The Downtown School | Director of College Counseling | Full Time | 2021-2022

The Downtown School, an independent 9-12 coeducational day school located near Seattle Center in Seattle, Washington is currently recruiting for a Director of College Counseling.

Responsibilities
The ideal candidate will join a diverse team of colleagues who are energetic, creative, collaborative, and constantly exploring new ways of effectively serving students. The candidate will support students through the college search and application process; help keep the team abreast of trends and issues in the field; and present to students and families on the college application and selection process and on the landscape of highly selective college admissions and financial aid. The specific responsibilities of this position include: 
 

1. Counsel, support, and mentor a diverse group of students and families through the college selection and application process each year, including building college lists, writing individualized and unbiased recommendations for all counselees, and providing feedback to students on their college essays;
2. Create a level of rapport, comfort, and an environment of trust with all students and families, including adapting their counseling practice, when necessary, to students' and families' varying cultural, financial and personal needs;
3. Present, sometimes on evenings and weekends, to students, families, teachers, and advisors about current trends, match, fit, and institutional priorities in the college application process;
4. Advise students and families on what makes college applications stand out;
5. Visit and expand The Downtown School's network with colleges and universities to learn about options for students and to further educate these institutions about The Downtown School;
6. Build a culture of inclusivity in the college process, including setting expectations for students and families on acting inclusively and equitably;
7. Create dynamic communications presentations for The Downtown School families.

In addition, the ideal candidate will be someone who embraces change and will eagerly embrace a learner's mindset.

Requirements and Qualifications

1. Demonstrated cultural awareness, including knowledge of themselves and the cultural lenses they bring to interactions. The candidate will understand different perspectives; interact respectfully with cultures other than their own; and cultivate meaningful relationships with people that have different cultural frameworks.
2. Bachelor's degree.
3. Three or more years of relevant experience in either selective college admissions or college counseling.
4. Excellent listening, counseling, communication, public speaking and technology skills.
5. Prior experience working with a diverse student population and demonstrated equity and inclusion mindset. Candidates should be aware of their own identity and biases, consider how privilege impacts the college process, possess an interest in hearing about the unique stories of all students, and take into account how students' college experiences vary according to racial, cultural, and financial backgrounds.
6. Knowledgeable or eager to learn about the cultural backgrounds that immigrant families bring to the process, equity and inclusion on college campuses, the financial pressures inherent to the college process, and about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) that are affirming and supportive of specific groups. 
7. Strong organizational and time management skills.
8. Some evening and weekend work is required.
9. Candidates must satisfactorily complete two criminal background checks.