Managing Director, Marketing & Communications

Company Description

About KIPP NYC:
Founded in 1995, KIPP NYC Public Schools is a non-profit network of 18 free, public charter schools located in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. We partner with families and communities to create joyful, academically excellent schools where every child grows up free to create the future they want for themselves and their communities.

From our first middle school, KIPP Academy in the Bronx, to today’s network of eight elementary schools, nine middle schools, and one high school, KIPP NYC provides students with engaging academics, arts, athletics, and social–emotional learning that prepare them for college, career, and beyond.

Our commitment doesn’t end at graduation. Through KIPP Forward, we continue to support our alumni as they navigate college, career, and life, helping them define success on their own terms and pursue the paths that align with their goals and sense of purpose.

Together, we serve more than 9,400 students, support 4,700 alumni, and employ over 1,100 dedicated team members who bring passion, expertise, and commitment to our mission every day.

Job Description

Position Overview

As the Managing Director of Marketing & Communications, you will co-design and lead the work that shapes KIPP NYC’s 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 aren’t just managing a department; you are steering a brand that serves as a launchpad for 14,000+ 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 NYC’s 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 (Oct–June) 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 NYC’s 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 dep