Director of Finance

Job Description

Job Description

Company Description

KIPP — the largest nonprofit network of college-preparatory, public charter schools in the nation—has demonstrated, at scale, that all children have the potential to excel academically regardless of race or zip code. KIPP Public Schools is a network of 279 schools with more than 16,000 educators and 210,000 students and alumni , including Indianapolis. KIPP Indy Public Schools (KIPP Indy) was founded in 2004 with one class of fifth-grade students and has grown to serve 1,500 students across three schools. Of the students that attend KIPP Indy, 93% qualify for free and reduced lunch, 95% are African American or LatinX, 12% receive special education services, and 8% are designated as Emerging Bilinguals. As we continue to grow, our mission remains the same: to create joyful, academically excellent schools in which teachers, students, and families are all united around the same goal of preparing students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose —college, career, and beyond— so they can lead fulfilling lives and create a more just world.

Job Description

POSITION OVERVIEW

KIPP Indy Public Schools seeks a strategic, detail-oriented, and mission-driven Director of Finance to oversee the financial strategy of the organization and ensure its long-term financial health. This leader will manage annual budget planning, financial forecasting, grants oversight, compliance, and internal controls across the network.

Reporting to executive leadership, this role serves as a key financial partner to the leadership team and Board Finance Committee, ensuring strong financial management in support of KIPP Indy’s mission and long-term sustainability.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Annual Budget Planning, Forecasting, & Financial Strategy

• Lead the annual budget planning process, providing strategic guidance and ongoing support to stakeholders to ensure timely completion of all deliverables.
• Lead strategic financial planning through financial modeling, scenario analysis, and multi-year projections aligned to enrollment, staffing, grants, strategic initiatives, and relevant legislative and policy changes.
• Steward the relationship with KIPP Indy’s external accounting partner to ensure seamless financial operations, timely and accurate deliverables, and alignment between accounting functions and strategic priorities.
• Maintain and continuously improve financial policies, procedures, and internal controls to safeguard organizational assets.
• Manage banking relationships and monitor cash flow in collaboration with external accounting partner to ensure operational stability.
• Monitor budget-to-actual performance across the region and provide variance analysis with clear recommendations for action
• Lead the organization's resource-securing strategy, identifying and pursuing new revenue opportunities that align with strategic goals
• Serve as the regional team budget manager, monitoring monthly budget reports to hit annual targets.
• Lead quarterly budget meetings with regional leaders and school team budget managers to monitor discretionary budget-to-actuals, support annual planning, and provide feedback on day-to-day financial operations.
• Collaborate with HR and ED on employee benefits and compensation strategy.
• Review and approve weekly accounts payable report and voucher lists to ensure accuracy and compliance with internal controls.
• Collaborate with Talent/HR leadership to support bi-weekly payroll processing.

 

Grants Management & Compliance

• Oversee financial management, spenddown, and reporting of federal, state, and philanthropic grants in collaboration with external accounting partner and internal stakeholders, ensuring compliance with approved budgets, funding requirements, and reporting obligations.
• Develop budgets for all secured grants, partnering with key stakeholders to ensure alignment between programmatic priorities and available funding.
• Manage the full grant lifecycle for all federal, state, and public grants, from applications through final reporting.
• Review and approve all grant claims prepared by external accounting partner.
• Monitor restricted funds to ensure expenditures align with donor and grantor intent.
• Coordinate and support the annual external audit process in strong collaboration with external accounting partner, including preparation of documentation and auditor communication.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, local nonprofit, and authorizer financial reporting requirements, maintaining documentation and controls to support audits and monitoring visits.
• Collaborate with regional operations team on compliance and reporting requirements.

 

Strategic Leadership & Stakeholder Partnership

• Serve as a financial thought partner to executive leadership on staffing models, enrollment planning, compensation structures, and long-term sustainability.
• Serve on the Board Finance Committee, collaborating with senior leadership and the external accounting partner to prepare board materials and financial reports.
• Translate complex financial data into clear, concise information for non-financial stakeholders.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with auditors, banks, grantors, charter authorizer, Indiana Department of Education, KIPP Foundation, and various other external partners.

 

COMPETENCIES

• Financial Judgment & Sound Decision-Making: Uses data, experience, and professional standards to make thoughtful financial recommendations.
• Clear & Effective Communication: Translates complex financial information into clear, practical guidance for non-financial stakeholders.
• Detail Orientation & Accuracy: Maintains high standards of precision and reliability in financial reporting and compliance.
• Accountability & Professional Integrity: Operates with transparency, discretion, and strong ethical standards.
• Relationship-Building: Develops trust-based partnerships across schools, leadership teams, and external stakeholders.
• Adaptability & Initiative: Navigates changing priorities in a dynamic school environment with proactive problem-solving.

Qualifications

Required:

• 5–7+ years of accounting or finance experience
• Strong knowledge of nonprofit accounting, particularly charter school finances
• Demonstrated experience with budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis
• Experience leading or supporting annual audits
• Proficiency in accounting systems and advanced Excel skills
• Experience securing and managing grants
• Strong analytical skills with high attention to detail
• Effective communication skills with the ability to present financial information to non-financial stakeholders
• Commitment to the mission of KIPP Indy

 

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• CPA or MBA
• Experience in charter schools, public education finance, or nonprofit K–12 organizations
• Familiarity with Indiana Department of Education reporting requirements
• Experience supervising finance staff

Additional Information

The starting salary for this role is $94,500.

Salary is commensurate with experience and includes a highly competitive benefits package. Opportunities for performance-based bonuses are also available.

KIPP Indy Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.