Director of College Counseling -- Apply by 3/29

Company Description

We are seeking a talented, committed, culturally competent Director of College Counseling to join the KIPP Forward team at KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools.  The initial deadline to apply for this position is September 15th. Applications submitted after the deadline will be reviewed on a rolling basis. This position is currently open and available for an immediate start

Submitting this application considers you for all 2023-2024 opportunities for which you are qualified. To browse immediate openings, please visit our careers website.

About KIPP

KIPP Public Schools is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools committed to partnering with students and families to disrupt systemic educational inequity and create a future without limits. Over 120,000 students attend one of the 280 KIPP schools that operate in 27 regions across the United States. KIPP Philadelphia Schools Public Schools (KPPS) is a part of the national KIPP Public Schools network and currently leads seven schools serving approximately 2,800 students in North and West Philadelphia. By 2030, KPPS will lead ten schools serving approximately 4,000 students. 

Our Mission

Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. 

About the KIPP Forward Team

KIPP Philadelphia is committed to supporting its students and alumni to and through college. Students earn alumni status once they have completed 8th grade at a KIPP middle school or graduated from a KIPP high school. The KIPP Forward team provides essential resources to all KIPP students and alumni as they make the transition from middle school to high school, as they prepare for and enter college and while they pursue their college degrees.

Job Description

Position Overview

Reporting to the Managing Director of KIPP Forward, Vaneeda Days, the Director of College Counseling (DCC) leads the college counseling team (including 1 Junior Seminar Counselor and 2 Senior Seminar Counselors) at KIPP DuBois Collegiate Academy (KDCA), located at 5070 Parkside Avenue. The DCC is responsible for leading and refining the College Match strategy to support 9th - 12th grade students at KDCA. Additionally, the DCC is responsible for creating and executing programming aimed at ensuring all KDCA seniors secure appropriate post-secondary plans, including matriculating to a match and best-fit college or securing the required credentials for a specified career pathway.  

The DCC will accomplish this by executing our College Match strategy and leading the team in successfully meeting the region’s annual college matriculation and match goals. The DCC will provide Junior and Senior Counselors with consistent management, professional development, support and feedback. The DCC will also oversee the major programmatic elements for high school students, including development of strategy to engage and serve 9th through 12th graders. 

Key Responsibilities

1. Execute our College Match strategy and lead the team in successfully meeting the region’s annual college matriculation and match goals:

• Manage all student demographic, academic and demographic information across multiple platforms:  Salesforce, Overgrad, KIPP Match Tools, etc.
• Effectively plan the organization and time management of Match department  in planning parent nights, college visits, guest speakers, career exploration trips, and other postsecondary access programming 
• Develop innovative and creative solutions through programming and one-on-ones that problem solve gaps in postsecondary knowledge for students and families 
• Plan and lead cyclical data at Monthly Match Meetings with leadership to compare progress against milestones, assess areas for improvement and adjust plans to achieve intended outcomes
• Establish and maintain relationships/partnerships with colleges and universities, summer programs, and scholarship organizations

2. Provide college counselors with consistent management, professional development, support and feedback:

• Directly manage seminar counselors, including direct support with:
  • Lesson planning, lesson internalization and execution, and classroom management
  • Student postsecondary guidance, coaching, and goal setting to define success for the semester/year and beyond 
• Support the college counseling team in developing, aligning, delivering and continually refining the curriculum and programming for the 11th and 12th grade seminar cla