Scholar Counselor

Job Description

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY & REPORTING: Reporting to the Chief Program and Equity Officer , the  Scholar Counselor provides holistic personal and academic guidance to high school Scholars throughout their educational journey. As a primary point of contact for Scholars and their families, the Scholar Counselor builds strong relationships with students, families, and school partners to support each Scholar’s academic success and personal growth. The ideal candidate is proactive, highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to balance independent work with strong collaboration. They bring strong relationship-building and communication skills, and a commitment to expanding educational access and opportunity for high-achieving students from underserved communities.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A strong commitment to expanding access to educational opportunity for students from historically underserved communities.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience working with adolescents in education, counseling, youth development, advising, or a related field.
• Experience providing academic, personal, college, or supportive guidance to adolescents preferred.
• Strong relationship-building, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and a student caseload independently.
• Strong judgment, problem-solving skills, and the ability to respond thoughtfully to changing student and program needs.
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Bilingual English/Spanish skills are a plus.
• Knowledge of independent day and boarding schools is a plus.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed.

Desired Competencies

• Ethics - Treats people with respect; Keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and ethically; upholds organizational values.
• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; willing to learn new techniques and procedures; Manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
• Innovation & Initiative - Displays original thinking and creativity; Meets challenges with resourcefulness; Generates suggestions for improving work; Develops innovative approaches and ideas; Presents ideas and information in a manner that gets others' attention; Looks for and takes advantage of opportunities.
• Planning/Organizing & Project Management - Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans; Communicates changes and progress; Completes projects on time and budget.
• Interpersonal Skills - Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; listens to others without interrupting; keeps emotions under control; remains open to others' ideas and tries new things.

Compensation: Salary $66,300 annually
EEO
 
A diverse workforce and open culture are at the heart of our organization and vital to our success. Oliver Scholars is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, citizenship status, or current employment status.

Culture
The Oliver Scholars Program prepares high-achieving students from families with limited financial resources who are attending New York City middle schools, for success at selective high schools and colleges.
Responsibilities
Placement & Advocacy

• Develop and maintain relationships with our partner schools.
• Advocate for Oliver applicants with Consortium Schools admissions staff under the guidance of the Director of Placement.
• Communicate regularly with school partners and scholar families to give updates, request documents, and answer questions.
• Lead presentations for parents and students on all parts of the placement process, including interviewing, financial aid, and test preparation.
• Conduct one-on-one counseling sessions for families about school options, choice, and fit.
• Coordinate and administer the standardized tests required for admission.
• Resolve family application issues and help organize and keep track of all student applications.
• Review and revise applications appropriately and maintain the integrity of documents.
• Counsel parents of unplaced students on other available educational opportunities.
• Write evaluations and summaries for scholars.
• Collaborate with the  Director of Placement to develop, implement, and inspire a vision and strategy for growing the high school and middle school placement program; identify and codify innovative strategies to ensure all students gain entry to the best-fit, selective high schools.
• Assist with creating and managing a process for administering financial support for family school visits to a growing student body.  
• Assist the  Director of Placement with the development and execution of all placement-related programming, including but not limited to parent and student workshops on interviewing, financial aid, and test preparation during Fall, Winter, and Spring classes.
• Maintain general knowledge of Oliver’s program activities and requirements.
• Regularly update the database of school personnel, applicants, and volunteer contacts.
• Participate in review sessions after the summer preparation program to discuss student performance and create a process for counseling students or directing them to support resources.
• Collaborate with the  Director of Placement on creating data protocols and database tools for compiling, analyzing, and reporting student data.
• Assist with preparing reports and statistics on student success and needs for various stakeholders, including the Leadership Team and the Board of Trustees.
• Assist with the management of the day-to-day operations of the Placement department and, in conjunction with the Director of Placement, establish departmental priorities in line with overall organizational goals.
• Manage all vendors associated with school placement, including test prep companies.

Consortium School Cultivation and Growth

• Assist the  Director of Placement in conducting research and evaluation to assess the appropriateness of new Consortium Schools.
• Assist the  Director of Placement with deepening relationships with Consortium Schools through annual school visits and cultivation events. Assist with managing Oliver Scholars’ brand and relationships with Independent School admissions and financial aid officers.
• Assist with managing Oliver Scholars’ brand and relationships with Independent School admissions and financial aid officers.
• Represent Oliver Scholars at meetings and with school partners.

Scholar Support

• Assist in teaching ISAP class during the summer and the Saturday Academy.
• Provide support during Winter and Spring classes.
• Provide support in the planning and execution of the Scholar Immersion Program (SIP), which includes the ISAP (Independent School Application Process) curriculum.

Other Duties

• Collaborate with other program directors as needed on various Scholar-related initiatives.
• Participate in Oliver’s organizational and fundraising efforts as requested (e.g., providing content for grant proposals, funder visits, and Annual Gala).
• Assist with projects and other duties as needed and requested within the organization.

Requirements
US Citizen
Accept a background check to be performed
Valid & Unexpired US Driver's License
Minimum of 3 years experience working with adolescents
Available to travel within New York State & Out-of-State
Available to work occasional evenings, weekends and some overnight/weeklong travel
Minimum Bachelors Degree
Knowledge in: Google Suites
Knowledge in: Microsoft Office
Equal Opportunity Employer
The Oliver Scholars Program, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to maintaining a work environment free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Oliver Scholars encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture, as we believe this best reflects the communities and students we serve.

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