Major Gifts Officer - West Coast - KIPP Foundation

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 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.  

Collective Impact: We are one team. We win together. 

Courageous Action: Our belief in what we can achieve is unwavering, fueling our optimism and commitment to overcome any challenge.

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 

• Lead the acquisition of new donors and supporters for KIPP Foundation’s national work and KIPP regions’ work locally, including identifying new prospects, crafting engagement plans, and cultivating relationships. To this end, conduct outreach to a minimum of 20 prospective champions annually  

• Develop and execute comprehensive engagement, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship plans for each investor in portfolio 

• Serve as donors’ and prospects’ main point of contact, understanding and being positioned to communicate content and impact of One KIPP, nationally and regionally. As needed, seek input from KIPP Foundation and regional colleagues to fully address donors’ inquiries   

• Align all fundraising efforts to One KIPP priorities, both in pursuit of KIPP Foundation’s revenue goals and regional goals to fund its One KIPP efforts 

Collaboration: Partner with 2-5 KIPP Regions  

• Build relationships with each region--Executive Director, development staff, and/or other regional leaders—to understand local story and needs, set shared fundraising goals, and collaborate on donor engagement 

• Conduct research to gain an understanding of local prospects and, in partnership with regions, build then lead outreach and engagement strategy 

• Partner with KIPP Foundation’s CEO, CDO, and region Executive Directors in relationship-building activities, including organizing regional visits from KIPP Foundation CEO and CDO to engage prospects in one-on-one meetings, small group dinners, and regions’ own events or galas  

• Serve as donors’ key point of contact, coordinating their engagement with KIPP Foundation and region

Skills  

• Mission & Student Focus - Passion for education equity and KIPP’s mission and values (sense of purpose, results, respect, constant learning & humility, and diversity & inclusivity) 

• Relentless Focus on Solutions and Results - Set culturally competent and ambitious goals with team to achieve measurable outcomes; fosters environment in which all systems and processes support high levels of efficiency to ensure that key priorities are accomplished successfully; champions the ongoing spirit of improvement and professional growth across the organization while holding self and teams accountable to results. 

• Communications - Effective communicator who can express KIPP’s brand, strategy, and stories of impact to inspire and motivate philanthropists; design messages that resonate and motivate, and ensuring messages are conveyed in right mediums and right channels to maximize reach and impact 

• Partnership, Alliance-Building, and Stakeholder Management - Can generate excitement, enthusiasm, and commitment across internal and external stakeholders (from students and families to board members and donors to KIPP educators and staff members) to advance KIPP’s Mission; has the interpersonal, diplomatic, and communications skills necessary to develop successful working relationships with diverse constituents.  

• Critical Thinking and Strong Judgement - Ability to problem solve and to navigate and lead through complexity; effectively leverages data effectively for strategic decision-making and driving improvement; can make courageous yet necessary decisions in the interest of students and families with experience working with and in the interests of communities of color; can maintain exemplary integrity, discretion, and cultural competence while working with staff and with confidential/sensitive information.   

• Cultural Competence & Commitment to Equity - A proactive cultural leader and team player who thrives on collaboration and learning; must possess intellectual curiosity and authentic interest in others; can effectively collaborate with teammates across lines of difference 

Experience and Qualifications 

• 10+ years of professional work experience, with a successful track record in fundraising that includes bringing new donors into an organization and maintaining donor relationships long-term  

• Experience working effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative working environment.   

• Experience working in the K-12 or charter school sector is strongly preferred 

Work Conditions 

• Travel requirements: 30% 

• Travel to engage prospects and steward donors, which includes being in each region with which the person is partnered at least two times per year 

• This is a full-time, exempt position 

Location 

It is preferred, but not mandatory for this role to be based out of a KIPP Foundation office.  This role also offers the option of working from a remote office full-time.  KIPP Foundation offices are in NYC and Chicago.    

Compensation and Benefits.    

In compliance with local law, we are disclosing the compensation, or a range thereof, for roles in locations where legally required. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, and relevant experience.  The salary range for this position is $165,000-$195,000.  In addition, KIPP Foundation provides a variety of benefits to employees, including:  

• 25 holidays for + 18 days additional flexible PTO days (flexible PTO increases to 23 days for years 3 and 4 and to 28 days for years 5+). 

• 100% paid parental leave 

• 100% coverage of the premium for employee and 75% for employee + family’s medical/dental/vision plans. 

• Wellness benefits such as fitness reimbursements, discounted tickets to theme parks/attractions, backup care support for children and adults/elders, and our employee assistance program 

• Finance Security benefits include such as a 401K retirement plan with 4% match, employer-sponsored legal plans, life/disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts 

KIPP Foundation embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of the students and communities with whom we work and the world that around them. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status or any other category protected by law.