Senior Director, Major Gifts Officer

Company Description

KIPP Public Schools is a national network of tuition-free public charter schools that prepares students with the skills and confidence to create the future they want for themselves, their communities, and us all. We are a network of 278 schools, nearly 16,500 educators, and nearly 190,000 students and alumni. 

Our mission: Together with families and communities, we create 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. 

Our vision: Every child grows up free to create the future they want for themselves and their communities. 

The KIPP Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports KIPP schools across the country. The KIPP Foundation trains and develops outstanding educators to lead KIPP public schools; provides tools, resources and training for excellent teaching and learning; promotes innovation; and facilitates the exchange of insights and ideas across KIPP and other public schools and organizations. 

About Our Values 

Excellent Results for Students: We value results over effort and know that our work is not finished until all students thrive. We maintain high expectations for self, team, and students. We drive outcomes by operating with agility, removing barriers, differentiating support, and prioritizing student-centered solutions—especially for those at the margins. 

Collective Impact: We are one team. We win together. We embody a one-team mindset by working collaboratively across teams, aligning goals, and leveraging the strengths of all teammates. We build trust-based relationships and ensure inclusive decision-making by engaging those closest to the work. We provide clarity through simple, repeatable systems and goals that enable transformational outcomes. 

Courageous Action: Our belief in what we can achieve is unwavering, fueling our optimism and commitment to overcome any challenge. We demonstrate an unwavering belief in students' potential and a commitment to addressing systemic inequities. We approach challenges with resilience, a solutions-focused mindset, and adaptability. We foster a psychologically safe environment centered on trust and accountability where feedback is encouraged. We

Job Description

About the position 

KIPP Foundation is raising funds to fuel our ambitious plan: One KIPP. Centered on K12 academic excellence, our strategy entails a shift to aligning all regions and schools to a core set of best practices in K8 literacy, K8 math, high school, Match, and leadership development. By implementing these practices with high-quality, we will achieve our goal of having 75% of students ready for positive college and career outcomes. At KIPP’s scale, tens of thousands of students from Black and Latinx communities coast-to-coast will be pursuing college degrees, equipped with the knowledge and skills required to graduate and succeed in their chosen career.  

Expanding the set of champions invested in and engaged with KIPP, at the national and regional level, is critical to deliver our ambition. Under the leadership of Chief Development Officer (CDO) Ben Cope, a longtime KIPP leader with a track record of raising gifts from high net worth individuals and institutions, our talented, passionate development team seeks to add three Senior Directors, Major Gifts who will each play a pivotal role in fueling the One KIPP plan and advancing educational opportunity.  

Reporting to the CDO, each Senior Director, Major Gifts is responsible for: identifying and cultivating individual donors to invest in KIPP at the national and regional level, raising $5-20 million per year, and managing and stewarding major gifts. They will partner with 2-5 KIPP regions to cultivate local donors for joint national and regional investments; this is a new approach to our work, and the person will be shaping the approach alongside our Chief Development Officer. 

The right person will bring a passion for KIPP’s students; an unquenchable drive to meet ambitious goals; and experience inspiring high net worth individuals. They bring the highest level of care and intentionality to their work and are energized by serving as an external leader representing KIPP. The person in this role will join a talented, passionate development team with strong operations and communications capacity.  

Fundraising: Identify and Cultivate Individual Donors 

• Raise $5-20 million per year, primarily from identifying new prospects and managing a portfolio of existing KIPP champions, to fuel KIPP Foundation and regions’ work in pursuit of One KIPP