Director of School Safety

KIPP Texas Public Schools • Dallas, TX

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, School Safety reports to the Managing Director of School Operations Support & Safety and serves as KIPP Texas’s designated District Safety Officer and Emergency Management Coordinator. The role leads the creation, implementation, and continuous improvement of a statewide school safety and emergency management program that incorporates Texas legislative requirements, industry best practices, and proactive risk mitigation to support safe physical and virtual learning environments for students and staff.

The Director leads Board, district, and city safety committees; manages the statewide safety team; and serves as the organization’s primary safety liaison to law enforcement, emergency management agencies, the Texas School Safety Center, school administrators, district leaders, and other partners. The role integrates safety throughout organizational operations, advises leaders on high-stakes protocols, develops staff and stakeholder training, and reports safety performance and improvement priorities to the Board.

The position oversees emergency planning, audits, drills, incident reviews, regulatory reporting, safety technology platforms, and third-party security contracts. It also builds the capabilities of school-based safety leads and coordinates with internal teams and external agencies to strengthen safety practices across KIPP Texas campuses. The position has a hybrid work environment, reporting to the central office or schools three days per week, with moderate travel to school sites, regional offices, and other locations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• At least five years of progressive leadership experience in school safety, emergency management, law enforcement, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing complex safety or emergency management programs across multiple concurrent priorities in a large, multi-site organization.
• Demonstrated experience in adult learning, facilitation, and safety training delivery.
• Knowledge of Texas school safety legislation, including SB11 and HB 496, and ability to translate regulatory requirements into policies, procedures, and training.
• Ability to build and maintain productive relationships with law enforcement, emergency management agencies, and other external stakeholders.
• Ability to lead through influence and drive accountability across school and regional teams.
• Ability to design and deliver safety training for diverse audiences across a geographically dispersed organization.
• Ability to use safety platform data to identify trends, assess risk, and develop actionable recommendations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex safety information to executives, the Board, school teams, and external partners.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and make sound decisions under pressure.
• Proactive and self-directed approach to monitoring emerging legislative and operational risks.
• Alignment with KIPP Texas’s mission and commitment to safe learning environments.
• Reliable transportation for travel between campuses.
• Ability to maintain emotional control under stress and work with frequent interruptions.
• Ability to move about inside and outside schools throughout the workday and attend conferences, meetings, and training sessions virtually and in person within the region.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree.
• At least three years of experience supporting K–12 school systems and demonstrated understanding of safety functions, processes, and challenges in school environments.
• Previous law enforcement or emergency management experience.
• FEMA Incident Command System (ICS) certification; additional FEMA emergency management certifications are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and continuously improve a comprehensive statewide school safety and emergency management program.
• Use safety data to identify trends, assess risk, recommend improvements, demonstrate compliance, and inform Operations and Board leadership.
• Partner with threat assessment and student culture teams to identify trends, potential threats, and reporting needs.
• Prepare and deliver quarterly safety dashboard reports to the Board of Directors.
• Advise school and regional leaders on high-stakes safety protocols and interactions with external officials, translating legal requirements into operational guidance.
• Design and facilitate safety training for staff, students, and stakeholders, and evaluate its effectiveness across campuses.
• Integrate safety programming with School Culture, Mental Health, MTSS, Discipline, and the Safe and Supportive School Program.
• Develop a statewide network of school-based safety leads and build their capacity to conduct audits, lead campus safety committees, and support safety communications and culture.
• Monitor legislation and regulations, anticipate emerging requirements, and maintain alignment with state and national safety practices.
• Collaborate with Facilities and Capital Planning to maintain security infrastructure standards for construction and renovation projects.
• Research, prioritize, and track safety grant funds.
• Fulfill the statutory responsibilities of the District Safety Officer and Emergency Management Coordinator, including law enforcement liaison functions, TEA reporting, and compliance with SB11 and HB 496.
• Develop and maintain district and campus Multi-Hazard Emergency Operating Plans in compliance with Texas requirements.
• Conduct annual campus safety audits, develop improvement plans, track remediation, and lead the TEA three-year safety audit process.
• Integrate law enforcement officers into campus safety structures, including arranging walkthroughs and participation in campus safety committees; coordinate LEO partnerships as assigned.
• Guide school-based teams on crisis response, consistent protocol application, and escalation.
• Monitor emergency drill completion and compliance, ensuring drills are completed, documented, and auditable.
• Lead After-Action Reviews following significant incidents, major drill failures, or emergencies; track corrective actions through completion and share organizational learning.
• Establish crisis communication protocols and partner with Communications/PR to provide timely, accurate information to families, staff, and external stakeholders.
• Prepare schools for Intruder Detection Audits, vulnerability assessments, and other mandated safety audits.
• Participate in city-level weather and emergency management coordination calls and relay relevant information and actions to district leaders.
• Manage statewide safety technology platforms, including Sentinel, Silent Panic Alert Technology, and visitor management systems; oversee accounts, team configuration, site setup, and performance.
• Manage and coach the statewide safety team, establishing performance expectations and building safety expertise.
• Build and sustain relationships with law enforcement, emergency management agencies, TxSSC, TEA, and other partners.
• Manage third-party security service and guard contracts; audit vendor quality, staffing consistency, and conduct against KIPP Texas standards and SLAs.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans with coverage options for employees and their families.
• Competitive vacation and flexible paid time off (PTO) policies.
• Paid family leave.
• Flexible spending account or high-yield HSA.
• Employee assistance programs.
• Employee-paid legal plans.
• Employee-paid LifeLock identity protection.
• Employee-paid life insurance.
• Employee-paid disability insurance.

What This Job Offers

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