VP of School Quality and Growth

Role Overview
BLAQUE KC is looking for an entrepreneurial senior leader to launch its schools investment strategy. This crucial hire will oversee a $2.8M investment budget to expand access to quality education for children in Kansas City. The VP of School Quality and Growth will report to the Chief Executive Officer and responsibilities include the following:

Strategic Leadership

• Co-develop and refine BLAQUE KC’s long-term school investment strategy, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission and evolving needs

• Establish clear, ambitious goals and implement systems for tracking progress, using data-driven decision-making to assess impact and refine strategies over time; manage external vendor to update internal dashboards as needed

• Provide thought partnership and collaboration to the team across workstreams, ensuring strategies are cohesive and aligned with BLAQUE KC’s broader vision

• Apply BLAQUE KC’s quality framework and community needs framework (currently in development) to decision-making, ensuring all efforts contribute to better outcomes for Black students and families
   

Quality Schools Grantmaking

• Oversee all grantmaking for school expansion, school replication, and new school launches aligned with BLAQUE KC’s mission

• Develop and manage an equitable grant process that allows BLAQUE to thoroughly and effectively vet funding opportunities while minimizing barriers for school leaders advancing educational equity

• Work with the Chief Executive Officer to develop and finalize fitting grant terms for school grantees based on data and impact

• Oversee grant administration and reporting, ensuring accountability and alignment with funding strategies

• Serve as point of contact for portfolio schools, providing individualized support to help grantees reach grant goals

• Identify and develop smaller capacity-building grant opportunities to strengthen school quality

• Vet and manage vendors as needed to successfully achieve school investment goals

School Leader Support

• Identify and cultivate promising leaders to launch new schools

• Support new school leaders to engage in school incubation fellowship programming, apply learnings to the Kansas City context, and access the necessary resources and supports to launch successfully

• Provide strategic guidance, connections, and supports to school leaders to advance school quality and growth goals

• Lead the design of convenings, programs, or research that can support BLAQUE’s portfolio of schools with targeted problems

Sector Relationships

• Build and maintain relationships with key education stakeholders, community leaders, and organizations to advance BLAQUE KC’s mission

• Represent BLAQUE KC in education and community spaces, supporting the broader Kansas City education ecosystem to advance educational quality and equity for Black students

Qualifications

Strong candidates will demonstrate the following:

• Strong commitment to educational equity and alignment with BLAQUE KC’s mission; experience working in and with Black communities highly preferred

• Senior leadership experience in K-12 education, including experience coaching and supporting instructional leaders or other leaders in education; experience working directly with school leaders is a plus

• School leadership experience highly preferred, particularly in startup or turnaround environments

• Proven ability to build and lead programs or initiatives with a data-driven approach, including developing strategy, managing partnerships and resources, and using data effectively to drive impact; familiarity with academic performance and school enrollment data preferred

• Strong relationship-building skills with experience developing trust and partnerships across a wide range of stakeholders, from grassroots community members to system leaders

• Working knowledge of K-12 education politics, including the regulations and dynamics facing school leaders across models and growth stages

• Unwavering commitment to community-centered change, dedicated to co-creating with communities and ensuring that those most impacted by inequities are at the forefront of change efforts

• Entrepreneurial mindset, with comfort building from scratch and working on a small, collaborative team; experience leading in startup environment preferred

• Humility and a strong growth mindset, committed to continuous learning, authentic communication, and collaborative problem-solving

Candidates with experience in most but not all areas are strongly encouraged to apply.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this role is $140,000 to $170,000. Starting salary will be determined based on experience, demonstrated skills, and internal equity considerations. BLAQUE KC offers competitive benefits including health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage, retirement savings with a 5% employer match, a flexible and hybrid work schedule (Mon-Wed in office; Thurs/Fri remote), and an organization-wide break at the end of each year.

To Apply

To apply, please complete our online application. We will accept applications through April 20th, 2025, and we encourage early submissions. The application asks for a resume and, in place of a cover letter, responses to each of the following questions in 250 words or less:

1. What compels you about the work of BLAQUE Kansas City, and about this position specifically?

2. What past experiences have best prepared you for this role?

3. What professional values are most important to you? How have those values shaped your behavior and decisions in your career so far?

BLAQUE Kansas City is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law.