Senior Manager of Internal Communications - KIPP Texas Public Schools

KIPP Texas Public Schools is a network of 59 public charter, open-enrollment, pre-k-12 schools educating nearly 34,000 students across Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Together with families and communities, our mission is to 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.

Founded in Houston in 1994, and operating as KIPP Texas since 2018, our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism in our classrooms, in our offices, and in the communities we serve is unwavering. We are looking to hire a diverse team of dynamic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals with an unyielding belief that every child will succeed. Join our Team and Family and champion equity, chase excellence, persist with purpose, bring joy, and help us rise together.

KIPP Texas is part of the national KIPP network of 255 college-preparatory public charter schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Nationwide, KIPP students complete four-year college at a rate of 36 percent, comparable to the national average for all students and approximately three times higher than the average of students from low-income communities.

You can see all our job opportunities at https://kipptexas.org/join-our-team/.

The Senior Manager of Internal Communications will manage and distribute routine and critical information to key stakeholders in the organization, including staff, parents, and students. They will serve as support with programming for signature and secondary events, the intranet, KIPP’s internal (staff) communications strategy, and organizational messaging. Under their leadership and in partnership with the various cross-functional teams, KIPP Texas will continue to elevate and increase brand awareness of its high-performing public charter schools, student success, and commitment to the mission of a right for education for everyone. This work will take place in all four KIPP Texas regions: Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.

Duties and Essential Job Functions:

● Develop and oversee internal communications, which includes but is not limited to:

• Serve as editor and content advisor for internal communications at KIPP Public Schools to ensure internal communications at KIPP Texas is timely, consistent, and rooted in a scalable and sustainable strategic framework as KIPP’s employee population continues to grow.
• Intranet: Support with the continued development, implementation, and management of KIPP’s intranet site, which should be the go-to source for all communications.
• KIPP’s Blog: KIPP generates owned blog content 2-3/week to help share news, announcements, and information with our key audiences.
• Internal Publications: Manage and distribute the bi-weekly & Around KIPP Texas & newsletter. Responsibilities include sourcing content, drafting, publishing, and sending. In addition, support and train regional staff so they can successfully craft and send regional newsletters.
• Staff Communications: Develop and distribute all-staff emails, help lead multiple all-staff calls annually, and develop a robust internal communications strategy to build affiliation and pride among staff while consistently informing them of important information and context.
• Event Programming: Support and manage your team to develop best-in-class programming, remarks and speeches, and memorable event experiences for KIPP’s Team & Family. Develop scripts, programming, oversee training and prep, and help manage logistics and the run-of-show management for KIPP’s signature and secondary events.
• Other Communication-related tasks as needed.

Required Education and Experience

● Bachelor’s degree required
● Strong writing skills in English and Spanish (preferred)
● Experience: 5+ years of full-time professional experience required
● The persistence and grit of being a self-starter and problem-solver who takes the lead, navigate challenges deftly, and can adjust an approach based on cultural environment and results to make a lasting impact;
● The ability to work independently in a remote environment where your co-workers and peers are spread out across the state of Texas;
● A competency and familiarity with using various forms of current and new technology (including collaboration, intranet, newsletter, and video platforms, etc.) to support and enhance communication across dispersed teams and to deliver key messages in creative ways to different audiences;
● Attention to detail and experience in writing internal and external communications, messaging, and leveraging communications to build organizational culture;
● Evidence of high-level organizational and analytical skills, as well as the ability to manage and coordinate multiple projects and tasks simultaneously.
● A philosophy of best practices AND adjusting to an ever-changing environment and diverse
audiences;
● Commitment to finding new voices and stories;
● Cultural competency allows the ability to relate to and communicate with staff and parents from diverse cultural, language, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds;
● Strong work ethic coupled with critical thinking skills and an enthusiastic and passionate approach to the work;
● Ability to occasionally travel to Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and/or San Antonio;

Preferred Education and Experience
● Master’s degree in applicable field
● Spanish speaking and writing

Physical Requirements:
• Ability to work , sitting, lifting, and driving.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

Work Environment: 
● Ability to work remotely and in a hybrid environment
● Considerable time is spent at a desk using a computer/laptop
● Attending conferences or training sessions

● Typical office environment with frequent interruptions
● This role can be based in the following locations with KIPP Texas Public Schools: Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio.

Travel Requirements:
● Ability to travel to various KIPP Texas Regions when needed, travel time not to exceed 10%.
● Travel may include consecutive days requiring overnight stay with KIPP paying for appropriate work-related expenses (hotel, transportation, food, etc.).
● Travel transportation may include car, bus, or air.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary is based on years of experience, degree of education, and level of expertise.

As a full-time KIPP Texas employee you are eligible to participate in all KIPP Texas’ benefit plans. KIPP Texas offers a robust variety of benefits choices with competitive rates, including medical, dental, and vision options, life insurance,  fertility, and disability plans starting as low as $25/month.

KIPP provides equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.