Financial Planning & Strategy Manager

Kipp Dc; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 94,000 - 104,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Employer-paid benefits (short term &  

Life insurance and disability coverage

403(b) retirement with 3% employer + 3

One Medical membership

Job summary

KIPP DC is seeking a Financial Planning & Strategy Manager in Washington, DC. This exempt, full-time role supports budgeting, reporting, and analysis across the network, with hybrid flexibility and an on-site requirement at HDQ. The position reports to the Director of Budget and Financial Planning.

The role emphasizes building complex financial models, driving budget processes, and delivering actionable analyses to inform strategic decisions. Workday/Adaptive Planning expertise is highly valued.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or Business Administration preferred.
• Minimum 5 years in financial planning and analysis or related field.
• Proficient in Excel and FP&A software for multi-year planning and scenario analysis.
• Strong attention to detail with ability to translate data into reports.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Drives budget planning processes for network-wide budgeting aligned to goals.
• Partners with cross-functional teams to communicate findings and actions.
• Administers Workday/Adaptive Planning, ensuring data integrity and improvements.
• Triages finance requests, delivering accurate internal reports and service.
• Builds and maintains financial models for internal and external reporting.
• Oversees monthly variance and budget surveillance, identifying issues.
• Supports audits and budget process improvements across the network.
• Executes ad hoc financial modeling and strategic project work.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Self-starter

Collaboration

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or Business Administration

Tools

Workday/Adaptive Planning

FP&A software

Microsoft Office / Google Drive

Job description

Financial Planning & Strategy Manager

Job Summary

The Financial Planning & Strategy Manager is an integral part of the Budget team, ensuring support of KIPP DC's mission and day-to-day financial operations in the areas of budgeting, financial reporting, and financial analysis. The starting salary range for this role is $94,082-$103,984. This is a full-time role with hybrid flexibility based at HDQ with an anticipated immediate start date.

About KIPP DC

For 25 years, KIPP DC has partnered with students, families, and the community to create joyful, academically excellent schools across the nation’s capital. Today, our network of 22 schools educate more than 7,500 students in grades PreK3-12, supported by 1,500 dedicated teachers, leaders, and staff.

Our work is grounded in five pillars–Academic Excellence, Joy & Sense of Belonging, Highly Effective Teachers and Leaders, Safe, Structured, and Nurturing Learning Environments, and Commitment to College Readiness–which ensure every student is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to pursue success in college, careers, and beyond. Our schools combine high expectations with joyful, affirming environments that nurture academic success and personal growth for students and staff alike.

As part of the national KIPP network, we share best practices and innovations while maintaining deep roots in Washington, D.C. Together, we strive toward a future without limits for our students, alumni, and community.

About the Role

The Financial Planning & Strategy Manager drives network-wide financial health by executing key budget planning processes, building complex financial models, and delivering actionable reporting in close collaboration with schools and headquarters. Serving as a vital bridge between network strategy and school operations, this role streamlines core budgeting workflows, leverages Workday/Adaptive Planning to ensure data integrity, and provides essential financial analysis to support strategic decision-making.

Location and Type of Work

This is an exempt position and will report to the Director of Budget and Financial Planning. As a headquarters team that is focused on being responsive to our schools and meeting the needs of our students and families, we approach our work in a way that reflects these priorities. This position will generally work independently and not regularly interface with students, families, or school teams. This position will primarily work from our headquarters office to maintain a connection to their colleagues and foster a sense of cross‑functional collaboration. Because of the nature of this position’s work, this role allows for hybrid flexibility and will be required to be onsite 2 days per week.

Responsibilities

The percentages for each key responsibility are estimates, and other duties may be assigned. Flexibility and responsiveness are encouraged to accommodate organizational needs.

Financial Planning & Management (40% of time)

• Drives operational efficiency throughout the budget season and school year by streamlining existing workflows and developing new ones to ensure accurate, timely financial planning aligned to organizational goals.
• Partners closely with cross functional teams to communicate findings, coordinate corrective actions, and execute necessary budget adjustments.
• Serves as system administrator and financial technical expert for Workday/Adaptive Planning, overseeing system configuration, user access, and data integration integrity, driving continuous improvement across the platform.
• Triages and resolves incoming finance help desk tickets, delivers high-quality internal customer service, troubleshooting and resolving escalated user issues and refining and automating ticket system processes.

Financial Analysis, Reporting & Presentations (40% of time)

• Builds and maintains underlying financial models for complex external reporting.
• Manages the monthly budget variance process by consolidating performance data and analyzing discrepancies.
• Responsible for rigorous budget surveillance, resolving fiscal challenges and providing leadership with actionable solutions for budget process and planning improvements.
• Supports the overarching budget process strategy to align with long term planning goals by building financial models, implementing process improvements, and preparing meeting materials.
• Monitors the financial health of facilities and capital expenditures through meticulous budget management and compliant accounting practices.
• Presents budget formulation processes and financial allocations clearly to all budget stakeholders.
• Cultivates strong relationships across teams to identify operational bottlenecks, share financial insights, and drive continuous process improvements.
• Assists with the annual audit.

Special Projects (20% of time)

• Executes ad hoc financial modeling, analysis, and reporting to support critical business operations and network-wide strategic planning.
• Drives end-to-end project execution, ensuring all initiatives are delivered on time and successfully finalized. Tracks progress against team deadlines, manages project milestones, and collaborates directly with all relevant stakeholders.
• Develops and executes strategic project and policy recommendations to optimize processes, drive efficiencies, and resolve operational challenges.
• Serves as a thought partner to school leadership and headquarters departments, fostering cross‑functional collaboration to strengthen organizational financial health.
• Performs other assignments and projects as assigned by the Director of Budget & Financial Planning and Finance & Accounting Leadership.

Requirements & Preferences

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (with concentration in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or Business Administration preferred)
• A minimum of 5 years in financial planning and analysis or related field
• Mastery in Microsoft Office (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and/or Google Drive Suite (Google Docs, Sheets, Slides)
• Proven experience building, updating, and maintaining complex financial models in Excel and FP&A software to support multi-year planning and scenario analysis
• Exceptional attention to detail with a strong comfort level working with large, complex datasets; ability to independently build clear, professional internal and external reports from scratch
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to translate complex financial concepts for colleagues at all levels of technical proficiency in a fast‑paced, mission‑driven non‑profit environment
• A self‑starting professional capable of managing a diverse workload and taking full ownership of deliverables autonomously to ensure completion
• A collaborative, solution‑oriented problem solver

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with FP&A in Workday/Adaptive or similar ERP/FP&A platform
• Experience in K12 education
• Experience delivering presentations to large, diverse groups
• Experience with project management

Demonstrated Excellence in the Following Areas:

• Commitment to Students and Schools: Demonstrates commitment to education reform, believing in every child's potential for success and prioritizing students, schools, and the essential role of families.
• Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving: Finds creative solutions to challenges that achieve broader goals of team and organization.
• Project Management: Sets a high bar for own work and supports others to achieve desired team outcomes.
• Communications and Influence: Demonstrates adept communication skills and influence to advance work by adjusting content and style.
• Teamwork: Contributes to a supportive team culture, fostering diverse work styles and maintaining a high performance standard.
• Trust and Collaboration: Establishes and nurtures effective relationships with a diverse set of stakeholders to support the best outcomes for our work.
• Cultural Humility: Advances KIPP DC’s commitment to anti‑racism by creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all stakeholders.
• Continuous Learning: Commits to continuous learning through feedback, self reflection, humility, and action.

Benefits & Compensation

KIPP DC offers an extremely competitive compensation and benefits package:

• The anticipated starting salary range for this position is $94,082-$103,984. At KIPP DC we strive for clarity, equity, and to be highly competitive. When determining salaries we look at benchmarks in the education and non‑profit sector.
• KIPP DC offers a robust benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurances; various voluntary benefits; and employer paid benefits such as short term disability, long term disability, life insurance, and a membership to One Medical.
• KIPP DC also offers a 403(b) retirement account with a 3% employer contribution and a 3% match with vesting after three years.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

KIPP DC Public Schools does not discriminate against, or tolerate discrimination against, employees or applicants for employment on any legally‑recognized basis or protected class including, but not limited to, actual or perceived race, color, national origin, immigration status (except as necessary to comply with federal, DC, state, or local law), religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity or expression), marital status (including domestic partnership status), genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy, family responsibilities, personal appearance, veteran status, uniform service member status, status of being unemployed, status of victim a survivor of domestic violence, sexual offense or stalking, matriculation or any other protected class under federal, state, DC, or local law.