KIPP Forward Director

Company Description

About KIPP Miami 

KIPP Miami is part of the KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) national nonprofit network of college-preparatory, public charter schools educating elementary, middle and high school students. KIPP has a 25-year track record of preparing students for success in college and life. Founded in 2018, KIPP Miami operates two nonprofit charter schools in Greater Miami’s Urban Core community. Currently, KIPP Miami educates students in grades K-4 at KIPP Royalty Academy and 5-8 middle school students at KIPP Courage Academy, and is opening three new schools in the 2026-2027 school year.

Opening with an inaugural ninth-grade class and growing to serve grades 9–12, KIPP Miami Tech will provide students with the academic foundation, professional skills, and real-world experiences necessary to excel in college or career pathways.

KIPP Miami Tech will offer three specialized career academies: Business, Commercial & Digital Arts, and Technology. Students will be able to graduate not only with a high school diploma, but also with college credits, industry-recognized credentials, and hands-on experience that provide a head start on their futures.

Job Description

The KIPP Forward Director plays a critical role in building the foundation for students’ long-term success, as well as laying the framework for a strong KIPP Forward department. This founding role supports 9th grade students in developing early college and career knowledge, skills, and mindsets, while guiding them through course selection, certifications, and dual enrollment opportunities that prepare them for high-quality career and postsecondary pathways, while simultaneously managing the vision, supporting systems and hiring to create a world-class counseling department.

Team Leadership & Department Founding

In Year 1 (Founding Year)

• Serve as both Director and primary counselor, directly advising the inaugural 9th grade class while establishing foundational systems, structures, and practices for a robust KIPP Forward program.
• Develop and codify the department’s vision, mission, and key performance indicators in alignment with KIPP Miami’s college and career readiness goals.
• Build and pilot data systems, advising protocols, family engagement strategies, and cross-department collaboration structures that can scale as additional grades and staff are added.
• Partner with school leadership to ensure KIPP Forward is embedded into the fabric of the school’s academic and cultural program.

In Years 2 and Beyond (Team Growth)

• Recruit, hire, onboard, and coach a high-performing team of counselors and advisors as the department expands with each subsequent grade level.
• Provide ongoing professional development, observation/feedback cycles, and team retreats that grow staff expertise in postsecondary counseling, student advising, and data-driven practice.
• Establish a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement across the department.
• Develop succession planning and leadership opportunities (“building a bench”) within the counseling team to ensure long-term sustainability of the program
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with academic leadership, college/career partners, and regional/national KIPP Forward staff to align on best practices and maximize opportunities for students.

Advising & Student Programming

• Conduct ongoing 1:1 check-ins with students beginning in 9th grade to:
  • Assess their passion, purpose, and postsecondary plan.
  • Monitor progress toward credit accumulation, diploma distinctions, and CTE certifications.
  • Guide them in making informed and strategic course selections aligned with graduation requirements, Academy offerings and future goals, in partnership with the Director of Academic Operations, to maximize certification attainment, diploma distinctions and pathways to college matriculation
  • Provide behavioral, attendance and academic support and problem solving to ensure students remain on track for on-time and accomplished graduation
• Support attendance initiatives through student and family engagement
• Coordinate school-wide college and career exposure events (special programming days, family night, etc), as well as executive functioning workshops,  in collaboration with grade-level leadership
• Plan and lead college and career visits off-campus
• Support students with 3.5+ GPA in submitting quality applications to  and ultimately enrolling in strong, vetted pre-college programs, internships and dual enrollment courses during the summer
• Consistently cultivate, monitor and share key opportunities for students to further their college & career readiness in and out of school (parti