About KIPP Bay Area Schools
In the San Francisco Bay Area, KIPP schools are closing the achievement gap. We operate free, college-preparatory public schools that are located in San Francisco, San Jose, San Lorenzo, Oakland and Redwood City. Our mission is to operate high quality public schools in educationally underserved communities, developing in our students the knowledge, skills and character essential to thrive in college and positively impact the world. We support our students to attend and successfully graduate from college.
KIPP Bay Area Schools ranks in the top ten percent of all public school districts in California. KIPP Bay Area Schools is in the midst of an ambitious growth plan to more than quadruple the number of students served by 2020, and significantly increase the number of low-income students from the communities we serve who graduate from college.
KIPP (The Knowledge is Power Program) began in 1994 in Houston, Texas. Today, there are 183 KIPP schools in 20 states and Washington, D.C. serving 70,000 students. KIPP Bay Area Schools serves nearly 4,000 students, has over 350 employees, and operates with an annual budget exceeding $45M.
Position Overview
The Finance Manager is a key member of the KIPP team and reports to the Assistant Director of Finance. S/he will provide strategic decision support as financial advisor to key stakeholders, including our principals, senior leaders, and budget managers. S/he will work with the finance team to model and assess the financial impact and efficacy of various strategies that span the organization, including faculty compensation, recruitment and retention, facility construction, and school-based spending. Additionally, S/he will utilize technical and analytical skills to ensure our long term financial forecasts are prudent, realistic, and elegant.
The ideal candidate for this position will have proven financial analysis, communication, leadership, analytical thinking, and project management skills. Additionally, s/he will have solid independent judgment and decision-making skills, and a history of managing diverse groups of internal and external stakeholders through influence or direct supervision. We are looking for someone who is passionate about KIPP’s mission, and shows an eagerness to learn and embody the KIPP mantra “Work Hard. Be Nice.”
The Finance Manager will be based out of our Regional Support Office (RSO) in downtown Oakland (BART accessible). This position is available immediately.
Roles and Responsibilities: Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Serve as financial advisor to schools and within the regional support office
Serve as a hands-on financial advisor to principals and regional leaders on spending decisions
Sit down with principals on a quarterly basis to review and revise financial forecasts for a portfolio of five schools
Support our founding West Oakland elementary school leader in creating a financially sustainable multi-year school model that achieves her academic vision
Assess financial impact of potential compensation and other strategies to recruit, develop, and retain top talent
Develop an affordable facilities strategy in partnership with the facilities team
Create negative contingency plans to equip our schools with off-the-shelf plans in preparation for future economic downturns
Analyze trends in spending to improve resource allocation and maximize student outcomes
Pilot an analysis of per pupil spending by subject in order to align school leader priorities with spending
Explore analyses of return on investment for various programmatic strategies
Research and surface the financials underpinning innovative school models to offer founding school leaders alternative models backed by sustainable financials
Support development of a sustainable $50M+ budget for 2016-17 and forward
Create multi-year budget with prudent, realistic revenue forecasts, meeting long-term targets
Collaborate with principals to develop sustainable school budgets
Create a budget tool that school leaders can use to assess the financial impact of budgeting decisions
Update long-term financial plan, particularly in the areas of new schools, staffing, and technology integration
Research enterprise forecasting software such as Adaptive Planning to ensure scalable management of our financial model
Other
Collaborate with the three other members of the finance team to set priorities, adjust the current workflow as necessary, and establish a vision for future finance projects
Support the Finance Associate in the creation of financial reports for various stakeholders through thought partnership and quality control
Skills and Qualifications
Unquestioned integrity and commitment to KIPP Bay Area Schools’ mission. Firm belief that all children will learn and can achieve at high levels
Strong understanding of and experience with financial analysis, planning, and reporting
Adept at thinking strategically, translating plans into action, and exhibiting excellent judgment
Skilled at analyzing data to identify best practices and areas for improvement, and drive results
Ability to self‐direct, prioritize among competing goals, and exhibit flexibility in a fast‐paced, entrepreneurial environment
Ability to clearly communicate complex financial concepts to teammates outside of finance
Outstanding project management, and coordinates and maximizes the contributions of others
Ability to quickly and effectively build relationships with, motivate, and engage a diverse group of stakeholders
Excellent writing, speaking, and presenting skills, and a keen attention to detail
Very high level of skill in Microsoft Excel, including financial analysis and modeling, required
Working knowledge of accounting, accounting software, and finance workflow solutions
Bachelor’s degree
How to apply
To Apply
Submit a detailed cover letter outlining your specific interest in this position and your relevant experience and a resume online via http://kippcareers.force.com/JobDetail?id=a0Xd000000644N2. Applications without cover letters will not be considered.
Email Anthony Fowler at careers@kippbayarea.org with any questions.
KIPP Bay Area Schools is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin. We are strongly committed to hiring a diverse and multicultural staff and encourage applications from traditionally under-represented backgrounds.