Job Description

Position Overview:

Every member of the Team & Family at KIPP KC plays a critical role in ensuring our students are on the path toward college, career, and beyond. Our educators are passionate advocates for our students and families, working tirelessly to connect them with access to opportunity for lives of power and choice. As a {CONTENT AREA} Teacher, you will deliver exceptional instruction and assess student growth. You are dedicated to constant learning and proactively provide academic and cultural support to your school and team. You are deeply committed to educational equity, building relationships with students and families so they are safe, seen, heard, and loved.

The Senior Director of Academics is a key member of the academic leadership team, responsible for driving the vision, strategy, and execution of high-quality instruction across all academies. Reporting directly to the Chief Academic Officer, this role leads the academic team and ensures coherence across curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional learning systems.

This leader brings deep experience in instructional leadership and coaching, with a strong preference for expertise in literacy, and a proven track record of improving student outcomes through adult development. The Senior Director builds the capacity of academic leaders, instructional coaches, and school leaders to deliver rigorous, standards-aligned, and culturally responsive instruction.

Core Responsibilities

Academic Vision & Leadership

• Partner with the Chief Academic Officer to define and execute the organization's academic strategy and priorities.
• Lead and manage the academic team, including coaching, performance management, and development of team members.
• Ensure strong alignment across curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional learning systems.
• Serve as a key thought partner to the Chief Academic Officer, Chief Schools Officer and school leaders on instructional improvement and academic priorities.
• Drive a culture of high expectations, accountability, and continuous improvement across all academies.

Instructional Leadership & Coaching

• Oversee a high-impact instructional coaching model across schools.
• Develop the capacity of instructional coaches, academic leaders, and school leaders through direct coaching and professional learning.
• Model best practices in instruction and coaching, with a strong emphasis on literacy instruction.
• Ensure instructional practices are aligned to curriculum and grounded in data.
• Support schools in implementing research-based instructional strategies that drive student achievement.

Curriculum Strategy & Coherence

• Lead the curation, adoption, and implementation of high-quality instructional materials.
• Ensure alignment with state standards, organizational priorities, and research-based practices.
• Maintain vertical alignment across PK-12 grade levels.
• Ensure curriculum is culturally responsive, inclusive, and accessible to all learners, including special populations.
• Oversee continuous improvement cycles for curriculum based on student data and teacher feedback.

Scope, Sequence & Instructional Planning

• Oversee development and refinement of scope and sequence documents across content areas.
• Ensure strong vertical and horizontal alignment across grade levels and academies.
• Guide the development of pacing guides and instructional planning tools.
• Ensure instructional materials and planning structures support effective lesson execution.

Assessment & Data Strategy

• Oversee the design and implementation of a comprehensive assessment system.
• Ensure alignment between curriculum, instruction, and assessments.
• Lead systems for analyzing and using student data to inform instruction and academic decisions.
• Support leaders and coaches in building strong data-driven instructional practices.
• Monitor student achievement trends and drive responsive action planning.

Professional Learning & Adult Development

• Design and oversee a cohesive professional development strategy aligned to academic priorities.
• Ensure professional learning builds teacher and leader capacity in curriculum implementation and instructional excellence.
• Partner with instructional coaches to ensure effective transfer of professional learning into classrooms.
• Lead large-scale professional development initiatives and academic trainings.

Academic Operations & Execution

• Oversee execution of key academic initiatives, ensuring strong project management and follow-through.
• Monitor academic OKRs, key performance indicators, and implementation fidelity.
• Coordinate cross-functional work across departments to support academic priorities.
• Prepare reports and updates for executive leadership and the board.

Academic Program Monitoring & Continuous Improvement

• Analyze academic performance across academies to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities.
• Ensure consistent implementation of academic programs and instructional expectations.
• Partner with school leaders to design and implement targeted improvement strategies.
• Drive continuous improvement cycles grounded in data and classroom practice.

Collaboration

The Senior Director of Academics works closely with:

• Chief Academic Officer
• Chief Schools Officer
• Instructional Coaches
• Humanities and STEM Directors
• Assessment Manager
• Special Populations Leadership
• Student Behavior & Mental Health Leadership

to ensure seamless alignment between curriculum, instruction, assessment, and student support systems.

Key Outcomes

Success in this role is measured by:

• Significant gains in student academic achievement, particularly in literacy
• Strong, consistent instructional practices across academies
• High-quality implementation of curriculum and assessment systems
• Increased effectiveness of instructional coaches and academic leaders
• Coherent, aligned academic systems across the organization

Qualifications

Core Competencies

• Instructional Leadership: Deep expertise in high-quality instruction; strong literacy background preferred
• Coaching & Talent Development: Builds adult capacity through feedback, coaching, and development systems
• Results Orientation: Sets ambitious goals and drives measurable student achievement outcomes
• Strategic Systems Thinking: Aligns curriculum, instruction, assessment, and PD into a coherent model
• Execution Excellence: Translates strategy into action with strong follow-through and accountability
• Equity-Driven Mindset: Advances culturally responsive practices and closes achievement gaps
• Influence & Collaboration: Aligns leaders and stakeholders toward shared academic priorities
• Adaptive Leadership: Leads through change, solves complex problems, and continuously improves

Qualifications

• Required:
  
  • 5-8+ years of instructional leadership experience (e.g., AP, Principal, Network Leader, or equivalent)
  • Proven track record of improving student outcomes at scale
  • Deep experience in instructional coaching and adult development
  • Experience leading and managing high-performing teams
• Preferred:
  
  • Strong background in literacy instruction
  • Experience at the network or district level
  • Experience with curriculum implementation and assessment systems

Skills and Competencies:

• Commitment to KIPP KC's mission and values
• Ability to work collaboratively in a diverse environment
• Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Fosters an inclusive environment for students, staff, and families
• Works effectively with colleagues and stakeholders
• Builds strong relationships within the KIPP KC community
• Demonstrated success in leading a diverse team with a commitment to inclusivity and collaboration
• Strong problem-solving skills and data analysis capabilities to drive targeted outcomes
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage families, students, and staff effectively
• In-depth knowledge of special education law, SEL, behavioral intervention strategies, and mental health practices

Additional Information

Physical Requirements:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.
• The person in this position needs to be able to move about inside and outside the school or office throughout the workday.
• The candidate is expected to attend conferences, meetings and training sessions both virtually and in person within the Region.

Work Environment

• Reports to work Monday-Friday.
• Typical school or office environment with frequent interruptions.

Travel Requirements:

• Ability to travel to work location.

Compensation and Benefits:

Competitive salary, commensurate with experience, plus a comprehensive benefits package to support overall well-being.

As a full-time KIPP Kansas City employee, you are eligible to participate in all KIPP Kansas City benefit plans. We offer a comprehensive range of benefits with competitive rates, including medical, dental, and vision options, as well as life insurance, fertility, and disability plans.

KIPP Kansas City is committed to the professional growth and development of our staff. We provide numerous opportunities for advancement, ongoing professional development, and leadership training to help you achieve your career goals.

Selection Process:

Our application process is grounded in equity and fairness, ensuring a just and unbiased selection process. Below is our standard selection process for regional roles:

Selection Process

Application Submission + Resume Review

Phone or Video Interview

If Applicable (Sample work or Performance Task)

Committee Interview(s)

1:1 Chat w/Hiring Manager

Reference Check

Offer Terms

Videos To Watch
https://youtu.be/rVTurdKzeSA
https://youtu.be/XtHWI66n0nw