Vice President of People at KIPP Foundation

Vice President, People

Source: remoteok

About the Organization

KIPP Public Schools is a national network of tuition-free public charter schools that prepares students with the skills and confidence to create the future they want for themselves, their communities, and us all. We are a network of 279 schools, nearly 16,500 educators, and nearly 210,000 students and alumni.

• Our Mission: Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead 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 KIPP Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports KIPP public charter schools across the country. The KIPP Foundation helps to develop outstanding educators to lead KIPP schools; provides tools and resources for excellent teaching and learning; promotes innovation; and facilitates the exchange of insights and ideas across KIPP and other public schools and organizations.

Our Values

• Excellent Results for Students: We value results over effort and know that our work is not finished until all students thrive. We maintain high expectations for self, team, and students. 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 mindset by working collaboratively across teams, aligning goals, and leveraging the strengths of all 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 enable transformational outcomes.
• Courageous Action: Our belief in what we can achieve is unwavering, fueling our optimism and commitment to overcome any challenge. We demonstrate an unwavering belief in students' potential and a commitment to addressing systemic inequities. We approach challenges with resilience, a solutions-focused mindset, and adaptability. We foster a psychologically safe environment centered on trust and accountability where feedback is encouraged. We leverage data to reflect on progress, own setbacks, celebrate successes, and continuously improve to maximize impact.

About the Position

KIPP Foundation is at a defining moment—an opportunity to deepen our impact by building a talent system that enables every leader and staff member to thrive in service of students and communities. The Vice President of People, reporting to the Senior Vice President of People Operations, will design and drive an integrated, insights-driven talent strategy that connects every part of the employee experience—from recruitment and onboarding to development, engagement, and retention.

Responsibilities

Talent Strategy & Organizational Alignment

• Set and drive the overall talent strategy and talent philosophy for the KIPP Foundation workforce.
• Partner with the SVP of People Operations and executive leadership to align talent strategy with organizational design, workforce planning, and operational priorities.
• Ensure a coherent, integrated talent system across the Foundation.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to leadership on organizational effectiveness, talent health, and workforce strategy.

Talent Systems & Organizational Effectiveness

• Oversee the design and effectiveness of the full talent lifecycle.
• Set the vision for performance management and development systems in partnership with the Senior Director of Development & Growth.
• Ensure effective HR operations and infrastructure (recruitment, onboarding, Total Rewards, and compliance) in partnership with the Senior Director of People Operations.
• Use workforce, engagement, and performance data to monitor organizational health and drive continuous improvement.

Employee Relations, Policy & Risk Management

• Establish the vision, policies, and standards for employee relations, including performance management, conflict resolution, and policy compliance.
• Ensure consistent, fair, and compliant application of HR policies and practices.
• Advise senior leaders on complex employee relations matters and organizational risk.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead and develop the Talent function, setting the vision and strategic direction.
• Oversee and coach Senior Directors across People Operations and Development & Growth.
• Set enterprise-level priorities and allocate resources to ensure the Talent function is focused on high-impact work.
• Foster a high-performing, outcomes-driven culture that emphasizes accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Act as a visible culture leader and ambassador for KIPP.

Organizational Talent Planning & Culture

• Partner with leadership to drive annual workforce planning, talent strategy, and culture priorities.
• Ensure alignment between talent strategy, employee experience, and organizational culture.
• Support the organization in building a strong, inclusive, and high-performing workforce.

Qualifications

Skills and Mindsets

• Mission and Student Focus: Passion for KIPP's mission and commitment to Core Values.
• Self-Management: Demonstrated record of setting and achieving ambitious goals in complex/ambiguous environments; effective at distributing work and fostering a culture of achievement.
• Work Management: Ability to set a clear vision, prioritize effectively, and implement agile project plans.
• Data-Driven Actions and Decisions: Effectively uses data to shape team-wide decisions and evaluate initiatives.
• Problem Solving: Takes calculated risks and addresses the root of problems to implement scalable solutions.
• Communication and Change Management: Effectively articulates the case for change and translates vision into actionable plans for diverse stakeholders.
• People Management and Development: Proficient in coaching, succession management, and performance management.

Experience

• 8+ years of senior HR and talent management leadership experience in nonprofit or education contexts.
• Understanding of the current education climate and response strategies for the communities served.
• Strong background in leading with equity at the center.
• Experience cultivating a work culture in a virtual environment.

Additional Information

• Travel: Moderate (up to 10% / 20 days per year).
• Status: Full-time, exempt.
• Location: Preferred to be based in NYC or Chicago, but remote work is an option.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary Range: $197,600 – $236,500.
• Time Off: 25 holidays + 18 days of flexible PTO (increases to 23 days in years 3-4, and 28 days for 5+ years).
• Parental Leave: 100% paid.
• Health: 100% coverage of premiums for employees (75% for family) for medical/dental/vision.
• Wellness: Fitness reimbursements, discounted tickets, backup care support, and employee assistance program.
• Financial Security: 401K retirement plan with 4% match, employer-sponsored legal plans, life/disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts.

KIPP Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status, or any other category protected by law.