Director Of College Counseling

Davis Chicago•Chicago, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Davis School Chicago is seeking a founding Director of College Counseling to design, build, and lead a comprehensive four-year college counseling program at a new Jewish college-preparatory high school opening in downtown Chicago in fall 2027. Reporting to the Principal, the Director will develop a mission-aligned counseling vision and guide students and families from the beginning of high school through college admission and matriculation. The role combines individual advising, curriculum and program development, admissions-season leadership, college partnerships, outcome tracking, and family and community engagement. The Director will create a grade-by-grade developmental counseling curriculum consistent with the ASCA National Model; advise students and families individually; lead seminars and family programming; coordinate college-knowledge instruction through the school’s Advisory program; and establish the counseling program’s systems, communications, handbook, and traditions. The Director will oversee the application process for seniors, support ethical and informed decision-making, coordinate recommendations and transcripts, and work with faculty on timely, substantive letters and essay support. The role also involves developing relationships with colleges and universities, organizing college visits and events, maintaining the school profile, and representing Davis Chicago in admissions networks. The Director will establish systems to track applications, decisions, scholarships, and matriculation; analyze results to improve the program; select counseling platforms; and report outcomes to school leadership. They will partner with families, faculty, advisors, and school leadership and participate in school activities, meetings, professional development, and community events. The school seeks a warm, relational, intellectually rigorous, trusted and entrepreneurial leader who can build a program from the ground up. The successful candidate will value student well-being and excellence, Jewish identity and community, meaningful debate, innovation, and collaboration. Being Jewish is not a requirement for the role.

Requirements

Master’s degree required.
At least 3 years of experience in college counseling, admissions, or educational leadership; examples include college counselor, admissions officer, or school counselor.
Knowledge of and commitment to NACAC’s Guide to Ethical Practice.
Ability to design an ASCA-informed counseling program.
Evidence of building trusted relationships with students, families, and college admission offices.
College counseling practice that includes a four-year developmental arc, ethical advising, and family partnership.
Knowledge of the admissions landscape, institutional relationships, and student advocacy.
Ability to track outcomes, analyze trends, and continuously improve a program, with a focus on helping every student find a best-fit college offer.
Ability to build program systems, communications, and traditions in a startup environment.
NACAC membership is expected, with active ACCIS engagement.
Commitment to supporting Jewish identity, diversity of Jewish thought, and meaningful engagement in Jewish life; being Jewish is not required.

Nice To Haves

Experience in an independent, college-preparatory, or faith-based school setting.
Illinois Professional Educator License with a School Counselor endorsement.
Degree in Counseling, Higher Education Administration, or Educational Leadership.
Experience in a college-preparatory, independent, Jewish day, or faith-based school.
Fewer than three years of experience may be considered for an exceptional candidate with strong mastery.

Responsibilities

Design and deliver a four-year, grade-by-grade college counseling curriculum consistent with the ASCA National Model.
Advise students and families individually through regular meetings, milestone checkpoints, and personalized college lists, while teaching students to lead their own college process.
Lead grade-level seminars and family programming on admissions, financial aid, and standardized testing.
Lead the college-knowledge strand of the schoolwide Advisory program in collaboration with the Dean of Students & Student Activities.
Coordinate standardized testing strategy and preparation pathways with academic departments.
Write the family-facing Davis Chicago college handbook and build counseling systems, communications, and traditions.
Manage the senior application season, including school reports, counselor recommendations, transcript coordination, application quality control, and an essay revision process involving faculty writing partners.
Advise students and families on Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision using accurate, transparent, student-first guidance.
Promote ethical advising, informed decision-making, student advocacy, student well-being, and long-term success.
Build a faculty culture of substantive, timely recommendation letters and coach colleagues who write them.
Build and maintain relationships with admissions offices nationwide and raise Davis Chicago’s profile before its first senior applies.
Host college representative visits and establish the school on regional admissions representatives’ travel schedules.
Create college events and programming, including college nights, fair trips, representative visit days, campus visit programs, and financial aid workshops.
Author and maintain the school profile accompanying transcripts and develop the founding policies behind it.
Help students identify institutions aligned with their aspirations and strengths and support access to a broad range of postsecondary opportunities.
Develop knowledge of Israeli universities, U.S.–Israel joint programs, Yeshiva University, and Israel gap-year options.
Represent Davis Chicago in the admissions community, including NACAC, IACAC, and ACCIS.
Track applications, admission decisions, scholarships, and matriculation from the first graduating class onward.
Set and monitor senior completion standards for balanced college lists, financial aid and scholarship files, and decision deadlines.
Analyze admissions trends and use data to improve curriculum, advising, and college strategy.
Select and manage counseling platforms used by students, families, and colleges.
Report outcomes honestly to school leadership and help position the school as a leading college-preparatory institution for counseling, student outcomes, and family partnership.
Contribute to the school’s culture and mission; partner with families; collaborate with faculty, advisors, and leadership; and participate in student activities, faculty meetings, professional development, and community events.