Assistant Director of College Counseling

Donna Klein Jewish Academy, an independent non-profit school for children grades Kindergarten through grade 12, is a Jewish community day school serving families from a broad spectrum of Jewish backgrounds and religious practices. The school was founded in 1979 and lives its mission: To educate our children and the greater DKJA community to be knowledgeable and responsible citizens of the world, committed to Jewish values and lifelong learning.

We are currently seeking an Assistant Director of College Counseling to join our team, supporting students and families throughout the four-year college planning journey. This role includes guiding students on course selection, extracurricular involvement, and application strategy; crafting detailed recommendation letters; and fostering strong relationships with college admissions representatives. The Assistant Director will also help plan and lead college counseling programs and workshops, stay current on admissions and testing trends, and collaborate closely with faculty, families, and leadership to ensure each student is prepared for postsecondary success.

• Effectively advise, support, educate, and mentor assigned students and their families through their 4 year college counseling experience

• Assist with devising, planning and implementing college counseling programs and events

• Develop and maintain an awareness of current issues and trends in college admission, higher education, and the testing landscape

• Utilize superior communication skills: written and verbal as well as public speaking and listening skills, in all interactions with students, families, colleagues and alumni

• Write detailed, personalized and comprehensive letters of recommendation for students and serve as an advocate for students in the college admissions process

• Nurture and develop strong professional relationships with college admission professionals

• Have an interest in taking on specialized projects with an aim to continually raise the standards of our department and school

• Monitor and assess student academic performance and advise on course selection and extracurricular/high school involvement to help position students for their best opportunity for success in the college application and admission process

• Implement and oversee programs and workshops related to college readiness, standardized testing, and career exploration

• Provide administrative support as needed for the effective and efficient operation of the college counseling department

• Perform other duties as may be deemed necessary for the effective and efficient operation of the department and school

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree strongly preferred

• Combined experience of five or more years as an admission officer and/or a college counselor in selective college admission processes

• Sensitivity to the needs of students and families at our community-focused pluralistic Jewish day school

• An understanding of the developmental needs of high school students and enthusiasm for working closely with them and their families

• High emotional intelligence, empathy, energy, flexibility, creativity, and patience

• Excellent attention to detail and exceptional organizational skills

• Strong analytical writing skills and the ability to craft individualized letters of recommendation for each student

• A high level of technological fluency and comfort with database systems and Google applications; experience with Scoir preferred and a willingness and ability to learn necessary programs is essential

• Awareness of issues and trends in college admission, higher education, and standardized testing, as well as a professional interest in keeping up-to-date about specific colleges and maintaining membership in professional organizations

• A team-oriented approach and a spirit of collaborative engagement in all professional endeavors

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person