KIPP Public Schools
Director of Recruitment
🇺🇸 Philadelphia, PA
🕑 Full-Time
💰 $95K - $105K
💻 Project Management
🗓️ November 26th, 2025
K-12
Edtech.com's Summary
KIPP is hiring a Director of Recruitment to lead recruitment strategies and early engagement efforts for KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools. The role focuses on partnering with school leaders to attract diverse, mission-aligned talent and ensuring new hires are supported and prepared to join the community.
Highlights
- Lead regional recruitment strategy and partner with Principals to meet staffing needs.
- Manage recruitment operations including Smart Recruiters system, job postings, interviews, and offers.
- Design and implement early engagement programs to support new educators and staff through onboarding.
- Analyze hiring and retention data to inform recruitment and talent management decisions.
- Use Smart Recruiters and other HR tools; familiarity with Google Workspace, Teams, Slack, Zoom preferred.
- Requires 4+ years working in education settings serving diverse communities; teaching experience preferred.
- Strong relationship-building, data analysis, communication, and organizational skills required.
- Bachelor’s degree required; ability to conduct school visits and attend occasional evening/weekend events.
- Salary range $95,000-$105,000 annually, with comprehensive health benefits and 403B matching program.
- Supports KIPP’s mission of educational equity and serves 3,400 students across eight schools in Philadelphia.
Director of Recruitment Full Description
Company Description
About KIPP
KIPP Public Schools is a national network of tuition-free public charter schools preparing students with the skills and confidence needed to create the futures they want for themselves, their communities, and us all. We are a network of 279 schools, nearly 16,500 educators, and 210,000 students and alumni. KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools (KPPS) is part of the national KIPP Public Schools network and currently leads eight schools serving 3,400 students in North and West Philadelphia. By 2030, KPPS will be serving approximately 4,000 students.
KPPS Mission
Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.
Life at KPPS
At KPPS, we believe that talented, committed, and culturally competent educators and staff are the foundation of our students' success. We work to create a professional community grounded in joy, candor, care, and connection – where every team member can bring their authentic self, grow in their craft, and contribute to meaningful work. Here is what you can expect:
- Commitment to Anti-Racism & Equity: Join a team dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers and creating inclusive, culturally responsive schools where all students and staff can thrive.
- Joyful, Inclusive Community: Work in a collaborative, identity-affirming environment that values relationships, celebrates individuality, and supports the well-being of adults and children alike.
- Competitive & Equitable Compensation: Benefit from transparent compensation structures, including performance-based bonuses that recognize meaningful contributions.
- Professional Growth & Leadership Pathways: Access high-quality development – including coaching, workshops, and tailored leadership opportunities – designed to support your long-term career trajectory.
- Authenticity & Belonging: Be part of a culture that encourages you toshow up as your full self and contribute to a community rooted in trust and respect.
- People-Centered Excellence: Join colleagues who believe strong relationships and thoughtful preparation drive excellent outcomes—for students and for staff.
- Comprehensive Well-Being Support: Receive whole-person support through coaching, mental health resources, wellness initiatives, and team-building experiences that prioritize your professional and personal growth.
Job Description
Reporting to the Managing Director of Strategic Workforce Management, the Director of Recruitment ensures that KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools are fully staffed with talented, diverse, mission-aligned educators and staff. This leader is responsible for driving effective recruitment strategies and implementing strong early-engagement systems that help new hires feel welcomed, supported, and prepared to join the KPPS community. The role centers on two main functions:
1. Lead and Execute Regional Recruitment Strategy
The Director partners closely with Principals and regional leaders to understand staffing needs, execute high-quality recruitment and selection processes, and ensure candidates have positive, professional experiences. This includes optimizing Smart Recruiters, analyzing hiring data, implementing innovative sourcing and outreach strategies, advising Principals on talent management, and contributing to broader People Team initiatives that strengthen KPPS’s educator pipeline.
2. Implement Candidate & Early Engagement Systems
The Director serves as the main point of contact for prospective educators and staff from initial interest through offer acceptance and the transition to KPPS. For those who join the organization, the Director designs and delivers differentiated early-engagement strategies – connecting new hires to People Team supports, school leaders, and onboarding resources to ensure they feel welcomed and prepared for success. For candidates not moving forward, the Director ensures a timely, respectful, and values-aligned experience.
Key Responsibilities:
Do you have experience supporting schools in under-resourced communities? Are you passionate about educational equity and committed to attracting and supporting great educators who positively impact student outcomes? If so, this role may be an excellent fit. The ideal Director builds strong relationships, partners comfortably with school leaders, and uses data to continually strengthen recruitment and early-engagement practices.
Recruitment Strategy Implementation & Principal Partnership (30%)
- Collaborate with the Managing Director of Strategic Workforce Management to forecast talent needs, identify hard-to-fill roles, and design targeted sourcing strategies that support long-term workforce planning.
- Collaborate with the People Team to analyze recruitment, hiring and retention data; develop targeted strategies to strengthen the educator pipeline.
- Serve as a thought partner and subject-matter expert on recruitment and early engagement for the KPPS People Team.
- Partner with Principals to understand current and projected staffing needs including the role expectations, candidate profiles, and school specific nuances.
- Source high-quality talent through proactive outreach, including referrals, job boards, social platforms, networking, and career fairs, cultivating relationships with strong candidates over time.
- Conduct regular school visits to immerse yourself in school communities, build strong relationships with Principals, and stay connected to each school’s culture and needs.
- Host and support candidates throughout the interview process, ensuring a warm, equitable and rigorous experience and support Principals to implement a consistent, high-quality selection model.
- Maintain accurate, up-to-date recruitment and hiring data in talent systems to inform strategic decision-making and team planning.
- Hold routine check-ins with Principals to review hiring progress, gather feedback on recent hires and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Collaborate with People Team leaders to analyze historical retention and employee engagement data and use insights to inform recruitment and retention strategies.
- Provide feedback and recommendations on talent initiatives, recruitment systems, and Principal training to strengthen overall talent practices.
- Ability to manage up, provide strategic recommendations, and communicate clearly with senior leaders.
- Participate in local and national recruitment networks and professional learning communities to build partnerships and bring innovative practices to KPPS.
Recruitment Logistics & Operations (40%)
- Lead the planning and coordination of interviews, ensuring Principals and candidates are fully prepared and that all logistics support an efficient, positive experience.
- Manage job postings and application screening within Smart Recruiters, our applicant tracking system, ensuring consistent, timely and equitable processes.
- Develop clear, compelling job descriptions aligned with KPPS branding, legal requirements, and talent strategy.
- Oversee reference checks and manage the offer process, including drafting and issuing offer letters.
- Coordinate and participate in recruitment outreach events, ensuring strong representation of KPPS and positive candidate experiences.
- Demonstrate flexibility during peak hiring seasons, including occasional evenings and weekends, proactively responding to the team’s highest-priority needs.
- Perform additional recruitment, selection, onboarding, or training responsibilities as assigned by the Managing Director of Strategic Workforce Management.
Educator and Staff Persistence & Cohort Management (20%)
- Support new educators and staff from offer acceptance, through their first day, ensuring a smooth, well-supported transition into KPPS.
- Build strong relationships with prospective hires to understand their motivations, needs, and potential barriers to joining or remaining with KPPS.
- Connect new hires to the appropriate internal supports — People Team, school leaders, resources, and onboarding systems — to strengthen early engagement and belonging.
- Design and identify engagement opportunities throughout the hiring and onboarding process that foster connection to the KPPS community and promote long-term retention.
Individual Development (10%)
- Seek and apply feedback to continuously strengthen effectiveness and impact in the role.
- Stay current on emerging best practices in K-12 and nonprofit recruitment, sourcing, and early-engagement strategies.
- Engage with KIPP Foundation training tools, and communities of practice, integrating relevant best practices into KPPS talent systems.
Qualifications:
- 4+ years of experience working in schools, districts, or education organizations serving diverse, under-resourced communities; prior teaching experience (preferred)
- Experience in talent acquisition, educator recruitment, hiring, or related people-focused roles; or equivalent school-based leadership experience
- Experience using HR and recruitment tools (SmartRecruiters required; familiarity with Google Workspace, Teams, Slack, Zoom, and HRIS systems preferred) to drive collaborative, transparent hiring processes
- Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills, with the ability to connect quickly and authentically with diverse stakeholders
- Strong data analysis skills and the ability to use insights to drive decisions and improve systems
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills – clear, professional, and compelling
- Highly organized; able to manage multiple workstreams, meet deadlines, and maintain accurate information
- Demonstrated ability to navigate change, solve problems, and work effectively in an ambiguous, fast-paced environment
- Commitment to equity, belief in the potential of all students, and alignment with KPPS’s mission and values.
- Openness to feedback, continuous learning, and personal/professional growth
- Bachelor’s degree is required
- Ability to conduct school visits throughout the week, as well as attend occasional evening or Saturday events
Additional Information
Compensation:
- Salary range for this position is $95,000-$105,000 commensurate with experience.
- All full-time team members at KPPS enjoy a comprehensive health benefits package (including vision and dental, a telehealth option, and flexible spending accounts) for themselves and their families as well as a 403B matching program for retirement savings.
Note to Applicants:
- KIPP Philadelphia Schools is an equal opportunity employer. Employees are selected on
the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability,
marital status, or sexual orientation, in accordance with federal and state law.
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