Senior Director, IT Operations

Company Description

About the Organization 

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 public charter schools across the country. The KIPP Foundation helps to develop outstanding educators to lead KIPP schools; provides tools and resources 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 leverage data to reflect on progress, own setbacks, celebrate successes, and continuously improve to maximize impact. 

Job Description

About The Position 

The KIPP Foundation is seeking a Senior Director of IT Operations to lead the day-to-day operations of technology, infrastructure, and end-user support services across the KIPP Foundation. In this role, you will oversee core IT operations—including data center and cloud environments, network reliability, vendor coordination, and incident response—ensuring that systems remain resilient, secure, and aligned with organizational needs.   

The Senior Director will report to the Vice President of Technology and collaborate closely with Foundation teams, regional IT leaders, and external partners to drive operational excellence. You will lead a team of engineers responsible for IT operations, executing strategic plans, and will serve as a key escalation point for complex technical issues. This role is ideal for a leader who can develop and translate strategic direction into dependable systems and services which will support the Foundation’s mission and day-to-day work.  

Responsibilities 

Team Leadership and Development 

• Lead, coach, and develop a diverse team of IT professionals, fostering a culture of trust, accountability, and high performance. 

• Promote continuous learning and career growth by implementing professional development plans, mentoring opportunities, and performance feedback loops. 

• Manage and direct data center and vendor personnel to provide multi-level support and timely resolution of operational issues.  

Drive Development and Oversee Execution of the Technology Vision 

• Partner with technology leadership to develop the Foundation’s long-term technology strategy, contributing operational insight to planning, prioritization, and roadmap development. 

• Develop and communicate technology goals with leadership and translate into clear, actionable initiatives with defined milestones, ownership, and measurable outcomes. 

• Align technology operations with the Foundation’s mission and values by integrating scalable, secure, and equitable practices across all systems and services.