4th. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but all candidates who apply by the deadline will hear from us regarding the status of their application by Friday, October 8th.

The target start date for this position is mid to late October, though flexibility exists for the right candidate . Submitting this application considers you for all 2021-2022 opportunities for which you are qualified. To browse immediate openings, please visit our careers website.

About Us

KIPP is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools in educationally underserved communities.  Over 100,000 students attend one of the 242 KIPP schools that operate in 31 regions across the United States.  KIPP Philadelphia Schools Public Schools (KPPS) is a part of the national KIPP network and currently leads six schools serving approximately 2,400 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 KPPS

We know that talented, committed, culturally competent teachers, leaders and staff members have the power to amplify our children’s potential by creating a school experience that affirms, values, and challenges them each day. We seek to create a professional environment full of joy, candor, care and community where excellent educators can make a long-term home. Educators at KIPP –

• Are committed to anti-racism, equity and inclusion
• Are part of a close-knit, diverse community of educators
• Show up as themselves, inspiring our children to do the same
• Access resources, workshops, and affinity spaces that support physical, emotional, and financial well-being
• Lead with care and candor and take ownership of our children’s learning and growth
• Constantly evolve their craft via coaching and high quality professional development
• Enjoy a competitive, equitable, predictable approach to compensation,  comprehensive health benefits for employees and their families, a 403B matching program, and free access to financial services

Job Description

Position Overview

Reporting to the Managing Director of Teaching & Learning and working closely with School Leaders and Assistant Principals at our six schools, the Director of Lower Elementary Program (DLEP) is responsible for ensuring that leaders and teachers at our growing network operate with the knowledge, skills, mindsets, data and resources essential to a joyful, rigorous K-2 academic program.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with school leaders and the regional academic team to set and drive a vision for the K-2 academic program, including the curricula, assessment, instructional approach essential to a high quality, rigorous, joyful, affirming K-2 experience for children
• Regularly review K-2 academic data, identifying trends, bright spots, and areas of concern in order to set priorities and develop key, responsive school and region-wide initiatives
• Regularly observe K-2 instruction alongside Assistant Principals, norming on the academic bar, critical next steps for instructional practice, and serving as a thought partner to troubleshoot school-specific challenges
• Regularly meet with and train Assistant Principals and school-based content leads to run effective curricula/content internalization professional development sessions that build teachers’ conceptual and tactical understanding of upcoming lessons and content
• Design and lead high quality professional development for teachers, Assistant Principals, and Principals on a set of proactive and responsive lower elementary topics that build essential knowledge and skills, infuse practice and feedback, and impact daily practice
• Ensure all core information, resources, and approaches across K-2 (including curricula, assessment, course sequence and aims, etc.) are clearly and simply codified and communicated
• Works closely with academic team counterparts, including the Director of Literacy, Director of Math, Director of Student Supports, and Director of Student Culture to ensure horizontal and vertical program alignment and clarity on shared and individual priorities
• Collaborate, work closely, and create partnerships with local and national experts and colleagues in the field of K-2 instruction through research, observation and formal collaboration to ensure that our K-2 program is operating with research-based best practices
• Support new teacher and new leader onboarding and training through PD design and execution
• Other duties as assigned by the Managing Director of Teaching and Learning

Qualifications

Skills & Qualifications

• Love and see the high potential of all children
• Demonstrated ability to drive student growth and achievement and to create a warm, inclusive, rigorous learning environment
• Passion for facilitating professional learning
• Ability to build relationships and establish rapport quickly with all stakeholders, including leaders, teachers, and regional colleagues
• Self-awareness and ability to reflect on your practice, biases, and leans
• Cultural competence and commitment to inclusion, anti-racism, and eradicating anti-Blackness
• Solutions-orientation; ability and eagerness to adapt to and manage change and solve problems
• Adept at data analysis; ability to extract meaningful insights across school-wide data and transform those insights into action plans
• Deep understanding of appropriate application and differentiation of high-leverage instructional strategies based on comprehension of child development and pedagogy
• Ability to exercise excellent judgement in decision-making
• Uphold KPPS core values (Children First, Cultural Competence, Community, Ownership)
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum three years exemplary teaching in K-2 classrooms required
• Deep knowledge of the science of reading required
• Deep understanding of K-2 Common Core standards and research-based best practices required
• Deep knowledge of national, state, and local standards and assessments required
• Proficiency in MS office, particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint required
• Experience working in a central or district office, or in a position that supports teachers or leaders or the adoption of new approaches across multiple schools strongly preferred
• Experience in teacher or leader coaching, training, and/or curricular design strongly preferred
• Complete all required criminal and child abuse background checks:
  • PA State Police Clearance
  • PA Child Abuse Clearance
  • Cogent Federal Fingerprinting

Additional Information

Compensation

• Salaries at KPPS are competitive, equitable, and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this position starts at $80,000.
• All KPPS employees enjoy access to a comprehensive benefits package, a 403B matching program, and 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.

Apply

Build and lead an equity-focused human capital strategy at a leading, nonprofit financial services organization that promotes economic mobility and financial security for families with low incomes.

About Compass Working Capital

Anti-poverty programs in the United States provide critical, but insufficient, support to families with low incomes. If we are to end poverty and close racial and gender wealth gaps in our communities, we must support families to build the financial assets and capabilities needed to achieve their goals and dreams.

Since 2005, Compass Working Capital (“Compass”) has been working to do just that, by providing savings and financial coaching programs that support families with low incomes to build assets, achieve their financial goals, and become financially secure. Our vision is to build a leading, nonprofit financial services organization that promotes economic mobility and financial security for families with low incomes by influencing field-related practice and policy.  Within the last decade alone, Compass clients, who are primarily women of color, have built over $8 million in savings across our programs in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

In late 2019, through philanthropic investment, Compass embarked on a strategic plan to significantly expand its national scope and impact. This investment provides Compass with the funding and support to ready the organization for greater impact by ending asset poverty for 220,000 families with low incomes by 2030. We envision a day when asset building is the norm, and not the exception, in our nation’s anti-poverty work.

About the Position

Reporting to the CEO and serving as a member of the Executive Team, the Chief Human Resources Officer (“CHRO”) is responsible for leading the development and execution of our equity-focused human capital strategy. The CHRO will oversee all human resources areas, including talent management, compensation benchmarking and analysis, benefits and payroll administration, employee engagement and relations, compliance, and workforce and professional development planning. As a member of the Executive Team, the CHRO will ensure Compass continues to build a strong, diverse, and inclusive culture across today’s organization and with an eye towards future growth.

We seek a solutions-focused and collaborative problem-solver who has demonstrated alignment with Compass’ mission, either through lived, work, or volunteer experience with families with low incomes. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on Human Resources leader who seeks an opportunity to build the Human Resources function in a growing, entrepreneurial nonprofit.  The CHRO will directly manage a Human Resources Manager and Administrative Associate based in Boston.  This role reports to the CEO.

Compass’ national headquarters is in downtown Boston, and the organization has a growing field presence in Philadelphia. Staff primarily live and work across the northeast region and in Philadelphia.  The CHRO can be based in the Northeast, with a preference for Greater Boston or Philadelphia. Travel to field offices in Greater Boston and Philadelphia will be expected 2-4 times per month as the impact of the pandemic subsides and the team returns to the physical office. Travel to future field offices might be required, as the organization expands nationally.

To learn more about working at Compass, click here. To learn more about Compass’ commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, click here.

Addressing Current and Future Needs

The urgency of Compass’ work has been underscored by the pandemic crisis, which has had a disparate health and economic impact on communities of color. At the same time, the crisis has accelerated the pace of innovation and entrepreneurship across the organization, particularly regarding talent development. Since March 2020, the Compass staff have been working fully remotely and providing financial coaching services for clients by phone and video. Compass is planning for an eventual hybrid office model in which employees have flexibility regarding in person and remote work.

Responsibilities

Human Resources Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and lead human resources planning and talent development strategy that is aligned with Compass’ vision, strategic plan, and values
• Partner with the Executive Team to ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion are primary in organizational decision making, practices, and culture
• Ensure valued-added partnerships with our human resources partners and products, including our PEO, outsourced recruitment and human resource business partners, and employee experience technology, with an eye toward agility and future growth
• Oversee the organization’s total compensation and benefits policies and practices
• Lead internal employee communications, in partnership with Compass’ marketing and communications team
• Design and implement employee engagement strategies and initiatives to strengthen culture, promote diversity and inclusion, and build internal capacity
• Identify and respond to talent gaps, in partnership with managers, to build bench strength for future organizational growth and development
• Oversee full life cycle of employee engagement, including hiring and onboarding, performance assessment, succession planning and offboarding with a focus on hybrid office model
• Design and oversee an approach to professional learning, including leadership and management practices that align with the organization’s goals and priorities

 Human Resources Systems, Administration, and Compliance

• Ensure that Compass develops and maintains strong and compliant HR systems, processes, administrative records, and reporting
• Provide oversight of payroll and benefits function
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of employees, reducing legal risks and ensuring regulatory compliance
• Ensure compliance with relevant local and national employment laws and regulations as Compass expands into new states
• Oversee external HR related vendors and partners to ensure well-resourced and agile department focused on achieving organizational goals
• Oversee performance management process to ensure employees receive frequent, clear, and actionable feedback that supports ongoing career development and strong organizational and manager engagement
• Manage planning and budgets for HR services and employee benefits

General Administration

• Lead Compass’ efforts to ensure employees have the tools and resources needed to thrive in a remote work environment and in our physical offices (once the hybrid model is implemented); act as point of contact for our Boston-based location at the Nonprofit Center and future office location in Philadelphia
• Oversee Compass’ physical offices (once the hybrid model is implemented) in order to ensure a supportive work environment for Compass employees and a welcoming environment for Compass clients and guests
• Oversee a Boston-based Administrative Associate with responsibilities for reception, facilities, and other administrative needs

 Qualifications

We seek a CHRO with a strong “roll-up-your-sleeves” attitude, entrepreneurial spirit, and excellent project management skills.  Competitive candidates will demonstrate a strong technical background in human resources and agility within a resource-constrained environment.

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below.

• Experienced Human Resources and Talent Management Leader: The CHRO will have demonstrated expertise in scaling human resources and talent management functions. This person will have an extensive background managing and developing Human Resources Teams. Highly qualified candidates will bring innovative and proven practices in building and supporting teams in a remote work environment.
• Champion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: The CHRO will work across the organization to nurture a transparent, inclusive, and compassionate culture where all employees feel recognized and valued. The CHRO will uphold the values of equity and inclusion in all systems and policies of the organization.
• Adept at Change Management + Continuous Improvement: The CHRO will bring a background of managing organizational change and staff development, with a focus on continuous improvement and insights into the impacts of these changes on the culture of an organization. They will have practical experience in communicating change to staff within the organization. The CHRO will have demonstrated success in a fast-paced, collaborative, and learning-oriented environment.
• Relationship Builder and Collaborator: Critical to success in this role, the CHRO will be skilled at building and sustaining excellent relationships with a demonstrated ability to connect, build bridges and work collaboratively. This person will model passion for the mission, a respect for people and a commitment to moving the organization forward.
• Strong Project Manager: The CHRO will be planful, task-oriented, and diligent in overseeing and managing projects and the staff and external consultants supporting the execution of those projects. The CHRO will employ strong cost and risk management skills, be comfortable making difficult decisions under pressure, seek the right solutions to the right problems, delegate when necessary and adjusts schedules, tactics and targets as needed.

Compensation & Benefits

This is an outstanding opportunity to contribute to a highly effective nonprofit’s executive team. Salary range for the role is $130,000- $155,000 and is commensurate with lived and professional experience. Compass’ comprehensive benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts, paid parental leave, retirement savings, generous vacation, STD/LTD/Life Insurance, and paid professional development. Click here to learn more about benefits.

How to Apply

To apply to this position, please prepare a resume and cover letter to the attention of the Compass Working Capital CHRO Search Committee. Apply using this online portal.  For confidential inquiries or for assistance in completing the application, please contact search@positivelypartners.org.

Timeline and Hiring Process

We will review and respond to all applications received. While subject to change, candidates elected to advance throughout the process can expect to progress through a process that includes initial conversations with Positively Partners, an interview with the CEO and members of the Search Committee for finalists, and an interview day with staff.  Anticipated start date is November/December 2021.