Director of School Safety

KIPP • Austin, TX

6d • $95,000 - $105,000 • 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. This role leads the creation, implementation, and continuous improvement of a comprehensive statewide school safety and emergency management program, incorporating Texas legislative mandates, 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 primary safety liaison with local law enforcement, city and county emergency management agencies, the Texas School Safety Center, school administrators, district leadership, and other partners. The role oversees emergency planning and compliance, safety audits and training, safety technology platforms, external security contracts, and the use of safety data to guide improvements and report to leadership.

This is a hybrid role, reporting to a central office or schools three days a week, with moderate travel to school sites, regional offices, and external locations. The position is an immediate opening. Compensation is $95,000–$105,000 yearly.

Requirements

• At least five years of progressive leadership experience in school safety, emergency management, law enforcement, or a closely related field.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Track record of designing and implementing complex safety or emergency management programs across multiple concurrent priorities in a large, multi-site organization.
• Experience in adult learning, facilitation, and delivering safety training.
• 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 effective partnerships with law enforcement, emergency management agencies, and other external stakeholders.
• Ability to lead through influence and drive safety accountability across school and regional teams.
• Ability to use safety platform data to identify trends, assess risk, and recommend improvements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including presenting complex safety information to executives, Board members, school teams, and external partners.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and make sound decisions under pressure.
• Proactive, self-directed approach to monitoring emerging risks and acting urgently to address them.
• Alignment with KIPP Texas’s mission and commitment to safe learning environments.
• Ability to move about inside and outside schools throughout the workday.
• Reliable transportation for travel between campuses.
• Ability to maintain emotional control under stress and work with frequent interruptions.
• Ability to attend conferences, meetings, and training sessions virtually and in person within the region.

Nice To Haves

• At least three years of experience supporting K-12 school systems and demonstrated understanding of safety functions, processes, and challenges in school environments.
• Advanced degree.
• 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 develop actionable analyses, drive 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 external-official interactions, translating legal requirements into operational guidance.
• Design and facilitate safety training for staff, students, and stakeholders.
• Integrate safety programming with School Culture, Mental Health, MTSS, and Discipline departments and broader student wellness initiatives.
• Build and support a statewide network of school-based safety leads and develop their capacity to conduct audits, lead campus committees, and foster a proactive safety culture.
• Monitor emerging legislation and regulations and ensure organizational compliance with state and federal requirements.
• Partner with the KIPP Foundation, TEA, and TxSSC to align the safety program with best practices and emerging frameworks.
• Collaborate with Facilities and Capital Planning to establish security standards for construction and renovation projects.
• Research, prioritize, and track safety grant funds.
• Fulfill District Safety Officer and Emergency Management Coordinator statutory responsibilities, 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; conduct annual campus safety audits, develop improvement plans, and track remediation.
• Integrate law enforcement officers into campus safety structures, including walkthroughs and participation in campus safety committees; coordinate officer partnerships as assigned.
• Guide school-based teams on crisis response and consistent application of protocols and escalation procedures.
• Monitor emergency drill completion, documentation, and compliance across campuses.
• Lead After-Action Reviews following significant incidents, major drill failures, or emergency events; identify root causes and track corrective actions to completion.
• Establish crisis communication protocols and partner with Communications/PR to provide timely, accurate information during safety incidents.
• Lead the design and completion of the TEA three-year safety audit process and prepare schools for intruder detection audits, vulnerability assessments, and other mandated audits.
• Participate in city-level weather and emergency management coordination calls and share relevant information and actions with district leaders.
• Manage Sentinel, Silent Panic Alert Technology, visitor management, and other statewide safety technology platforms, including accounts, configuration, site setup, and performance.
• Use platform data to support safety improvements, demonstrate compliance, and inform strategic priorities.
• Audit training effectiveness and implementation across campuses; work with instructional leadership to adapt training for different staff roles.
• Manage the statewide safety team, set performance expectations, coach staff, and develop organizational expertise.
• Train and support school-based Assistant Principals of Operations serving as safety leads.
• Build and maintain partnerships with law enforcement, emergency management agencies, TxSSC, and TEA.
• Manage third-party security service and guard contracts; audit vendor quality, staffing, and conduct against KIPP Texas standards and service-level agreements.

Benefits

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

What This Job Offers

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