Manager of Development & Communications

Position Overview 

KIPP St. Louis has unveiled an ambitious five-year Strategic Plan 2030. The Manager of Development and Communications is responsible for high-quality execution of the region’s fundraising and communications strategy. This role ensures that grant submissions, donor systems, events, marketing campaigns, and communications production are delivered with excellence, accuracy, and timeliness.The Manager owns execution. The Director owns outcomes.Position type: Full-time, exempt, 12 Month    Reporting & Collaboration​Direct Manager: You report to the Director of Development and Communications.Direct Reports: None.Lateral Leadership: None.Lateral Managers: None.Key Collaborators: CEO, Director of Development and Communications, Cabinet, Finance team, school leaders, regional team members, and external vendors.Autonomy & Decision Making​The Manager exercises strong judgment in managing timelines, coordinating cross-functional inputs, and ensuring deliverables meet quality standards. The role is responsible for elevating risks, missed deadlines, or data gaps to the Director in a timely manner.Inputs: What will I be doing in my day-to-day work?Communications & Content ExecutionManage the regional communications calendar aligned to fundraising and enrollment priorities.Produce and deploy content aligned to the Director’s narrative strategy.Manage network social media, website updates, and marketing materials.Create and maintain template libraries for schools and regional teams to streamline messaging.Ensure all regional communications are accurate, polished, timely, and aligned to brand standards.  Coordinate closely with graphic designers and external creative vendors to ensure brand alignment and high-quality execution.Develop and maintain template libraries for schools and regional teams to streamline print and digital communications.Execute the Director’s internal communications strategy, ensuring clarity, consistency, and impact across the region.Grant Drafting & SupportDraft grant proposals and reports aligned to the Director’s funding strategy.Gather programmatic data, budgets, and outcomes in partnership with schools and Finance.Maintain a grant submission calendar and tracking system.Ensure timely submission of grant applications and reports.CRM & Monitoring SystemsMaintain disciplined CRM updates and donor data hygiene.Track donor touches and engagement activities.Produce routine development reports and pipeline summaries for Director review.Monitor fundraising progress toward goals and elevate risks proactively.Events ExecutionLead logistics and operational execution of cultivation and signature events.Manage vendor contracts, including photography, videography, design, and event production.Track event budgets and provide post-event ROI analysis.Marketing & Enrollment SupportExecute recruitment marketing campaigns aligned to enrollment priorities.Ensure that the website and marketing materials reflect current campus configurations and the regional strategy.Support storytelling efforts that align directly with fundraising and external positioning priorities.Outcomes: What will I be evaluated on?On-time and high-quality grant submissions and reporting.Accurate and disciplined CRM and donor tracking systems.Successful execution of revenue-aligned events.Clear, consistent, and error-free communications.Communications and storytelling that directly support fundraising strategy.What skills should I already bring, i.e., what should I already have a track record around?Managing complex cross-functional projects with precision and follow-throughLeading projects to drive resultsClear, compelling, concise written and verbal communication, andSelf-starter with the ability to juggle multiple priorities with great attention to detail, and deliver consistent and timely results.What should I know a lot about already, i.e., what should I have expertise in?Effective fundraising and cultivation strategies,Proven communication strategies, and Planning and hosting exemplary events and fundraisers.KIPP uses Indicators of Excellence (IOE) to codify what great looks like in daily work.  For this role, the IOEs include:Ownership and StewardshipTakes responsibility for the integrity and excellence of communications, grant submissions, events, and donor systems. Follows through consistently and meets deadlines.Monitoring and QualityMaintains accurate CRM records and tracking systems. Ensures materials are polished, data-informed, and error-free.CoherenceExecutes communications and events in alignment with the Director’s strategy and regional priorities. Maintains consistency across messaging and platforms.Data-Driven Decision MakingTracks engagement, campaign performance, event ROI, and fundraising progress. Uses data to refine execution and elevate insights to the Director.