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Salary
KIPP Texas Public Schools is a network of 59 public charter, open-enrollment, pre-k-12 schools educating nearly 34,000 students across Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Together with families and communities, our mission is to create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose —college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.
Founded in Houston in 1994, and operating as KIPP Texas since 2018, our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism in our classrooms, in our offices, and in the communities we serve is unwavering. We are looking to hire a diverse team of dynamic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals with an unyielding belief that every child will succeed. Join our Team and Family and champion equity, chase excellence, persist with purpose, bring joy, and help us rise together.
KIPP Texas is part of the national KIPP network of 255 college-preparatory public charter schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Nationwide, KIPP students complete four-year college at a rate of 36 percent, comparable to the national average for all students and approximately three times higher than the average of students from low-income communities.
You can see all our job opportunities at https://kipptexas.org/join-our-team/.
Job Description
The Director of College & Career Counseling is responsible for developing and managing a College and Career Counseling program and team that will ensure that every student deepens their knowledge about themselves and their top careers of highest aspiration, and builds and executes a strong plan that will allow them to make the best postsecondary choice. The Director of College & Career Counseling is responsible for building relationships with the school leadership team, national organizations and college/ universities that will lead to resources for students. It is the ultimate goal of the college & Career Counseling department, through guidance and education, to ensure that all graduates have the ability to maintain success in their academic, professional and personal lives. Finally, the Director of College Counseling is charged with keeping the college & Career Counseling program woven into all aspects of KIPP high school campus to ensure that the program does not work in isolation from the school’s mission. This role is an ideal opportunity for a highly motivated, collaborative, results-driven and service minded leader with a passion for supporting students in building and succeeding in their postsecondary plan for their career of highest
aspiration. We are looking for a leader who can see the bigger picture, coach and develop our counselors and manage the day to day operations.
Duties and Essential Job Functions:
- Coach and support the College & Career Instructors through curriculum assessment, classroom observation, as well as goal setting and progress monitoring
- Support and facilitate College and Career personal development for teachers and staff
- Track student College and Career data, monitor progress, and execute on strategic upgrades
- Lead College and Career programming and exposure
- Develop effective processes to support College & Career Instructors in regards to students finalizing and executing on strong post-secondary plans, including but not limited to, postsecondary and financial aid applications, and registering for standardized tests in a classroom setting
- Develop an inclusive, solution-focused and growth-mindset team culture
- Maintain consistent “Progress of Students” communication with key stakeholders including: KIPP Foundation, KIPP Forward team, School and regional leadership, along with students and families
- Establish relationships and collaborate with external stakeholders (postsecondary institutions, career partners, scholarship organizations, etc.) to support students’ success
- Progress monitor all KIPP Forward postsecondary prep, application and matriculation goals
- Manage and maintain consistent communication flow to key stakeholders, teammates and families (including recurring meetings with SPED team, Registrar/Dean of Academic Progress, Testing Coordinator etc.) to support students progress towards HS graduation and transition to their postsecondary plan
- Responsibilities associated with this position may shift, expand and grow based on the regional needs of the organization
Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Experience in leading high-performance and diverse teams
- Resilience, strong work ethic and outcomes oriented—demonstrated ability to balance competing priorities
- Previous experience in using data to drive decision making strongly
- Comfort with working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
- Strong interpersonal skills; Ability to work with a wide-range of people including teachers, parents, students,
- Ability to project plan, organize, and prioritize, with a collaborative spirit
- Fast learner with the ability to inquire and be open to feedback
- Proven written and verbal communication skills
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred, but not required
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution
- Master’s degree preferred.
- Experience working with high school students (especially first-generation) and their families in the college counseling field, strongly preferred
- Professional development course on College and Career readiness and success, is essential
- Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.
- Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a cell phone, copy machine and computer printer.
- Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another.
- Communicating with others to exchange information.
- Must be able to lift and carry or otherwise move up to 20 pounds occasionally.
- Able to meet school schedule (i.e. 7:30am-4/5pm - depending on Professional Development days)
- Able to work evenings, holidays and weekends as necessary
Additional Information
Compensation and Benefits
As a full-time KIPP Texas employee you are eligible to participate in all KIPP Texas’ benefit plans. KIPP Texas offers a robust variety of benefits choices with competitive rates, including medical, dental, and vision options, life insurance, and disability plans.
KIPP provides equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.
