College Counselor

South Kent School, established in 1923, is a college preparatory school for boys in grades 9 through 12, nestled in the hills of picturesque northwestern Connecticut. South Kent School prepares young men to succeed in college and thrive as thoughtful and engaged citizens in a rapidly changing and intensely competitive world.

Job Summary: The College Counselor routinely engages with faculty, staff, athletics, and administration to best support the students and execute the goals of the office. This role will collaborate with and support students and their parents with the college search and application process. The college counseling process involves students from all grade levels with standardized test prep plans, discussing course selection to meet higher education goals and involvement in targeted extracurricular activities to list on future college applications.

Job Duties and Responsibilities: 

●      Contributing to a team of college counselors committed to building an inclusive, supportive, and professionally oriented academic department where professional growth, and intra-office collaboration are both expected and encouraged.  

●      Actively support a caseload of college counseling advisees with the college search process, securing required application materials, application submission, standardized test plans, and NCAA eligibility review.

●      Assist SKS alumni as needed with transcript and letter of recommendation requests

●      Advise and support students and their families in all aspects of the college admission and application process, including facilitating applications to need- and merit-based financial aid programs. 

●      Work collaboratively with the College Counseling staff, school administration, and faculty to support College Counseling Office and school-wide programming. 

●      Establish and maintain working relationships with college admissions professionals.  

●      Write comprehensive school letters of support and initiate appropriate follow-up for each student's candidacy.  

●      Assist with developing college and career exploration activities through South Kent’s college application platform, Cialfo.

●      Serve as the standardized testing and NCAA co-coordinator.

●      Actively seek continuous personal development in the field of admission and college counseling, including traveling to professional meetings and conferences and visiting college and university campuses.  

●      Commit to developing their own cultural self-awareness, cultural competence, and emotional intelligence in their professional growth.  

●      Celebrate the backgrounds, abilities, and identities of all members of our community while supporting South Kent's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

●      Establish competence with web and computer-based software systems. 

●      Work professionally and collaboratively within the department, the School, and the broader South Kent community.

●      Attends meetings as required and appropriate.

●      Afternoon athletic, co-curricular, and/or academic activities

●      Dorm and evening duties

●      Public passenger endorsement

●      Weekend duties as designated by the School

●      Community Life 

●      Advisory

●      Formal meal supervision

●      Observes and enforces the School's policies and regulations.

●      Maintains qualifications for employment in accordance with institutional and accreditation guidelines.

●      All other duties as assigned. 

Job Education & Requirements: 

●      Bachelor’s degree is required 

●      Minimum of 1-3 years of relevant experience in college counseling and/or college admissions. 

●      A desire to work collaboratively in a team environment while also being comfortable with autonomy.

●      Familiarity with and a desire to continue to learn about a wide range of colleges and universities both in the United States and abroad. 

●      Excellent interpersonal and counseling skills, and the ability to work effectively with both young people and adults. 

●      Outstanding communication (oral and written) abilities and organizational skills. 

●      Strong cultural competency skills and commitment to fostering inclusivity in a diverse community. Ability to work collaboratively and independently, as needed, and appropriate. 

●      The capacity to take initiative, work independently, think critically, and solve problems. 

●      Strong computer skills, including email communication and electronic submission of documents. Flexibility, and the capacity to adapt to the dynamic and ever-evolving college admissions landscape. 

●      Able to travel to different colleges and universities during the year (when conditions permit).

●      Valid driver’s license.

●      Demonstrate support for South Kent’s commitment to Diversity Equity and Inclusion.

Job Competencies: 

●      Diversity - Demonstrates knowledge of EEO policy; Shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; Educates others on the value of diversity; Promotes a harassment-free environment; Builds a diverse workforce.

●      Ethics - Treats people with respect; Keeps commitments; Inspires the trust of others; Works with integrity and ethically; Upholds organizational values.

●      Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data; Designs workflows and procedures.

●      Innovation - 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.

●      Interpersonal Skills - Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; Maintains confidentiality; Listens to others without interrupting; Keeps emotions under control; Remains open to others' ideas and tries new things.

●      Judgement - Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions.

●      Leadership - Exhibits confidence in self and others; Inspires and motivates others to perform well; Effectively influences actions and opinions of others; Accepts feedback from others; Gives appropriate recognition to others.

●      Motivation - Sets and achieves challenging goals; Demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; Measures self against standard of excellence; Takes calculated risks to accomplish goals.

●      Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.

●      Organizational Support - Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; Supports organization's goals and values; Benefits organization through outside activities; Supports affirmative action and respects diversity.

●      Planning/Organizing - 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.

●      Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.

●      Professionalism - Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.

●      Project Management - Develops project plans; Coordinates projects; Communicates changes and progress; Completes projects on time and budget; Manages project team activities.

●      Technical Skills - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; Pursues training and development opportunities; Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; Shares expertise with others.

●      Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: 

●      Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards, including meeting qualitative and/or quantitative productivity standards. 

●      Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards.

●      Ability to lift and carry up to 20 lbs.

●      Ability to speak, listen, and communicate in English. 

●      Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.

Compensation:

Compensation is competitive and includes meals when school is in session. Health and retirement

benefits, including TIAA-CREF, are part of the compensation package. Funding exists to support

advanced degree work and participation in professional growth opportunities such as conferences

and workshops.

To Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a brief cover letter, resume, and list of references (minimum 3) to South Kent School: employment@southkentschool.org

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

For more information: www.southkentschool.org