Manlius Pebble Hill School (MPH), the independent school of Central NY, seeks an experienced and collaborative educator and leader to become its next Director of College Counseling.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a vibrant and creative school community, long seen as the K-12 education leader of the region, at an exciting inflection point in its storied history. Central NY is positioned for transformational investments and economic growth, and under the leadership of a new Head of School, MPH seeks a Director who is equally poised to make an impact by taking the reins of its accomplished college placement program. During 17 years at the helm amidst the ever-changing landscape of college admissions, retiring Director Will Cardamone has established an MPH track record of consistently sending students to top-tier colleges and universities. His successor will inherit that strong reputational network.
Reporting to the Head of Upper School, the Director of College Counseling is responsible for leading the school’s College Counseling function, planning and executing all aspects of the school’s college counseling process and programming. MPH educators prioritize the importance of building strong, meaningful relationships with students in a trusting environment, and the Director serves as counselor to each member of the graduating senior class (currently between 30-40 students).
At MPH, a student’s social and emotional well-being is central to our Mission of inspiring students to think critically, act responsibly, and discover a passion for lifelong learning, and the successful candidate will be able to reflect and demonstrate those priorities in their professional practice. Like colleagues, they will relish being a joyful presence in the lives of school-aged children, and set a tone of genuine affection for people including adult colleagues, alumni, parents, trustees, and the broader CNY community.
This is a full-time, 12-month staff position. with excellent benefits including medical, dental, and life insurance as well as an employer-matching retirement savings plan. Annual salary range is $70-90k. To apply, please include a cover letter, resume, and references in pdf format addressed to Fred Montas, Jr., Head of Upper School, at fmontas@mphschool.org.
Primary Job Responsibilities
Individual Counseling

• Manage 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.
• Meet with students individually and in groups to educate and empower them for navigating the college process, admissions trends, and individual college options.
• Provide specialized education and guidance for international students navigating the U.S. college admission and enrollment process.
• Create and submit materials on behalf of MPH students applying for admission, including writing college counselor recommendations and advocating appropriately for their candidacies with college admissions offices.
• Coordinate and supervise the faculty writing of requested recommendations for students applying to college.
• Assist students in identifying resources for college scholarships and financial aid.

School Leadership

• Track trends in the admissions and college counseling fields, collaborate with school leadership to adjust strategy accordingly, and conduct educational outreach programming for both students and parents.
• Collaborate with MPH’s admissions and marketing teams to seize opportunities for conveying the value of MPH college counseling to prospective parents and other outside audiences.
• Work with Director of Student Life to plan and conduct the Senior Transition to College Program each March and April
• Pursue professional development opportunities, including attending relevant conferences and professional meetings in order to remain current with industry trends.
• Participate in committee, department, and staff meetings as well as school-sponsored events that would benefit from your area of expertise.
• Lead the process of developing the annual school profile that informs colleges about MPH’s academic program and the graduating class.

Office Supervision, Record Keeping and Communications

• Assure the effective administration of all standardized testing offered by MPH (the PSAT and Pre-ACT), including scheduling test dates, registering students, communicating with the Director of Academic Support about students who have testing accommodations, administering the tests, and providing pre- and post-test counseling.
• Review students’ progress on standardized testing with the Head of Upper School.
• Work with the Head of Upper School to ensure the Registrar has accurate permanent records of students’ testing and academic work and to prepare student transcripts.
• Facilitate meetings between students and college representatives visiting the school.
• Cultivate mutually beneficial working relationships with college admissions professionals, including visiting college campuses to stay abreast of university offerings and maintain familiarity with signature programs.
• Arrange and direct visits to relevant colleges and college fairs.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in counseling or applicable field; advanced degree preferred
• At least 3 to 5 years’ prior experience in college counseling or college admissions
• Successful track record working with students from first contact to college admission
• Exceptional written and oral communication
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and a dedication to a high level of confidentiality

Key Skills and Qualities

• Positive, “can-do” relationship-builder with demonstrated ability to work well independently and in a team
• Unflappable and reassuring demeanor, with a willingness and ability to navigate stress and conflict with care and sensitivity that eases the emotional volatility inherent to the college admissions process
• Strong cultural competency skills, with demonstrated experience working across diverse constituencies and commitment to furthering an equitable and inclusive school community that supports a strong sense of belonging
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and technologically adept

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