Job Description

_ Position Overview:_

KIPP NYC’s Chief of Staff is a senior executive and system-level leader, focused on enabling the entire executive team to perform at its highest level. Rather than a role centered on proximity to the CEO, the Chief Staff serves our kids, families, and stakeholders by providing critical leverage to the Senior Leadership Team on mission critical strategic and special projects.

Responsible for expanding leadership capacity, driving organizational alignment, and ensuring operational excellence across the organization, the Chief of Staff sits at the intersection of strategy, execution, organizational culture, and human dynamics, helping to translate vision and priorities into systems, processes, and behaviors that move the organization forward. They provide thought partnership and candid counsel to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team, manage relationships across complex stakeholder groups, and help the organization operate with clarity, discipline, and shared purpose.

Reporting Structure & Location

The Chief of Staff reports to the CEO of KIPP NYC and serves as a member of the Senior Leadership Team. The Chief of Staff will also launch and lead the “Executive Office,” a high-performing team of strategic operators responsible for driving organization-wide strategy, alignment, and special projects, that enable the CEO and Senior Leadership Team to operate at scale and ensure that priorities are executed with clarity and purpose. This is an in-person role based in NYC, with the flexibility to work from home two days per week.

** Specific responsibilities include:**

Systems Design and Leadership

• Architect the next phase of organizational capacity by leading an “Executive Office” that scales leadership bandwidth and ensures seamless cross-functional alignment
• Drive communication and collaboration systems that elevate focus on the most critical priorities, including building dashboards, performance tracking tools, and planning leadership team retreats
• Deliver best-in-class board governance and leadership materials that advance strategic discussions and reflect organizational excellence

Process Design and Project Management

• Translate complexity into clarity, turning vast amounts of data, competing priorities, and nuanced stakeholder needs into clear action plans and decision-ready materials
• Design high-functioning operational rhythms, and reinforce high-performance leader behaviors, including calendar management, board preparation, senior team execution and trust-building
• Lead a small team of strategic operators (project managers/special projects staff, executive assistant) who provide leverage to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team to deliver impact across the organization

People Leadership

• Operate as a senior leader in your own right, building relationships of trust with the Senior Leadership Team, the board, and staff across the organization
• Be a culture-bearer: articulate and reinforce the organization’s values, improve workplace norms, and model accountability and respect
• Coach and develop staff at all levels, from junior administrative support to C-suite peers, to perform at their best and collaborate effectively
• Provide the CEO and Senior Leadership Team with honest, constructive feedback and serve as a trusted confidante who can both challenge and support in pursuit of organizational goals
• Be a “people-solver” and a “problem-solver”

*How to Apply: KIPP NYC has engaged Leslie Wade Consulting to lead the search for our Chief of Staff. To apply, please complete the application here by November 25, 2025.

Qualifications

** Requisite Experience, Skills, and Personal Characteristics:**

The Chief of Staff must share KIPP NYC’s commitment to working in partnership with communities and families to build joyful and equitable opportunities for kids across New York City. A savvy and nuanced leader, the Chief of Staff will articulate and drive execution of strategy and foster a high-performing culture of collaboration, cohesiveness, and consistency.

We seek a leader who listens deeply, asks discerning questions, and brings both analytical rigor and emotional intelligence to their work. S/he/they understand that every challenge and opportunity has a human dimension, and that sustainable progress requires strengthening systems and relationships in tandem. This individual leads with curiosity, empathy, and strategic clarity, helping others perform at their best while guiding the organization toward lasting improvement.

The ideal candidate is equally a systems thinker, a deft communicator, and a leader who inspires excellence in others. They are deeply passionate about social justice for the communities KIPP NYC serves. Above all, they bring the steadiness, judgment, and relational intelligence required to lead through complexity, partner closely with executive leadership, and cultivate a high-performance, values-driven culture.

S/he/they are as comfortable synthesizing complex information into executive-ready messaging as they are navigating high-stakes interpersonal dynamics.

Additionally, candidates for the position must have the following ** professional experience:**

• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience, including at least five years of executive or senior management experience

• An outstanding track record of successfully leading, motivating and developing high-performing, cross-functional teams to develop and implement systems and processes to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of a growing organization

• Demonstrated success advancing multiple initiatives simultaneously with focus and rigor, while leading with thoughtfulness, emotional intelligence and respect for others

• Experience building and scaling operations in high-growth, entrepreneurial environments

Candidates must also have the following skills:

• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills, and the ability to effectively interface with constituencies at all levels and contribute to a collegial working environment

• Capacity for building consensus, facilitating collaboration and problem-solving, and managing conflict among varied stakeholders

• Data analysis and visualization; demonstrated ability to synthesize complex data into actionable information and provide robust analysis to inform decision making

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Finally, candidates should demonstrate the following personal characteristics:

• Relentless focus on and ownership of results
• The ability to attract, develop and inspire highly proficient teams
• Sound judgment and discretion with respect to critical information and decisions
• Ability to engage with diverse staff and leadership to promote collaboration and partnership between departments and levels of leadership; able to quickly establish professional relationships built on trust and respect
• A healthy measure of the character traits we value: zest, grit, hope, love, social intelligence, gratitude and a sense of humor

A Bachelor’s degree is required. An advanced degree, as well as experience in an educational or not for profit organization, is strongly preferred.

Additional Information

Compensation and Benefits:

KIPP NYC offers a competitive salary ranging from $215,000 - $245,000. Salary ranges at KIPP NYC are standardized based on role level and role function. Individual salaries are determined through a lens of equity, accounting for years of experience relevant to the role and scope of responsibilities, and are benchmarked against others within the same salary band.

KIPP NYC offers a generous benefits package, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Robust benefits that include medical, dental, and vision.
• 403(b) retirement plan with a 50% match after 6 months.
• Generous Time-Off aligned with the school calendar
• Up to 12 weeks of 100% parental leave.
• Bright Horizon Back-up Child and Elder care.
• Employer-paid Life Insurance and Short-term / Long-term disability.
• Employee incentives include an 8-week paid Sabbatical after 10 years, annual professional development funds, and tuition reimbursement.

This role is based in our office in Midtown Manhattan, with the flexibility to work from home two days a week. Currently, KIPP NYC regional teammates are required to be present in the office or at a school three days a week.

This description is intended to describe the type of work being performed by a person assigned to this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities required by the employee.

KIPP NYC LLC is an anti-racist organization that believes in the importance of being diverse, equitable, and inclusive. We are committed to creating a welcoming environment that includes employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We believe that enables us to better meet our mission and values while serving students and families throughout New York City. BIPOC, women, gender expansive, LGBTQIA+, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

This role is based in NYC and will require travel to our NYC Office. If, during your employment, you relocate outside of a commutable distance or out of the state of NY, your employment will be subject to review, which may include separation from KIPP NYC. It is important that you notify HR if you move or have plans to relocate.

KIPP NYC LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KIPP NYC LLC is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment.

*How to Apply: KIPP NYC has engaged Leslie Wade Consulting to lead the search for our Chief of Staff. To apply, please complete the application here by November 25, 2025.