Managing Director of Strategy & Planning

Job Description

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Managing Director of Strategy & Planning (MDSP) is responsible for creating and implementing the coordination, communication, and collaboration systems essential to the achievement of our KPPS 2025 strategic goals. More specifically, the MDSP will support CEO effectiveness, drive annual and multi-year planning cycles, serve as a critical steward of the KPPS Board of Directors, lead internal culture initiatives as well as aligned internal and external communication, and facilitate advocacy initiatives via the creation and maintenance of external partnerships. The MDSP will directly manage the CEO’s Executive Assistant, and potentially others over time.

• Serves as a critical thought partner to the CEO on the progress and execution of regional strategic priorities while maintaining complete confidentiality
• In partnership with her Executive Assistant, manages scheduling for the CEO to ensure her time is directed toward the region’s top priorities
• Supports disciplined follow up from key meetings
• Coordinates and leads meetings with senior leadership as necessary

• Leads disciplined annual planning and progress monitoring systems to meet 2025 Goals
• Facilitates progress monitoring meetings to inform priority setting
• Develops and maintains dashboards and measurement tools to track progress
• Establishes internal collaboration and communication structures that enable comprehensive annual planning and execution

• Serves as a critical point of contact for all Board of Directors members to communicate regional updates
• Manages Board of Directors meetings and retreats, including working with committee chairs to set topics and create agendas
• Partners with senior leaders and Executive Assistant in the creation and organization of content for all board meetings, retreats, and committee meetings
• Compiles progress monitoring information on KIPP Essential Questions, including student enrollment and attrition, academics, alumni engagement, staff recruitment and retention, financial health, compliance, and growth
• Ensures all board meetings and trustees are in compliance with Open Meeting Law and compliance regulations
• Drafts and/or edits critical memos
• Prepares guests and presenters

• In partnership with the CEO, drafts regional communications, including information shared with all KIPP Philadelphia staff,families, and the Board of Directors
• Develops presentations and talking points for internal and external speaking engagements in partnership with a variety of colleagues (e.g., Managing Director of Development, Managing Director of Talent, Chief Academic Officer, Chief Operating Officer)
• In collaboration with the Managing Director of Development, establishes a vision and strategy for external marketing and communication
• Leads brand management and promotion across KPPS so that external stakeholders can clearly articulate KPPS’s unique value proposition and KPPS has grown its partnerships across the city
• Leads the strategic management of the website, social media, and external and internal communications, coordinating with talent and student recruitment on brand promotion
• Leads emergent senior leadership meetings as necessary to develop high stakes time-sensitive public communications
• Organizes region-wide culture building activities in celebration of our KPPS values

• Cultivates key relationships with federal, state and local stakeholders to ensure two-way communication and meaningful partnership on mission critical issues
• Develops presentations and talking points for external speaking engagements in partnership with MD of Development and other key staff

Qualifications

• Love and see the high potential of all children
• 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
• Strong relational skills combined with strong systems thinking
• Strong verbal and written communication, and demonstrates ability to adapt style to cater to content and audience
• Organized and detail-oriented
• Possesses expertise in a variety of social media platforms as well as an eye for communication/graphic design
• 5+ years of experience serving under-resourced children and families in an urban setting required
• 3+ years of experience in a central or district office in a role focused on leading regional or district-wide initiatives, systems or communication required
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Complete all required criminal and child abuse background checks:
  • PA State Police Clearance
  • PA Child Abuse Clearance
  • Cogent Federal Fingerprinting

Additional Information

• Salaries at KPPS are competitive and equitable. The salary range for this position starts at $120,000 and is commensurate with experience.
• All KPPS employees enjoy access to a comprehensive benefits package (for themselves and their families), a 403B matching program, and free financial advising services.