Vice President, Development

About The Position 

The Vice President of Development will play a pivotal leadership role in shaping and executing the fundraising strategy for KIPP Foundation.  This role is a key partner to the Chief Development Officer (CDO) and will work closely with the Chief Executive Officer to drive philanthropic growth. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer (CDO) the VP will lead a team of talented development professionals and serve as a thought partner to both the CDO and the Chief Executive Officer. This leader will contribute meaningfully to KIPPs bold vision to raise over $100 million annually.  They will be charged with identifying and cultivating new major donorsincluding multiple new supporters at the seven- and eight-figure levelto ensure KIPPs long-term sustainability and impact. Beyond sustaining this annual fundraising engine this leader will also collaborate with executive leadership in the recruitment of new national board members who bring not only deep commitment to KIPPs mission but also seven-figure philanthropic capacity and play an supporting role in launching a new growth fund. 

The ideal candidate is both a relationship-builder and a strategic operator: someone who inspires confidence in regional leaders national board members and senior executives alike through sound judgment sharp strategic thinking and deep fundraising expertise. They must bring a passion for KIPPs mission a commitment to excellence in donor stewardship and a desire to build systems teams and partnerships that fuel ambitious growth. 

Responsibilities 

The VPs work will span three major interconnected workstreams: 

1. High Net Worth Donor Strategy 

• Build and manage a robust portfolio of ultra-high net worth individuals with a targeted focus on 1-2 strategic geographies; this includes: 

  • Cultivating new seven- and eight-figure donors aligned with KIPPs One KIPP strategy to become the best K12 public school systemacademically excellent joyful and identity-affirming.

  • Designing and executing a personalized best-in-class stewardship strategy tailored to both donor preferences and KIPPs organization-wide priorities. 

  • Strengthening relationships with current donors while identifying opportunities to grow long-term philanthropic commitments. 

• Develop and implement a multi-year strategy for regionally anchored collaborative fundraising that lifts KIPP regions. 

1. Team Leadership and Management  

• Oversee a team of individual giving professionals working across portfolios and regions to advance KIPP Foundations fundraising objectives. This includes: 
  • Hiring developing and leading a diverse high-performing team that operates with excellence delivers on goals and acts in alignment with KIPP values. 
  • Setting clear individualized key performance indicators (KPIs) in alignment with team and organizational goals and managing individuals towards those KPIs. 
  • Fostering a team culture grounded in equity continuous learning and belonging and proactively applying leadership best practices. 
  • Collaborating across departments on cross-functional initiatives to amplify KIPPs impact and donor engagement. 

1. Regional Innovation and Pilot Partnership with KIPP NYC 

• Launch and oversee an innovative pilot partnership with KIPP NYC to deepen engagement with New York-based donors and serve as a model for future regional collaboration. This includes: 

  • Managing a four-person fundraising team based in NYC to execute the pilots goals including hiring several of these roles.

  • Partnering with the NYC team to identify joint ask opportunities with NYC donors eager to support both the region and the broader KIPP network with a goal of raising $9M annually through this approach.

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Qualifications :

Skills and Mindsets 

• Mission & Student Focus: Demonstrates passion and commitment to KIPPs mission and possesses the desire and ability to uphold KIPPs core values (Focus on Excellent Results Collective Impact and Courageous Action) 

• Achievement & Outcomes Orientation: Demonstrated record of setting and achieving ambitious goals for their departments in complex or ambiguous environment; uses data research and analysis to set a high bar of excellence for goal setting; effectively distributes and redistributes work among direct reports teammates and teams to optimizes goal attainments; effectively sets and fosters a culture that enables and celebrates teammates achievements and goals attainment. 

• Partnership Alliance-Building and Stakeholder Management: Can generate excitement enthusiasm and commitment across internal and external stakeholders to advance KIPPs Mission; has political acumen and the interpersonal diplomatic and communications skills necessary to develop successful working relationships with diverse constituents. 

• Effective Work Management & Strategic Clarity: Design and evolve multi-year vision and direction that promotes organizational priorities; Effectively prioritizes and delivers on work products that ensure sustainability and scalability of work. Develops and implements agile project plans that ensures cross functional collaboration and resource sharing to ensure achieving organizational goals; creates and ensures systems are in place for knowledge management. 

• People Management & Development: Effectively ensures strong professional development and coaching for teammates through layers; proficient in the mechanics of succession management and performance management for teammates; able to coach as a manager of managers; skilled at setting and fostering a positive team culture in which teammates feel ownership and accountability for their own and the broader teams work and results. 

• Strategic Decision Making & Problem Solving: Effectively uses data to shape teamwide decisions and the learning agenda or evaluation of a function or significant initiative. Able to generate implement and evaluate solutions with a focus on scalability and sustainability; can make courageous yet necessary decisions in the interest of students and families; can maintain exemplary integrity discretion and cultural competence while working with staff and with confidential/sensitive information.   

Experience and Qualifications 

• Fundraising Experience: At least 7-10 years of experience in fundraising with a track record of success cultivating and generating revenue from high-net-worth individuals  

• Experience with executive leadership and boards with an extraordinary track record of excellence in implementing strategic priorities in a way that produced significant results ideally in a charter school network and K-12 education setting.   

• Team Leadership Experience: At least 7-10 years of experience managing teams with a focus on building inclusive cultures and strong operational excellence resulting in strong outcomes for the organization 

• Commitment to education equity social justice and a passion for KIPPs mission and values including a demonstrated commitment to diversity equity and inclusion.   

Additional Information :

Work Conditions 

• Travel requirements: 30-50% 

• Full Time Exempt Position 

Location 

It is preferred but not mandatory for this role to be based out of a KIPP Foundation office. This role has the option of working from a remote office full-time. KIPP Foundation offices are in NYC and Chicago. 

Compensation and Benefits 

In compliance with local law we are disclosing the compensation or a range thereof for roles in locations where legally required. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors including but not limited to external market data internal equity and relevant experience. The salary range for this position is $300000-$335000.   In addition KIPP Foundation provides a variety of benefits to employees including: 

• 25 holidays for 18 days additional flexible PTO days (flexible PTO increases to 23 days for years 3 and 4 and to 28 days for years 5). 

• 100% paid parental leave 

• 100% coverage of the premium for employee and 75% for employee familys medical/dental/vision plans. 

• Wellness benefits such as fitness reimbursements discounted tickets to theme parks/attractions backup care support for children and adults/elders and our employee assistance program 

• Finance Security benefits include such as a 401K retirement plan with 4% match employer-sponsored legal plans life/disability insurance and flexible spending accounts 

KIPP Foundation embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of the students and communities with whom we work and the world that around them. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to 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 and genetic information marital status citizenship status military status protected veteran status or any other category protected by law. 

Remote Work :

Yes

Employment Type :

Full-time