Director of Student Health Services

Job description

The KIPP Texas Director of Student Health Services will support schools to foster healthy and safe environments for students to reach optimum achievement and health, serving as a thought partner, problem solver, and change agent to internal and external stakeholders with steadfast commitment to action. Since health and educational goals are interdependent, this position furthers the mission of KIPP Texas as it helps ensure that all students have access to care that meets their diverse emotional and behavioral needs. The KIPP Texas Director of School Health Services is a senior leader and will lead the implementation of the strategic direction for School Health Services, initiating new strategy as well as implementation of project timelines of the strategic plan. He/she will work cooperatively with regional and school leaders, school-based school health staff as well as the state team to ensure the delivery of high quality programs, services and improved results in student achievement. ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES: Strategic Planning & Program Management Lead collaborative departmental meetings supporting strategic initiatives, including developing a 'Student Health arc of the year' roadmap. Routinely evaluate the KTX Student Health program to ensure student education objectives are met and program performance tracks against annual targets. Identify, analyze, and apply current nursing and medical research findings to drive health care delivery and strategic improvements. Operational Oversight & Compliance Provide operational leadership to School Health Services, ensuring quality programming, consistent intervention support, and adherence to state statutes regarding protected health information. Maintain district compliance through accurate state-required reporting, consistent policy updates in alignment with state guidance, proper maintenance of student health data, and the development of proactive disease prevention/response systems. Ensure all student health concerns are documented and supported to allow for student success in the classroom Partner with the Special Education team to manage Individual Health Plans, including one-to-one nursing and homebound services. Coordinate implementation of state mandates (e.g., CPR/AED, screenings, immunizations, Type 2 Diabetes) and serve on relevant health advisory/safety committees. Team Leadership & Resource Management Supervise Student Health staff, including performance evaluations and improvement planning. Manage the Student Health budget to ensure financial responsibility and efficient resource allocation. Lead hiring efforts for district and campus-level staff by establishing criteria for education, experience, and departmental staffing needs. Ensure the state and regional Student Health teams provide excellent communication and customer service. Capacity Building & Stakeholder Engagement Coordinate professional learning for school teams and individual Student Health providers to drive continuous growth and support system understanding. Collaborate with external partners (e.g., Legacy Community Health) and internal constituents to optimize systems, utilization, and knowledge. Spend approximately 50% of time in schools working directly with teams to improve health programming. Manage other duties as assigned by the Managing Director of School-Based Mental Health QUALIFICATIONS: Registered Nurse with 5 years of direct patient care experience School Nurse experience preferred Master’s Degree in a related education field preferred Minimum of seven years of progressive leadership experience, including at least three years of direct people management Proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office required; familiarity with school nursing platforms (Skyward, ImmTrac) preferred Ability to travel between campuses across KIPP Texas cities as needed. COMPETENCY AND SKILLS: Ability to execute and monitor strategic plans, annual goals and quarterly benchmarking for program improvement. Knowledge of state education law around student and school health state mandated reporting requirements Demonstrated integrity and alignment with KIPP Texas's mission and commitment to the students and families we serve. Proven people leadership skills; able to manage, coach, and develop clinic staff across multiple campuses through both direct and matrix management structures. Strong operational and systems thinking; able to build scalable tools and processes that drive student care consistency and performance across a regional portfolio. Data-driven decision-maker; able to analyze clinic data, assess clinic staff performance, and develop targeted improvement strategies based on evidence. Clear and professional communicator; able to engage effectively with Regional Superintendents, Heads of Schools, School Leaders, and campus-based staff across all levels of the organization. Solutions-oriented and adaptable; able to make sound decisions with imperfect information and navigate competing priorities with composure and urgency. Strong planner with the flexibility to pivot when organizational needs shift; comfortable operating at both strategic and tactical levels simultaneously. Builds a team culture grounded in accountability, trust, genuine appreciation, and shared commitment to results. 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 essential functions. The person in this position needs to be able to move about inside and outside the school throughout the workday. The candidate is expected to attend conferences, meetings and training sessions both virtually and in person within the Region. Additional Requirements: Reliable transportation is needed for travel between campuses Ability to maintain emotional control under stress. Work with frequent interruptions. Work Environment: Hybrid work - Reports to the central office or schools four days a week Travel Requirements: Travel to other school sites or regional offices for clinic visits, professional learning, meetings and other work related activities required. What We Bring to the Table: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans with coverage options for employees and their families. Competitive vacation and flexible paid time off (PTO) policies. Paid family leave. Flexible spending account or high-yield HSA. Employee assistance programs. KIPP also offers the following employee-paid benefits: legal plans, LifeLock identity protection, life insurance and disability insurance EEO: KIPP Texas is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KIPP Texas ensures equal employment opportunities regardless of race, creed, gender, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability. Any individual needing assistance in making an application for any opening should contact the Talent Team. Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job duties. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. About KIPP Texas Public Schools KIPP Texas Public Schools is a free, public charter school network with more than 45 Pre-K - 12 schools across Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. With over 30 years in Texas, we work together with our families and communities to prepare students for college, career, and beyond! Our schools provide a high-quality, well-rounded education built on academic success and personal growth, where all students learn and thrive in a productive, safe, and joyful way! As one of the earliest charter networks in Texas—founded in Houston in 1994 and operating as KIPP Texas since 2018—we hire dynamic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals with an unyielding belief that every child will succeed. Join a Team and Family with an unwavering commitment to creating classrooms, offices, and communities rooted in academic success and joy. If you are passionate about joining a mission-driven community that wants every child to "run to school," the KIPP Texas Team and Family is for you! KIPP Public Schools is a national network of public charter schools that prepares students with the skills and confidence to create the future they want for themselves, their communities, and us all. We are a network of 278 schools with nearly 16,500 educators and 190,000 students and alumni.