Director, Culinary Expansion

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. The KIPP NYC Culinary Team, established in 2016, reimagines school food by providing fresh, scratch-cooked, nutritious, and delicious meals at no cost to students or families. Today, the team serves nearly 10,000 students across 18 schools and will complete its network-wide expansion in Fall 2026. KIPP NYC was awarded a Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant to develop the KIPP NYC Culinary Institute—a central production and teaching kitchen, commissary, and workforce development hub in the Bronx.

About the role

Reporting to the Executive Director of Culinary, the Director of Culinary Operations will manage projects related to the expansion of the KIPP NYC Culinary Team, including stewardship of the farm-to-school infrastructure grant to establish the KIPP NYC Culinary Institute. This role will build the Institute to innovate large-scale scratch-cooking for school meals, create new market opportunities in the state food system, and serve as a learning and career hub for students and communities. This is a full-time, in-person position requiring on-site work five days per week, based in New York City.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead the operational execution for the expansion of the Culinary Institute as part of the KIPP Culinary team.
• Ensure the program is fiscally sound in accordance with the budget and grant, and compliant with KIPP NYC finance & accounting policies.
• Strengthen systems and processes to improve clarity, efficiency, and decision-making across the Culinary Team.
• Document and institutionalize key workflows, decisions, and organizational knowledge.
• Support prioritization and management of the Executive Director of Culinary’s time, focus, and key initiatives.
• Partner with the Executive Director of Culinary to refine the vision for the KIPP NYC Culinary Institute.
• Partner with the Real Estate Project Manager to develop and manage project plans, including timelines, KPIs, resource allocation, and evaluation.
• Manage all compliance and reporting measures related to the farm-to-school infrastructure grant.
• Lead complex, cross-functional initiatives from planning through execution, ensuring alignment to student outcomes.
• Use data to identify priorities, inform decision-making, and drive continuous improvement.
• Prepare high-quality materials for senior leadership and funders, including presentations, reports, and strategic plans.
• Serve as the main point of contact with the NY Gov Economic Development Program Specialist for the $5M Regional School Food Infrastructure grant.
• Refine the budget and org charts for the Culinary Institute.
• Ensure the project meets necessary deadlines and milestones.
• Partner with local and state organizations to develop a Career Pathways program plan/timeline.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in management or leadership preferred.
• Experience leading multiple, simultaneous cross-functional initiatives with senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Ability to use data to identify insights into business outcomes and communicate findings to leadership.
• Excellent project management skills, including planning, needs assessment, fit-gap analysis, and resource management.
• Demonstrated success in managing a budget and understanding detailed financial statements.
• Ability to identify operational issues and recommend and implement solutions.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to develop working relationships, drive results, collaborate, and influence stakeholders without direct management authority.
• Highly proficient in Excel, Google Sheets, Asana, and other Microsoft/Google suite products for presentations, communications, analysis, and project management.
• A demonstrated passion for and commitment to public education, social justice, and KIPP NYC’s mission.
• Deep commitment to KIPP NYC’s core values: zest, grit, hope, social intelligence, gratitude, and a sense of humor.

Benefits

• Robust medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• 403(b) retirement plan with a 50% match after 6 months.
• Generous time-off aligned with the school calendar.
• Up to 12 weeks of 100% paid parental leave.
• Bright Horizon Back-up Child and Elder care.
• Employer-paid Life Insurance and Short-term/Long-term disability.
• 8 weeks paid Sabbatical after 10 years of service.
• Annual professional development funds.
• Tuition reimbursement.

Pay

KIPP NYC offers a salary ranging from $105,060 to $131,840 per year, standardized based on role level and function, with adjustments for relevant experience and scope of responsibilities.