Career Center
Ithaca, New York
Fullerton, California
Fullerton, California
Fullerton, California
Fullerton, California
Los Angeles, California
Posted: 13-Apr-23
Location: New York, New York
Type: Full Time
Salary: $190,000 - $250,000
Salary Details:
Preferred Education:
The Nightingale-Bamford School is seeking candidates for the position of Director of College Counseling. We are interested in a leader in this field: someone who is profoundly student-centered and a clear advocate for Nightingale; someone who remains current on the changing landscape of higher education and can nimbly integrate changes in response.
Nightingale’s professional community is grounded in relationships; developing and sustaining positive relationships with parents, faculty, school leadership, and staff is central to this role. Indeed, Nightingale’s college counselors take pride in knowing our students deeply and can often be seen cheering for our students as they perform on stages, play on fields, and in our community. The Director of College Counseling will be a present and involved member of our Upper School, collaborating with other faculty members, participating in leadership discussions in the Upper School, and communicating regularly with our families.
Applicants must believe in the power of our mission to “inspire girls to go beyond barriers.” The successful applicant will have a history of a deep commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging thus demonstrating strong DEI and social-emotional competencies both in working with students and families and all professional community members..
This position reports to the Head of Upper School and will guide our students through every aspect of the college planning, search, and application process.
Successful candidates should possess the following attributes:
- Impeccable written and oral communication skills
- Extensive knowledge of and relationships with a wide variety of colleges and universities
- Proven experience and success with the admissions process from multiple angles
- An interest in and attention to trends and patterns within the changing world of college admissions
- Data-informed decision making
- Commitment to building positive and supportive relationships with students and families
- An ability to connect with a wide variety of students on a personal level in order to meet each student where they are in their admissions journey
- The energy, patience, and sense of humor necessary to work effectively with high school students and their families
- A strong desire to work at a girls’ school.
RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE (but are not limited to):
- Managing a caseload of students, providing strategies, advice, support, and guidance to those students and their families throughout the application process and in making the best individualized choice for college
- Meeting with students individually and in groups to educate and empower them on how to navigate the college process, admissions trends, and individual college options
- Manage and develop and maintain a strong partnership with the Associate Director of College Counseling
- Engaging, as both a consultant and a leader as appropriate, in schoolwide curriculum development initiatives and graduation requirements
- Clearly articulating all aspects of the college process to families starting in the 9th grade
- Familiarizing interested families with all financial aid processes, and directing them-- where appropriate-- to resources to aid any application
- Presenting annually to Nightingale’s Board of Trustees
- Conducting events and educational outreach for both the student and parent communities
- Collaborating with admissions and marketing departments to convey information (within ethical and privacy limits) to the interest of prospective parents
- Creating and submitting materials to colleges in support of college applicants
- Coordinating the faculty writing of requested recommendations for students applying to college
- Facilitating visits between students and college representatives at the school
- Cultivating and nurturing working relationships with college admissions professionals and local area college counseling colleagues
- Arranging and directing visits to relevant colleges and college fairs
- Visiting college campuses to stay abreast of university offerings and maintain familiarity with signature programs
- Tracking trends in the admissions and college counseling fields, and adjusting accordingly
- Writing recommendations for approximately half of the senior class
- Providing support to students in writing college essays and completing applications
- Pursuing professional development by attending conferences, visiting colleges, participating in local and national organizations and keeping abreast of current industry trends
- Coordinating with the athletic department to guide interested students and their families through the athletic recruitment process
- Participating in committee, department, and other meetings as well as school-sponsored events that would benefit from the area of expertise
- Participating in the life of the school by advising, chaperoning trips, attending meetings and evening and weekend events
- Co-teaching college counseling classes
- Participating as a member of the Upper School leadership team
- Creating and executing information sessions and workshops for students and families in grades 9-12 regarding the college process, testing, and financial aid
- Organizing and facilitating workshops for students and teachers on topics such as writing college application essays and teacher recommendations
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree; master’s degree preferred
- At least 5 to 7 years of prior experience in college counseling or college admissions
- Successful track record working with students from first contact to college admission
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
- A shared understanding of the mission of the School and a demonstrated commitment to the core principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Demonstrated DEI and SEL competencies and an ability to understand, appreciate, and work with constituents across varied backgrounds and cultures
- Excellent attention to detail, professional attitude, good judgment, a high level of integrity and a strong work ethic
- High professional and ethical standards for handling confidential information
- Flexibility and initiative combined with the skills for thriving in a team environment to achieve institutional goals
- Exceptional interpersonal skills and an ability to work collaboratively with all levels of constituents
- Strong organization and project management skills
- Superb oral and written communication skills
- An ability to be highly analytical
- High level of initiative, proven ability to work independently and collaboratively
- Enthusiastic about working in an academic atmosphere with adolescents
- A joyful presence
