Managing Director, Marketing & Communications

Position Overview

As the Managing Director of Marketing & Communications you will co-design and lead the work that shapes KIPP NYCs public identity and be the tactical engine behind our growth. Reporting to and working in lockstep with the Chief Marketing & Communications Officer you will bridge the gap between high-level vision and the gritty operational excellence required to win in the New York City landscape. This is a role for a senior leader who understands that in a market defined by choice brand value is the ultimate differentiator. You will help translate the ambitious goals of our Vision 2030 strategy into high-impact full-funnel campaigns that drive student enrollment and staff recruitment across the five boroughs. You arent just managing a department; you are steering a brand that serves as a launchpad for 14000 students and alumni ensuring that our story of excellence and joy is the most compelling Plan A narrative in NYC education.

This leader will directly manage the Director of Marketing & Communications as well as the Senior Associate of Marketing & Communications.

This is a full-time position with a hybrid schedule requiring a minimum of three in-person days per week based out of our KIPP NYC Midtown Manhattan office. The role also includes travel to KIPP NYC campuses across the Bronx Brooklyn and Manhattan. The cadence and frequency of school visits will be determined by your leadership team.

Duties and Responsibilities:

General responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

Strategic Execution & Brand Stewardship

• Vision 2030 Alignment: Partner with the CMCO to evolve and execute KIPP NYCs core narrative aligning marketing efforts with long-term strategic growth.
• Brand Governance: Oversee regional brand stewardship ensuring all materials across schools and channels adhere to KIPP brand standards while maintaining a signature NYC-specific visual language.
• Digital Evolution: Manage the transition and ongoing evolution of the KIPP NYC website ensuring it serves as a high-performing conversion tool for families and staff.

Recruitment Marketing & Campaign Management

• Full-Funnel Campaign Leadership: Lead the execution of the annual 12-month integrated marketing plan focusing on Student Recruitment (OctJune) and Staff Recruitment (Feb-June).
• Agency Management: Manage relationships with external NYC-based creative and media-buying agencies ensuring media spend is optimized for ROI across but not limited to paid search social programmatic and OOH.
• Content Strategy: Develop and oversee content through every stage of the funnel including digital video storytelling assets and field marketing collateral.

Communications & Public Relations

• Public Relations: Direct regional PR efforts and media relationship management to elevate KIPP NYCs thought leadership and visibility.
• Crisis Management: Support rapid-response regional crisis communication strategies for both internal and external stakeholders to mitigate reputational risk.
• Regional Communications: Manage regional family communications and streamline organizational updates to enhance leadership visibility and staff engagement.

Team Leadership & Strategic Collaboration

• Team Development: Manage and develop the Marketing & Communications team currently consisting of a Marketing Director and a Senior Associate with potential for future capacity expansion.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Act as a strategic thought partner to regional department leads (Operations Talent) and school leadership to ensure marketing efforts are tightly integrated with school-level needs.
• Data-Driven Performance: Utilize dashboards to evaluate the full family journey from first touch to enrollment optimizing for conversion at every step.

Qualifications :

• Professional Experience: 15 years in Marketing Communications or Brand Management with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role managing integrated campaigns across multiple markets business units or geographies with demonstrated experience overseeing large teams and agency partners. NYC-specific marketing experience preferred.
• Senior Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work autonomously with senior-level management acting as a high-level thought partner in defining strategy through to execution.
• Full-Funnel Marketing Expertise: Demonstrated experience developing and launching comprehensive advertising campaigns across multiple channels (ATL BTL grassroots social and PR).
• NYC Market Knowledge: A deep understanding of the NYC education landscape including neighborhood-level nuances and the drivers of family behavior in a competitive environment.
• Crisis Management: 5 years of proven experience navigating sensitive high-stakes communications in either a behind the scenes or public-facing role.
• Operational Excellence: The ability to move seamlessly between strategy and execution managing the complex moving pieces required to bring creative concepts to life.
• Data & ROI Savvy: Excellent analytical skills to interpret performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Proven ability to translate data and insights into actionable and clear strategic direction.
• Digital Accessibility & Inclusion: Deep understanding of ADA compliance standards as they apply to the digital marketing experience ensuring that websites social media content and digital advertising are accessible to all families including those with visual auditory or cognitive impairments.
• Exceptional Communication: Superior writing and storytelling skills with the ability to manage up to a C-suite and act as a subject matter expert for regional leads.
• Agility & Volume Management: Proven ability to manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously efficiently pivoting between strategic oversight and hands-on execution in a fast-paced high-volume environment.
• Mission Alignment: A deep commitment to KIPP NYCs mission of creating joyful academically excellent schools that prepare students for lives of choice and power
• Bachelors Degree required; Advanced degree (MBA or Masters in Communications) preferred.
• Spanish-language proficiency is a significant plus.
• Knowledge of Charter School systems within NYC Public Schools preferred but not required. 
• Due to the nature of the work this position may require time outside of general working hours for event coverage crisis response or social media management.

Additional Information :

KIPP NYC offers a salary ranging from $165000 - $195000. 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 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.

This is a full-time in-person role based in New York City and will require travel to our schools. If you are not in a school-based position the cadence and frequency of travel to schools is determined by your leadership team. If 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 does not offer visa sponsorship or work authorization. 

KIPP NYC LLC is 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. 

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.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time