Chief Development Officer, KIPP Texas Future Fund

Chief Development Officer, KIPP Texas Future Fund Location

Houston, TX Job Reports to

Chief Executive Officer Start Date

July 1, 2026 An Opportunity to Build Something That Matters KIPP Texas Future Fund stands at a defining moment.

As one of the largest and most impactful public charter school systems in the country, KIPP Texas is transforming the lives of more than 30,000 students—preparing them not only for college and career, but for lives of purpose, leadership, and impact.

The Future Fund exists to ensure that this work is not only sustained, but accelerated.

This is a rare opportunity to build something enduring.

The next Chief Development Officer will have the chance to design and lead a best‑in‑class philanthropic enterprise—one capable of unlocking significant resources, deepening relationships with visionary donors, and fueling innovation across KIPP Texas schools.

At a time when public education faces both profound challenges and extraordinary possibilities, this leader will help shape what is possible for thousands of students and families across Texas.

This role is not about maintaining the status quo.

It is about building—thoughtfully, ambitiously, and at scale.

The Chief Development Officer will partner closely with KIPP Texas leadership and the Board to create a high‑performing development engine that matches the ambition and excellence of the schools it supports.

Success will require both inspiration and execution

the ability to tell a compelling story that moves people to act, and the discipline to build the systems, team, and strategy that turn that momentum into sustained impact.

For a leader who is energized by mission, motivated by challenge, and eager to build something that matters, this is a uniquely compelling opportunity.

About KIPP Texas Future Fund The mission of the KIPP Texas Future Fund is to ensure that KIPP Texas Public School students have resources and support they need to thrive and succeed.

Founded in 2013, the KIPP Texas Future Fund believes in the power of education to transform lives and build a stronger community.

At the KIPP Texas Future Fund (KTFF), we are dedicated to providing sustainable financial support to KIPP Texas Public Schools.

Through strategic investment and community involvement, we aim to create lasting impact and opportunities for all students.

About the Role The Chief Development Officer is a strategic and operational leader responsible for building and leading a high‑performing, centralized development function capable of delivering $12M+ annually.

This leader is a hands‑on team builder and fundraising operator who understands how to design and run a comprehensive development engine.

The Chief Development Officer plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing the KIPP Texas Future Fund long‑term vision and strategy, ensuring that KIPP Texas remains financially sustainable and well‑positioned in the education landscape to advance a 21st century college preparatory education.

While personally managing and closing gifts with a portfolio of top donors—including leading six‑ and seven‑figure asks—this leader will drive fundraising initiatives that align with KIPP Texas’ mission and multi‑year strategic plan, working closely with the Boards of Directors, donors, and other key stakeholders to maximize fundraising investments for schools across KIPP Texas.

The Chief Development Officer will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of KIPP Texas and oversee a development team to elevate KIPP Texas Future Fund fundraising capacity to fuel its impact on KIPP Texas Public Schools.

Key Responsibilities Organizational Leadership Develop and execute a multi‑year strategic plan to grow KIPP Texas Future Fund’s impact in support of advancing KIPP Texas Public Schools’ mission and multi‑year plan.

Collaborate with the Chief Executive Officer to oversee day to day organizational operations, ensuring efficiency and excellence of the KIPP Texas Future Fund.

Cultivate, grow, and steward donor relationships with individuals, foundations, and other philanthropic entities—both personally as a donor portfolio manager as well as overseeing the team engaging in this core development work.

Foster strong relationships with KIPP Texas Board of Directors and Executive Leadership Team to bridge donor investments with key funding needs and opportunities.

Monitor and report on KIPP Texas Future Fund’s impact.

Attend and participate in internal and external meetings related to KIPP Texas Future Fund.

Serve as a key thought partner to the CEO providing expertise on fundraising strategy, major gifts, donor relations, and grant writing and reporting.

Engage with Advisory Board members in Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio to provide updates on fundraising initiatives and maximize the opportunity to further develop these boards and directly mobilize board members in fundraising and donor engagement efforts.

Represent KIPP Texas Future Fund at public events, industry conferences, and high‑profile meetings to elevate the organization’s brand and impact.

Oversee the organization’s financial management, ensuring sustainability and compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.

Strategic Planning & Fundraising Lead and execute a multi‑year comprehensive development strategy focused on diversifying funding streams and growing KIPP Texas Future Fund Impact.

Annually raise $12M+ in critical funds through individuals, foundations, corporations and through events.

Oversee capital campaigns, annual fundraising efforts, special initiatives and events to meet and exceed revenue goals.

Manage, refine, and redesign development and stewardship events that reflect the needs and fundraising profiles of all regions across the state.

Personally cultivate and steward relationships with donors, foundations, and philanthropic entities at all existing and potential new regions, ensuring alignment with KIPP Texas Future Fund priorities.

Strategically leverage and partner with the CEO as a key fundraiser, while owning the overall fundraising strategy, pipeline, and execution.

Engage the KIPP Texas Board of Directors in fundraising strategy, supporting their efforts to expand and diversify funding sources.

Oversee the creation of compelling donor communications, grant proposals, and stewardship materials.

Oversight of KIPP Texas Future Fund Team Manage a team of development professionals, leading major gifts, grant writing and reporting, donor engagement, and database management for the KIPP Texas Future Fund.

Establish a dashboard with key performance metrics, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement.

Design and implement systems and processes for pipeline management, donor segmentation, forecasting, and performance tracking to ensure revenue predictability.

Lead, coach, and develop a high‑performing team fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous growth.

Create structures for team learning, professional development, and performance management to drive results and innovation.

Monitor and evaluate initiatives that enhance operational effectiveness.

Qualifications Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred. 10+ years of organizational leadership with executive level experience in fundraising, philanthropy and/or non‑profit leadership, required.

Proven track record of securing significant philanthropic investments, leading large‑scale fundraising campaigns, and cultivating high‑net‑worth donors.

Experience in nonprofit management or public education preferred.

Demonstrated success building, managing, and developing high‑performing fundraising teams at scale.

Experience designing and operating a comprehensive development program (beyond primarily grant‑based fundraising).

Knowledge of Texas public education policies and the charter school landscape is a plus.

Skills & Competencies Exceptional executive leadership presence with the ability to inspire trust and confidence, and demonstrate courage and composure, especially under pressure.

Strong systems level thinking and problem solving skills.

Excellent collaboration skills with the ability and comfort to lead work across an organization.

Skilled at balancing day to day operations, driving innovation and change, and managing the long‑term health and sustainability of the organization.

Exceptional relationship‑building and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to cultivate trust and credibility with internal and external partners.

Strategic and innovative thinker with a data‑driven approach to decision‑making, able to analyze complex issues and develop actionable solutions.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking, negotiation, and persuasive storytelling.

Ability to navigate a complex, multi‑stakeholder environment and drive consensus among diverse groups.

High level of integrity, accountability, and commitment to KIPP TX’ mission.

Proficiency with CRM systems, donor management tools, and data analytics platforms to support fundraising and stakeholder engagement.

What We Bring to the Table The salary range for this position is $225,000 to $300,000.

Competitive vacation and flexible paid time off (PTO) policies.

Paid family leave.

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans with varying coverage for employees and their families, inclusive of virtual physician visits.

High deductible health plan with HSA also offered.

Employee assistance programs. 457 Roth and 403b retirement plans.

Flexible spending account or high‑yield HSA.

Physical Requirements The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

Considerable time spent at a desk using a computer/laptop.

Location & Travel The Chief Development Officer will ideally be based in Houston, working closely with KIPP Texas leadership, with flexibility for exceptional candidates; On Site

This role will work from a KIPP Texas region office or in the field Monday through Friday; Regular travel required between KIPP Texas regions and occasional national travel.

KIPP Texas Future Fund provides equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees.

As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability. #J-18808-Ljbffr