Senior Manager, Communications

Job Description

About The Position 

The Senior Manager, Communications shapes how KIPP’s CEO and senior executives show up in front of the audiences that matter most — educators, families, partners, policymakers, and the KIPP network itself. This role is the strategic and operational engine behind executive communications: securing and staffing high-impact speaking engagements, authoring network-wide communications on behalf of the CEO, and stewarding the stories that translate KIPP’s priorities into clear, resonant messages for staff and external audiences. In addition, this role owns and delivers a defined set of non-executive communications for internal and network audiences—planning, drafting, and managing materials that ensure consistent, high-quality messaging across the Foundation and regions. 

Reporting to the Vice President, Marketing and Communications, this role partners closely with the Office of the CEO, Media Relations, Schools, Development, and Regional Leaders to deliver communications that inform, align, and mobilize. Success demands sharp writing across multiple executive voices, disciplined judgment about which moments warrant executive investment, and strong cross-functional collaboration to deliver on tight timelines. This role is ideal for a communicator who thrives on high-stakes deliverables, moves work through competing priorities with clarity, and finds meaning in stewarding the narrative of a network working every day to expand opportunity for students. 

Responsibilities 

Foundation, Network-and External Communications 

• Partner with Operations, the Office of the CEO, Schools, and Development to produce high-quality, on-message communications to network-and external-facing audiences. 

• Lead development of the monthly CEO note, Regional Leader email, and the KIPP Foundation Digest. 

• Translate complex organizational priorities and complex data sets into clear, compelling narratives tailored to each audience, sharpening each piece until it reinforces trust and alignment across the network. 

• Build and maintain the editorial calendar and review protocols that keep communications timely, consistent, and coordinated across departments. 

Executive Platform & Speaking Engagements 

• Secure high-impact speaking engagements for the CEO and, as applicable, other KF executives, targeting venues that align with KIPP’s strategic priorities and visibility goals. 

• Deliver full-service support for every engagement — talking points, host prep, slides, briefing memos — so executives arrive ready and leave with strong downstream impact. 

• Partner with the head of Media Relations to convert executive activity into earned media placements that extend reach and reinforce KIPP’s priority narratives. 

Storytelling & Cross-Departmental Content 

• Serve as the department-wide owner of stories that inform network-wide and external communications, sourcing the right narratives from across teams and regions. 

• Maintain a running bank of evidence, anecdotes, and data points that strengthen executive communications and extend into network-facing and external channels. 

• Contribute to team operations, cross-functional planning, and continuous improvement of communications workflows as part of organizational stewardship. 

Qualifications

Skills and Mindsets 

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

• Self Management: Demonstrated record of co-creating ambitious goals with their manager and driving outcomes with consistency. Monitors progress across multiple workstreams, leverages the team’s operating model, and works effectively through peers and cross-functional stakeholders to hit deadlines and meet goals.  

• Work Management: Drives own work through clear action planning across competing priorities. Creates and executes project plans through strong stakeholder partnership; delegates and coordinates effectively; contributes to knowledge management systems that the team relies on. 

• Problem Solving: Generates solutions to problems that extend beyond their direct workstream. Breaks large or ambiguous problems into tractable steps and takes initiative to unblock progress without waiting to be asked. 

• Communication and Change Management: Builds communications plans that generate team and stakeholder buy-in. Leads change efforts through clear, compelling messaging and serves as a change champion with peers across functions. 

Experience and Qualifications 

• 7+ years of progressive experience in communications, including executive communications, speechwriting, or high-stakes strategic writing for senior leaders. 

• Demonstrated writing ability across multiple executive voices — able to produce on-message, audience-tailored content that reads authentically for each leader.Proven record of driving complex communications workstreams, from editorial calendars to Board-level communications, with sharp attention to timing, tone, and accuracy. 

• Strong track record of securing and staffing high-impact speaking engagements, including identifying the right venues, preparing executives thoroughly, and converting activity into earned media. 

• Demonstrated ability to translate data, trends, and strategy into compelling narratives, including pairing written work with visuals that reinforce the message.  

• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills; able to source information, align stakeholders, and deliver polished work on tight deadlines. 

• Experience pitching and engaging reporters is preferred. 

• Experience in K-12 education, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations preferred. 

Additional Information

Work Conditions 

• Travel: Moderate Travel: 11-20% (20-40 days per year)  

• Full, exempt role 

Location 

It is preferred, but not mandatory for this role to be based out of a KIPP Foundation office. This role also 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 $104,000-$123,500. 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 + family’s 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’s 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.