Chief Financial Officer

KIPP DC • Washington, DC

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) role is an integral part of the Executive and Finance and Accounting teams, ensuring KIPP DC has the financial leadership, systems, and resources to readily support and accomplish its organizational mission. The starting salary range for this role is $222,902-$256,869. This is a full-time, hybrid role based at HDQ with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2026.

About KIPP DC
For 25 years, KIPP DC has partnered with students, families, and the community to create joyful, academically excellent schools across the nation’s capital. Today, our network of 22 schools educate more than 7,500 students in grades PreK3-12, supported by 1,500 dedicated teachers, leaders, and staff.
Our work is grounded in five pillars–Academic Excellence, Joy & Sense of Belonging, Highly Effective Teachers and Leaders, Safe, Structured, and Nurturing Learning Environments, and Commitment to College Readiness–which ensure every student is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to pursue success in college, careers, and beyond. Our schools combine high expectations with joyful, affirming environments that nurture academic success and personal growth for students and staff alike.
As part of the national KIPP network, we share best practices and innovations while maintaining deep roots in Washington, D.C. Together, we strive toward a future without limits for our students, alumni, and community.

About the Role
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a key member of KIPP DC’s executive leadership team, responsible for shaping the financial future of one of the region’s largest and most impactful public charter school systems. This role leads the organization’s financial strategy, ensuring that every dollar is aligned to maximize student outcomes, organizational sustainability, and long-term impact.
This is a rare opportunity to lead finance at scale—overseeing a complex, mission-driven organization with 22 schools and serving 7,500 students—while partnering closely with the CEO, Board, and senior leaders to make high-stakes strategic decisions. The CFO manages a multi-layered team of over 20 team members and a $250M+ budget.
As a member of the executive team, this position must also ensure adherence to established internal control policies and procedures and maintain compliance within the organization. This is an exempt position and will report to the President.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• A minimum of 10 years of progressive finance experience with at least 5 years experience in senior finance and/or accounting roles (CFO, VP, or equivalent)
• Significant experience in senior budget and finance positions at complex organizations required, ideally at education nonprofits or charter management organizations
• Experience managing multiple teams and multi-layered teams

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in business administration, finance, or accounting strongly preferred
• CPA license
• Experience managing and running finance team at organization with >$100M in annual revenue
• Experience with KIPP DC financial systems (i.e., Workday, Ramp, Adaptive Planning)

Responsibilities

• Set and execute enterprise financial strategy (30% of time)
• Define and lead KIPP DC’s long-term financial strategy, aligning resources to strategic priorities and student outcomes
• Lead the annual budgeting and multi-year financial planning process, ensuring clarity, transparency, and strong alignment across teams
• Develop scenario plans and financial models to inform major organizational decisions (growth, program investments, cost containment)
• Establish financial targets, guardrails, and KPIs aligned to board expectations and debt covenants
• Lead the development of scalable financial systems and infrastructure (e.g., ERP, reporting tools, data systems)
• Lead enterprise financial modeling for new initiatives, investments, and tradeoffs
• Lead and inspire high-performing teams (25%)
• Recruit, coach, and empower a team of senior leaders to manage a multi-layered team of over 20 team members and a $250M+ budget
• Ensure excellence across all core finance functions: accounting, payroll, procurement, budgeting, reporting, and grants management teams
• Continuously improve processes to increase efficiency, transparency, and service to schools
• Partner with executive leadership to drive financial strategy and maximize impact (20%)
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO, President, and Executive Team on all major organizational decisions
• Translate financial insights into clear recommendations for executive leadership and the Board
• Manage the Board's Finance Committee, serving as the primary liaison between the committee and organizational management
• Serve as the financial liaison between KIPP DC Management and the KIPP DC Supporting Corporation Board, including serving as Treasurer of the Supporting Corporation
• Serve as a key external advocate for KIPP DC related to funding and financial policy, collaborating with content experts from the team.
• Promote financial stewardship and proactively manage risk (15% of time)
• Oversee all audit processes (e.g., financial, 403(b), Medicaid, 990, S&P reviews), ensuring strong internal controls and clean audit outcomes
• Oversee compliance with all regulatory requirements, including federal/state grants and charter authorizer expectations
• Design and maintain a robust internal control environment to mitigate financial and operational risk
• Monitor organizational financial health, including cash flow, reserves, and long-term sustainability
• Ensure compliance with debt covenants and proactively manage financial risks
• Promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and stewardship across all teams
• Lead capital strategy, treasury, and investments (10%)
• Manage KIPP DC’s $275M+ debt portfolio, including lender relationships, refinancing strategy, and covenant compliance
• Oversee treasury operations, including cash management, liquidity planning, and banking relationships
• Implement and manage the Investment Policy Statement (IPS) and external investment partners
• Evaluate and execute financing strategies to support capital projects and long-term growth

Benefits

• KIPP DC offers an extremely competitive compensation and benefits package:
• The anticipated starting salary range for this position is $222,902-$256,869. At KIPP DC we strive for clarity, equity, and to be highly competitive. When determining salaries we look at benchmarks in the education and non-profit sector.
• KIPP DC offers a robust benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurances; various voluntary benefits; and employer paid benefits such as short term disability, long term disability, life insurance, and a membership to One Medical.
• KIPP DC also offers a 403(b) retirement account with a 3% employer contribution and a 3% match with vesting after three years.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive