Director of Communications and Executive Affairs

About the role

KIPP NorCal is a thriving nonprofit network of 23 free, public charter schools open to all students. The Director of Communications and Executive Affairs reports to the Chief External Impact Officer and is a member of the Regional Support Office’s leadership team.

Responsibilities

• Develop and steward KIPP NorCal’s organizational narrative, brand, and communications strategy across internal and external audiences, ensuring KIPP NorCal speaks with a consistent, high-impact voice across every audience and channel.

• Leverage a deep understanding of KIPP NorCal’s mission, vision, and organizational goals to develop and oversee impactful communications across internal and external stakeholder groups.

• Ensure the KIPP NorCal brand and visual identity are reflected and reinforced in print and digital collateral, and across schools and the RSO.

• Design touchpoints and build systems to ensure internal and external stakeholders are inspired by our 2030 vision and goals, draw connections to how those translate to annual initiatives and key results, and are informed of progress at a regular cadence.

• Lead coordinated communications and media relations during critical or sensitive moments, strengthening reputation, stakeholder trust, and leadership effectiveness.

• Provide input on KIPP NorCal's public positions, lead media relations, and serve as the organization’s spokesperson as needed.

• Coordinate and collaborate with the KIPP Foundation and other KIPP regions on cross-regional campaigns, knowledge sharing, and best practices.

• Set direction on the RSO's organizational rhythm, including the strategy and design of all-staff meetings, leadership events, and culture practices, so staff feel connected to the mission and to each other.

• Oversee CEO communications (i.e. speeches, all-staff emails, talking points, internal and external presentations) to ensure they are high quality and reflect clear messaging, differentiated by stakeholder group.

• Produce and oversee cascading communications for key updates and announcements.

• Oversee strategy to ensure CEO visibility and relationship-building across internal and external audiences.

• Provide strategic planning support to the CEO as needed, i.e. content creation for leadership team meetings and offsites.

• Design and oversee strategy for effective Board governance practices, ensuring that board governance systems are executed with a high degree of quality and fidelity.

• Oversee the process to deliver high-quality, compliant board packets.

• Ensure quarterly board meetings are engaging, effective, and compliant.

• Serve as staff lead for the Board Governance Council, leading the annual rhythm of governance activities including new board member recruitment.

• Manage a three-person team, setting clear expectations, monitoring performance, and making timely promotion and exit decisions.

• Build a strong team culture of continuous learning, strengths-based coaching, and productive collaboration, ensuring each team member has the development support and stretch challenges needed to grow.

• Shape department systems for project management, planning, and progress monitoring so the team operates with clarity and consistency.

• Own and allocate the department’s annual budget, making strategic resource decisions that steward organizational resources wisely.

Qualifications

• 7-10 years experience in communications and/or brand management

• People management experience required

• Executive / board support experience preferred

• Bachelor’s degree required

• Masters degree preferred

Skills

• Strategic and operational leader with the ability to translate vision into clear priorities, systems, and measurable outcomes

• Excellent writing, communication, narrative-building, and presentation skills

• Extraordinary attention to detail, both in planning and execution

• Strong judgment and decision making skills

• Ability to forge highly productive relationships with multiple stakeholders, such as senior leadership, site leadership, and board members

• Time management, problem solving and project management abilities

• Discretion, integrity and ability to handle confidential information