Managing Director of Data and Information Technology

About the Managing Director of Data and Information Technology: 

The Managing Director of Data and Information Technology position is a leadership role at KIPP Colorado Schools, responsible for the strategic oversight and integration of data systems, educational technology, and IT infrastructure. This position plays a critical role in aligning the network’s technology and data strategies with its mission to provide a high-quality, equitable education to all students. The Managing Director of Data & Technology is responsible for establishing the organization-wide vision and structure for the collection, warehousing, and analyses of academic, operations, talent, and finance data for KIPP Colorado Public Schools. They are the primary liaison between Denver Public Schools, our Home Office, and our schools as it relates to using and maintaining data for the region. The Managing Director of Data & Information Technology will ensure data systems are established and optimized and manage projects that span across different teams in the region. This role will also involve setting an ambitious, yet feasible, plan for ensuring that the organization’s data infrastructure supports the tools needed to effectively monitor student, school, and organizational progress towards key goals and priorities identified by the instructional leadership and data teams. The Managing Director of Data & Information Technology will also be responsible for writing SQL queries upon request and at times supporting the data team around batch and real-time integrations with other information systems, including systems outside of KIPP Colorado Public Schools. The ideal candidate has a deep understanding of the technical and functional aspects of database design and operations, as well as a strong understanding of SQL and other programming languages. This full-time position is a part of our Home Office Team and is a key member of KIPP Colorado’s Leadership Team. The Managing Director of Data & Information Technology will report to the Chief Operations & Strategy Officer.

About KIPP: Together with families and communities, KIPP creates 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. KIPP is a national network of tuition-free, public charter schools open to all students. There are 255 college-preparatory KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 100,000 students. Nationally, KIPP students are graduating four-year colleges at three times the national average for low-income students. 

Who we are: KIPP Colorado Public Schools is a network of six free college-preparatory public charter schools open to all students. Our 350-person staff educates 2,600 students from ECE to 12th grade. At KIPP Colorado, we partner with our KIPPsters, educators, families and communities to ensure that we are all united around the goal of a choice-filled future for our KIPPsters. Our KIPP Forward Team supports our 1,000+ high school Alumni as they create their own paths. Our core values of excellence, belonging, belief, advocacy and courage are central to who we are and how we operate at all levels of our organization.

What we do: We believe in the unique gifts and brilliance of every student. We believe in setting a high bar for joy and academic excellence to ensure the infinite possibilities our students have before them become a reality. We aspire to create and reinforce a culture of achievement, belonging and support. We know that every student is different and we personalize learning based on a student's needs, skills, and interests.

Role Responsibilities and More About How You’ll Spend Your Time in this Role
 

Professional Responsibilities 

• Believe deeply in the mission, values, and Race, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (RIDE) commitments of KIPP Colorado Schools and that all children can and will learn 
• Assume personal responsibility for student achievement 
• Read, internalize, and adhere to the KIPP Colorado Policies and Procedures manual and guidelines
• Provide an active presence, strategic supervision, and intentional monitoring to ensure student safety and engagement in rigorous learning (regardless of my role and its proximity to students)
• Take ownership for the development of your craft (meet 1x/1-2 weeks with a manager, implement feedback, engage in active practice, etc.)
• Commit to being prepared. Such as: internalizing and preparing for lessons; preparing for O3s/coaching, preparing for meetings, coaching, PD, etc. 
• Meet professional obligations including and not limited to meeting deadlines and honoring schedules 
• Consistently leverage existing professional tools, including but not limited to Google Suite (google documents, etc.) and Microsoft Suite (including but not limited to your KIPP Colorado email, Teams chat / meetings, Teams phone, and Microsoft outlook) 
• Maintain strong attendance each day and be on time to all responsibilities
• Collaborate with colleagues and seek feedback in the spirit of continuous improvement 
• Reflect on professional practices to meet individual professional development goals 
• Actively participate in professional development, grade level, and department meetings
• Actively engage and implement in all school-wide and Org wide professional development
• Serve as a positive, contributing member of a grade team or functional team, collaborating with colleagues to tackle common challenges and implement org and grade-wide initiatives
• Share candid, solutions-oriented feedback with peers and leadership on a regular basis, assuring that feedback is shared directly with the intended recipient. Ensure that feedback is focused on improving outcomes and experiences for students
• Assist with both student and staff recruitment and engagement- including events, home visits, calls home, and other determined and related requirements
• Know that you role, professional development, org wide meetings, etc. may require you to travel around Denver to other KIPP Campuses, our Home Office, or other KIPP or PD events 

• Assist with other duties as assigned (such as but not limited to, lunch duty, arrival/dismissal duty, bathroom duty, school support duties, etc.)

One KIPP Requirements for Data systems/SIS Lead 

• Owns student-centered compliance reporting
• Owns or Manages regional SIS product management and reporting
• Manages regional academic system management (e.g., Clever, Illuminate, mCLASS, Great Minds, etc.)
• Manages Regional SIS Management and reporting
  • Oversees system-wide school-start operational processes in the SIS (master schedule set up, centralized gradebook set-up, and the implementation of academic policies)
  • Stores grades at the end of a term when finalized, and conducts regular, systematic audits of grades and GPA data to ensure accuracy 
  • Sets up SIS logins for students and families
  • Continuously elevates and plans for the improved use of regional SIS and Gradebook/Grades management

Point of Contact/Lead for Network Systems & Data Collection

• Serves as a point of contact for one or more of the following:
  • Assessment system(s): Illuminate
  • Staff data collection
  • Student data collection
  • Survey administration (e.g., TNTP)

Data Strategy and Culture

• Lead the development and execution of a district-wide data and technology strategy that aligns with KIPP’s mission to drive student success and operational efficiency.
• Responsible for creating a vision and strategic plan for data, information, and analysis in partnership with the Chief Operations & Strategy Officer, Executive Team, and KIPP Colorado Leadership Team
• Work with Home Office and school leaders to prioritize short- and long-term data needs and ensure the collection, storage, and capacity for analysis and reporting on relevant data sources
• Partner with regional leadership to determine opportunities for standardization of systems and processes across the organization
• Support academic leaders in creating a comprehensive, balanced assessment system ensuring that all assessments produce valuable data with a specific purpose and recommended use for driving student achievement
• Foster a culture of data-driven decision-making across all functions of the organization and champion data as an engine for achieving the organization’s mission
• Collaborate closely with the Data & Technology Team and other stakeholders in analyzing database requirements, developing solutions to ongoing data and reporting needs, and building the tools and innovations that enable our schools to track, maintain, and/or analyze their student and instructional data
• Measure the impact of data strategy and leverage network and external research to surface promising practices in education data to support continuous improvement of data strategy
• Lead procurement and contract management process with data system and technology vendors and recommend allocation of resources to achieve data strategy
• Design systems and data dashboards to provide immediate access to relevant student data and performance information for teachers and school leaders, including survey design and implementation

Data Governance and Infrastructure

• Design and implement a robust data governance framework that ensures data quality, security, and compliance with relevant regulations, including FERPA.
• Oversee the development of KIPP Colorado’s data warehouse and/or infrastructure solution (data model development, ETL process, software tools, and documentation strategy). This includes planning, gathering requirements, and ultimately implementing new systems, technologies, and business practices related to data management
• In partnership with the Senior Director of Regional Operations, oversee the strategy and execution of the annual scheduling and rostering work for the entire KIPP Colorado network to ensure universal schedules, student rosters, and teacher assignments are available in the student information system by Day 1 of each school year
• Manage the environment and maintenance of KIPP Colorado’s data systems including assessment, grade book, student information, and other organization platforms
• In partnership with the Senior Director of Academic Strategy and the Chief Academic Officer, create a strategy for grading practices and grade reporting across multiple systems (e.g., Illuminate, Infinite Campus, etc.)
• Oversee the identification, design, and implementation of internal process improvements: automating processes, optimizing data delivery, re-designing infrastructure for scalability, etc.
• Streamline and improve data collection and management processes. This includes collaborating with regional and school-level operations staff and overseeing projects focused on improving data storage, security, and quality
• Create a data security plan that includes internal security and external sharing norms
• Manage the relationship with the data warehouse and infrastructure vendor(s)
• Direct the documentation of best practices for data management and reporting through the data warehouse; track all customizations

Data Analysis, Application, and Action

• Oversee the creation of high-quality analyses to draw implications from the student, teacher, and organizational data to answer questions for key stakeholders and inform strategic decisions for the school and regional leadership teams
• Determine and oversee the creation of predictive analytics and statistical models to support the academics, operations, and student support teams in allocating resources efficiently and making informed programmatic decisions
• Lead creation and alignment of reports and dashboards with preexisting structures and routines
• Serve as primary contact for all external and internal data requests
• Coordinate the documentation of all data analysis and synthesis methods and processes
• Design data reports and manage a team to build reports in Tableau to visualize data and reporting at multiple levels and altitudes from the KIPP Colorado Board of Directors to teacher classroom level
• Develop and manage the process of collecting data from various places with the support of working and managing consultants or staff
• Design systems and data dashboards to provide immediate access to relevant student data and performance information for teachers and school leaders, including survey design and implementation
• Analyze school and student performance data at the student, classroom, campus, and network levels to identify trends and provide insight into strengths and areas for improvement
• Collaborate with the relevant Home Office Team stakeholders, Principals, KIPP Colorado Board of Directors, and the Executive Team to identify key metrics from the region’s framework and other relevant measures to monitor student, school, and regional progress towards academic goals and inform decision-making

Data Optimization

• Identify appropriate department level owners of various data functions and coordinate the necessary training and support on these functions
• Lead development and design of dashboards and other achievement reports or analyses that answer questions for key stakeholders, provide insight on student, school, and regional academic performance trends and patterns and progress over time
• Conduct analyses of student achievement data and school information with an anti-racist lens using relevant visualization tools

Accountability, Compliance, and State Reporting

• Facilitate accountability by ensuring KIPP Colorado has a good understanding of state and district policies and comparing student data against those policies (e.g. requirements for local and state accountability measures such as CDE Guidelines, etc.)
• Coordinate all logistical aspects of data reporting needs for regulatory agencies (e.g. charter renewals and annual reporting), the KIPP Foundation (annual data collection), and KIPP Colorado’s external stakeholders (e.g. Charter School Growth Fund, grant managers, etc.)
• Lead the regional survey strategy, including creating and executing internal surveys and ensuring completion of required, external surveys (e.g. TNTP KIPP Foundation survey, Q12 Survey, etc.)

Technology - Network Infrastructure & Project Management

• Oversee the planning, deployment, and management of KIPP’s IT infrastructure, ensuring scalability, security, and efficiency.
• Lead efforts to modernize the district’s technology systems, including hardware, software, and cloud services, to support both remote and in-person learning environments.
• Manage IT operations and ensure reliable, secure, and efficient delivery of services, including technical support, network management, and cybersecurity measures.
• Through management of two technology managers, ensure that KIPP Colorado’s network, service, and phone infrastructures are coordinated accordingly
• Lead compliance with all KIPP Colorado technology policies and procedures and federal/state school technology regulations
• Oversee IT support project management, workflow, and development
• Oversee project management of technology purchases for KIPP Colorado to ensure all technology necessary is procured for students and staff annually

Business Intelligence and Analytics 

• Lead the development and deployment of business intelligence (BI) systems, data dashboards, and analytics platforms that provide real-time, actionable insights to staff at all levels.
• Work with various departments to ensure that BI tools and analytics align with instructional and operational goals.

Management and Leadership

• Lead the KIPP Colorado Data & Technology Team by setting team vision and budget, leading strategic planning and goal setting, gauging capacity, and progress monitoring for the work streams of data analytics, data engineering/architecture, student information, state accountability reporting, and data systems and technology
• Manage and coach the Data & Technology Team members to effectively execute the goals and vision of the department
• Present at board meetings and interact with board members as needed
• Participate in the KIPP networks Data Community of Practice
• Help develop short and long-term strategies for the organization
• Hold high standards for project management while empowering others to proactively and creatively problem-solve and model versatility and collaboration for the organization.
• With great empathy, be a consistent champion and proud member of their team
• Encourage participation from all members of the team in ways that feel most comfortable to their team, and seek feedback and ideas from team members at all levels in operating as a leader
• Recruit, mentor, and support a diverse and exceptional team of professionals. Diligently seek opportunities for professional development, acting as a coach and sounding board, and serve as an organizational role model in cultivating a culture of high expectations and support
• Lead and a team of data engineers, IT professionals, and analysts, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure the team is equipped with the skills and tools needed to develop scalable, secure data systems and provide high-quality IT support across the network.
• Create professional development pathways for the IT and data teams, ensuring they stay updated on emerging technologies and industry best practices.
• Collaborate with external vendors, consultants, and service providers to ensure the network is leveraging technology and data solutions.
• Ensure that all IT investments are sustainable and scalable to meet the district’s long-term needs.

Role Level Specifics, Scope of Work, and Level of Responsibility

• For more about how you’ll lead at this level, please visit the KIPP Colorado Role Levels Matrix (this is an internal document, only)

About a Successful Candidate 
 

About the skills and qualifications you will bring to this role: 

• Bachelor's Degree (required)
• More than 8+ years of relevant experience (required)
• Five to eight years of proven experience leading large-scale data governance, IT infrastructure, or business intelligence projects within a K-12 education environment or similar context (required).
• At least 3 years of experience as a classroom instructor or school administrator, with a deep understanding of the educational landscape and the role data and technology play in supporting student outcomes (preferred).
• Three or more years of experience managing a team (preferred)
• A full understanding and Commitment to an Exceptional Student Experience (more about that HERE) (required) 
• Understanding of K-12 or higher education
• Have a proven track record of building organizational capacity to integrate data into decision-making and the capacity to analyze existing systems to engage staff in process improvements
• Previous experience developing and facilitating adult learning/training
• Experience in mapping short- and long-term data strategy for schools or other nonprofit organizations
• Experience coaching others to expand their capacity and meet organizational priorities
• Adept at thinking strategically, translating plans into action, and exhibiting excellent judgment
• Detail oriented with exceptionally strong follow-up and follow-through skills
• Unquestioned integrity and commitment to KIPP Colorado’s mission and values, including a strong commitment to the belief that all children can learn and deserve access to an excellent public education
• Naturally and readily assume responsibility to fix problems and create improvements
• Ability to quickly and effectively build relationships with, motivate, and engage a diverse group of stakeholders
• Skilled at analyzing, interpreting, and using data to collaborate, identify best practices and areas for improvement, and drive results
• Significant experience in database management and reporting; knowledge of data reporting and dashboard tools
• Knowledge of database software and statistical analysis
• Advanced Google Sheets or Excel expertise and skills; ability to develop reports and utilize Google Sheets or Excel tools to achieve database reporting needs as a temporary bridge to a long-term comprehensive technology solution
• Familiarity with relational databases; the ability to write, revise, and use SQL to query databases

Compensation and Benefits

Employee retention and satisfaction is imperative for KIPP Colorado. We seek to provide competitive compensation and benefits including the following:

• Competitive Market Salary: Starting salary for this role begins at $147,900 and is commensurate with experience
  • Please submit a comprehensive resume to assure all your experience is accounted for! Tip: We don't care if your resume is more than one page, we are eager to see and compensate you for all of your experience and accomplishments
• Excellent Healthcare Plan: 100% of employee-only monthly premium paid by KIPP Colorado and options for family enrollment and coverage, through United Healthcare 

• Time Off !!!: More than 6 weeks of annual vacation and Paid Time Off (PTO) 
  • Based on hire date, employees are eligible for up to 8 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) 
  • All employees receive summer break through an organization-wide closure, based on work location and position
  • Access to parental and medical leave: includes 6 weeks paid and 6 weeks unpaid for a total of 12 weeks (after your first year)

• Career Trajectory: Access to opportunity to move up, across schools, and grow your career during weekly coaching sessions to refine your craft

• Mental Health Care: Immediate and ongoing access to mental health support through our Employee Assistance Program

• Technology & Access: Equipment provided: laptop & phone 
• Retirement Planning: Participation in the Colorado PERA retirement program, including a PERA 401k option

• Move to Join Us: Relocation reimbursement (when applicable)
• Additional Pay: Most schools offer various stipend opportunities
• Other Insurance Options: 
  • Wellness reimbursement
  • Voluntary employee, spousal, and child life insurance
  • Voluntary long term disability insurance
  • Voluntary short term disability insurance
  • Optional Basic Life and AD&D Insurance

• Additional Information: For more information, you can view our benefits FAQ here