Chief Financial Officer

Company Description

About KIPP NYC

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.

From our first middle school, KIPP Academy in the Bronx, to today’s network of eight elementary schools, nine middle schools, and one high school, KIPP NYC provides students with engaging academics, arts, athletics, and social–emotional learning that prepare them for college, career, and beyond.

Our commitment doesn’t end at graduation. Through KIPP Forward, we continue to support our alumni as they navigate college, career, and life, helping them define success on their own terms and pursue the paths that align with their goals and sense of purpose.

Together, we serve more than 9,400 students, support 4,700 alumni, and employ over 1,100 dedicated team members who bring passion, expertise, and commitment to our mission every day.

The Next Chapter 

KIPP NYC enters its next chapter from a position of considerable strength. Over the past several years, the organization has nearly doubled enrollment, expanded its presence across New York City, and celebrated its 30th anniversary. Today, KIPP NYC is one of the largest and most influential regions within the national KIPP network, and is well-positioned to build on three decades of academic excellence, community partnership, and student success.

As KIPP NYC has grown, so too has the opportunity to strengthen the systems and infrastructure that will support its next phase of impact. Like many organizations experiencing significant scale, KIPP NYC is intentionally investing in the processes, technology, and operating model needed to support a larger, increasingly sophisticated organization. The focus now is on building an even more integrated, data-driven, and scalable enterprise that will enable continued excellence for years to come.

Since CEO Leslie-Bernard Joseph joined KIPP NYC in August 2025, the executive team has embraced a highly collaborative and systems-oriented approach to strengthening the organization for its future. Significant investments have already been made to enhance the finance function, including expanding leadership capacity, accelerating financial close timelines, strengthening cash management, and enhancing audit readiness. These efforts have positioned the organization well, with a clean FY25 audit anticipated and a finance function ready to shift from building foundational capabilities toward driving long-term strategic value.

For the next Chief Financial Officer, this is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of one of the country's premier charter school organizations. With a strong financial foundation, an exceptional executive team, and a clear commitment to continuous improvement, KIPP NYC is poised for its next era of growth and impact, and the CFO will play a central role in defining what that future looks like.

Job Description

The CFO Opportunity

KIPP NYC is seeking an exceptional Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to help shape the organization's next chapter of growth and impact. Joining a financially strong organization with healthy reserves, an excellent credit rating, and a clear strategic vision, the CFO will partner closely with the CEO and executive team to translate ambitious goals into an integrated, forward-looking financial strategy.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the CFO will oversee all aspects of the finance function, including accounting and financial planning & analysis (FP&A), and is responsible for ensuring financial health, operational rigor, and long-term sustainability, including oversight of a ~$300M annual operating budget. The CFO will lead a team of ~15 accounting and FP&A professionals across a complex, multi-entity network with a ~$500M real estate portfolio.

For a leader motivated by impact, scale, and the opportunity to build, this role offers the chance to shape the future of a high-performing organization and expand opportunities for thousands of students across New York City.

Over the past year, KIPP NYC has made significant investments in strengthening its finance organization, adding several key leadership roles, including a Senior Director of Finance, a Senior Director of Accounting & Audit, a Director of Cash Management, a Director of Revenue, and a Controller. With a strong leadership team now in place, the incoming CFO will have an extraordinary opportunity to influence both enterprise strategy and organizational effectiveness. Early priorities include:

• Building a more integrated, systems-driven, and scalable finance function. This role requires a leader who is equally comfortable driving near-term execution and building the infrastructure needed for long-term success.
• Modernizing systems, refining core financial infrastructure, and integrating emerging technologies like AI to build scalable, data-driven operations.
• Transitioning payroll into finance, standardizing internal controls across the organization, and partnering with school-based leaders to build a financial acumen network-wide.
• Coaching, mentoring, and fostering a high-performing team, with a culture grounded in accountability and continuous improvement.
• Serving as a trusted thought partner to the CEO and senior leadership, translating financial data into clear insights and guiding decision-making across a complex, multi-entity organization.
• Partnering with the Board and external advisors to evaluate long-term strategy for KIPP NYC’s ~$500M real estate portfolio, including its current reliance on outsourced real estate management.
• Deepening the partnership between Finance and the People team.

Key responsibilities of the CFO include, among others: 

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the CEO, Board, and executive team, translating vision into actionable financial plans, scenario models, and resource allocation across a complex, multi-entity structure.
• Deliver forward-looking financial insights and actionable recommendations to guide high-level decision-making.
• Advance budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis toward strategic, driver-based, school-level models.
• Oversee financial strategy for real estate and facilities across a ~$500M asset portfolio.

Accounting, Systems, and Operations

• Modernize financial infrastructure and accounting operations to ensure consistency, accuracy, and audit-readiness across entities.
• Standardize internal controls, financial reporting, and compliance to drive operational rigor.
• Optimize core financial systems (e.g., Intacct, FloQast, Vena) and explore emerging tools like AI to increase efficiency and scalability.
• Streamline cash management, banking structures, and the transition of payroll into finance.

Enablement, Stakeholder, and Team Management

• Execute a multi-year finance/ops roadmap in partnership with the CEO to build sustainable, scalable systems.
• Build financial acumen across the network through targeted training for school leaders and central staff.
• Lead, mentor, and foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement across the ~15 to 18-person finance team.
• Build trust-based relationships with school leaders, boards, and external partners.

*How to Apply: KIPP NYC has engaged the DSG|Koya team to lead this search. To apply or express interest, please submit your materials through this application link. 

Qualifications

Candidate Profile

While it is understood that no candidate will offer every desired skill, quality, and characteristic, the following competencies offer a detailed, aspirational view of the ideal candidate profile:

Strategic Financial Leadership

This leader will bring:

• A strong technical foundation in accounting, with deep experience leading enterprise financial strategy and financial management, including long-range planning, budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation.
• A track record of serving as a trusted strategic advisor to CEOs, executive teams, and boards, bringing executive presence, sound judgment, independent thinking, and the confidence to constructively challenge assumptions.
• Significant experience leading finance within highly complex, multi-entity organizations (ideally $100M+ operating budgets), including sophisticated debt structures, S&P-rated bonds, capital planning, and real estate financing.
• Experience overseeing significant real estate and capital assets, with the ability to guide long-term planning, financing strategies, and external partner relationships across a large and complex portfolio.
• The analytical sophistication to translate complex financial information into clear, actionable insights that support organizational strategy and informed decision-making.

An Enterprise Builder and Operational Leader

This leader will bring:

• A demonstrated track record of strengthening and modernizing finance organizations by improving systems, processes, technology, and organizational effectiveness.
• Experience leveraging technology—including AI and modern financial platforms—to build scalable, data-driven operations and improve organizational decision-making.
• An unwavering commitment to fiscal stewardship, strong internal controls, regulatory compliance, and audit readiness.
• Strong operational judgment, including the ability to assess finance operations, establish meaningful performance metrics, and drive continuous improvement across the function.
• A collaborative, enterprise-wide mindset with the ability to build strong partnerships across Finance, People, Operations, and school-based leadership to advance organizational priorities.

A Collaborative and Empowering People Leader

This leader will bring:

• An empowering leadership style that develops high-performing teams through clear expectations, coaching, accountability, and a culture of ownership, learning, and continuous improvement.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to build trust, influence stakeholders, and communicate complex financial concepts clearly to diverse audiences, including school leaders, executive leadership, and the Board.
• A passion for building financial acumen across the organization, enabling leaders at every level to make informed, data-driven decisions and strengthen organizational performance.

A Deep Commitment to the Mission and Values of KIPP NYC

This leader will bring:

• A demonstrated commitment to KIPP NYC’s mission of providing high-quality public education and advancing social justice and racial equity, with a deep belief in the power of education to create opportunity
• Authenticity, humility, and sound judgment, with a student-centered approach to financial stewardship and organizational decision-making.
• Intellectual curiosity, resilience, adaptability, and comfort navigating complexity within a fast-paced, mission-driven organization.
• The highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and discretion in managing highly sensitive and confidential information.

Education or nonprofit sector experience is helpful but not required.

Additional Information

Compensation and Benefits:

KIPP NYC offers a competitive salary ranging from $300,000 - $350,000 (flexible for exceptional candidates with directly relevant experience). Salary ranges at KIPP NYC are standardized based on role level and role function. Individual salaries are determined through a lens of equity, accounting for years of experience relevant to the role and scope of responsibilities, and are benchmarked against others within the same salary band. 

KIPP NYC offers a generous benefits package, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Robust benefits that include medical, dental, and vision.
• 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% parental leave.
• Bright Horizon Back-up Child and Elder care.
• Employer-paid Life Insurance and Short-term / Long-term disability.
• Employee incentives include 8-week paid Sabbatical after 10 years, annual professional development funds, and tuition reimbursement.

This description is intended to describe the type of work being performed by a person assigned to this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities required by the employee.

This is a full-time, in-person role based in New York City and will require travel to our schools. If you are not in a school-based position, the cadence and frequency of travel to schools is determined by your leadership team. If you relocate outside of a commutable distance or out of the state of NY, your employment will be subject to review, which may include separation from KIPP NYC. It is important that you notify HR if you move or have plans to relocate.

KIPP NYC LLC does not offer visa sponsorship or work authorization. 

KIPP NYC LLC is committed to creating a welcoming environment that includes employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We believe that enables us to better meet our mission and values while serving students and families throughout New York City. 

KIPP NYC LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KIPP NYC LLC is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment.

*How to Apply: KIPP NYC has engaged the DSG|Koya team to lead this search. To apply or express interest, please submit your materials through this application link. 

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