Director of College Counseling & Alumni Advising

Director Of College Counseling And Alumni Advising

Reports to School Principal

Collaborates Directly with Students, Parents, Faculty, and College Admissions Representatives

The Director of College Counseling and Alumni Advising plays an essential role in ensuring all Cristo Rey students are on track to enroll and succeed in college. The position requires an extraordinary commitment to serving diverse students of limited economic means - most of whom will be the first in their family to pursue a degree – through the implementation of a comprehensive college counseling and alumni advising program. The position requires extensive experience with the college admissions process, a strong sense of low-­‐income students' and family needs in preparing for college, and the ability to manage key relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. In addition, candidates should be prepared to work closely with Naviance and Salesforce and integrate it into the workflow of the college and alumni counseling office.

Primary Responsibilities

• Serve as the school's principal advisor and thought leader on best practices in college matriculation, persistence, and completion.
• Set vision for 9-12th instructional college counseling and alumni supports, including 9-11th pre-college programming, junior and senior seminar curriculum, family engagement, and alumni engagement strategies.
• Staff management: lead a team of college and alumni counselors; conduct effective team meetings and one-on-ones, provide subject matter expertise and support with core college and alumni counseling content and student caseloads
• Plan and lead workshops for key stakeholders (parents, students, teachers, and school administration ) on topics related to the college admissions process, including financial aid planning, and essay writing
• Oversee whole school systems and processes for letters of recommendation, school profile updates, application tracking software updates, and on-site events (e.g., college fairs, FAFSA workshops, etc.)
• Track, communicate, and analyze National Student Clearinghouse information related to alumni college outcomes.
• Develop collaborative partnerships with colleges alumni attend, creating the capacity to link students to college/university resources that support their successful enrollment and retention.
• Ensure students take advantage of special opportunities made available to low-­‐income students in the college search and application process (i.e., fee waivers, fly-­‐in visits, university partner programs, and scholarships)
• Participate in professional development opportunities the Cristo Rey Network and national college associations offer.
• Develop and maintain a robust network of college admission professionals through regular communication, college admissions visits, and participation in information programs hosted by colleges/universities.
• Establish, pursue, and track school goals for college admissions, enrollment, persistence, and completion, prioritizing four-year college enrollment and completion.
• Build and celebrate a school‐wide college‐going culture (e.g., publicly posting college acceptances, on-­‐site admissions days, planning and leading senior acceptance assemblies, and other school-­‐wide traditions)
• Maintaining a budget
• Teach College Readiness Classes if needed
• Represent your school at local, state, and national college admissions conferences, fairs, and/or
• tours to help strengthen regional partnerships and college persistence expertise
• Participate in professional development opportunities offered by local college access organizations (i.e., Association of College Admissions Counselors) and Cristo Rey national office
• Connect regularly with other Directors at Cristo Rey Network schools
• Must be able to travel as needed

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's Degree required; Master's preferred
• At least three years of experience in college counseling
• Ability to serve economically disadvantaged, racially diverse students and their families
• Strong understanding of the academic, financial, and social barriers to college access for underrepresented, first‐generation students
• A highly collaborative, dynamic leader with the ability to manage a large number of professional relationships with a variety of stakeholders
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required; Bilingual (Spanish) preferred
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission of the Cristo Rey Network and model
• Ability to thrive in a fast-­paced, entrepreneurial school environment
• A belief that all students can succeed in college and career