About The Bishop’s School 

Founded in 1909 and affiliated with the Episcopal Church, The Bishop’s School is an independent, coeducational college-preparatory day school for 800 students in grades six through twelve located on a historic campus in the heart of La Jolla, just 10 miles north of downtown San Diego. With a student-teacher ratio of approximately 9 to 1, Bishop’s is known for academic, artistic, and athletic excellence while celebrating character development, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Last year’s applicant pool drew from 72 zip codes and 168 middle and high schools throughout San Diego County and beyond. Fifty-one percent of the student population self-identify as students of color. Additionally, over $4 million in need-based grants is awarded annually.

Annualized Base Compensation: $95,000 - $110,000

What is Essential about Our School

The Bishop’s School is an engaging, collaborative, dynamic, and learner-centered environment. We seek candidates who hold high expectations for students, design learning experiences that prioritize adolescent well-being and belonging, are enthusiastic about working on teams, and are eager to pursue growth in their teaching practice.

Our goals are to foster curiosity, encourage active student engagement, encourage collaboration in the classroom, and direct students to take ownership of their learning in and outside of the classroom.

Position Summary Description  

The Bishop’s School seeks a full-time associate director of college counseling beginning August 2024. The Associate Director of College Counseling will serve as a member of the College Counseling Office. The Associate Director will guide each assigned student through a comprehensive college search process, including but not limited to: helping students research colleges and determine college lists, navigating standardized testing and financial aid processes, and helping each student as they craft authentic and accurate college applications. The Associate Director will also contribute to all aspects of the college counseling program, such as giving presentations, conducting workshops, and events, as well as constantly engaging in professional development to grow their expertise in the field.
 

The Associate Director will serve as a visible and vital member of the College Counseling team with a responsibility to provide expert guidance while developing meaningful and authentic partnerships with many constituencies, including faculty/staff, students, parents/guardians, and college admissions professionals. 

Essential Functions and Specific Duties

• Guide students and their parents/guardians through all aspects of the college selection, application and admissions process; design programs and workshops for students and families; conduct outreach and develop; 
• Design programs and workshops for students and families; 
• Conduct outreach and develop relationships with colleges, universities and other professional organizations’
• Maintain a caseload of approximately 30 students per grade from Grades 10-12;
• Advise students on academic course selection;
• Guide students and their parents/guardians through all aspects of the college search and college and financial aid application processes;
• Work with seniors to create appropriate college application lists;
• Utilize necessary technology/programs, including Google Suite, Blackbaud, Scoir, Slate, and other college counseling- or education-related software;
• Support seniors with essay-writing and applications;
• Write a thoughtful and thorough counselor recommendation letter for each senior and for programs for other students in caseload as needed;
• Contribute to program creation, planning, and execution, such as workshops, events, and presentations;
• Contribute to writing and crafting of print and online communication resources;
• Actively pursue professional growth in the field, such as attending and presenting at local, regional, and national conferences; 
• Continually grow familiarity and expertise with colleges and programs by attending rep visits, counselor programs, counselor fly-ins, and visiting campuses;
• Represent and be a positive ambassador for the Bishop’s community;
• Contribute to seeking and implementing ways to grow and improve the best practices of the college counseling program;
• Perform other duties as appropriate.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five years of experience in either college counseling or college admissions are required. 
• An unequivocal enthusiasm for working with adolescents and supporting them in all facets of their lives; 
• Demonstrated commitment to and competency in diversity, equity and inclusion and to advocating for every student regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious preference, and physical disability;
• Ability to communicate effectively with students, parents, faculty, staff and administrators, including strong writing skills;
• Strong work ethic, interpersonal skills, and high level of ethics and integrity
• High emotional intelligence; 
• Ability to function and collaborate effectively as part of a team;
• Possess a high level of accountability and demonstrated ability to simultaneously manage numerous detailed tasks, anticipate and meet deadlines, use time effectively and problem-solve independently; 
• Respectful of one’s own religious orientation, ability to support the School’s mission and values as a school founded in the Episcopal tradition. 

Core Competencies:

• Uphold the School’s Core Values.
• Demonstrate professionalism, tact and an unwavering positive attitude.
• Stay up to date on industry standards, trends, developments and legal updates.
• Make timely and ethical decisions both systematically and under pressure.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized work area.
• Perform, with a team approach, other duties as assigned.

Role Specific Competencies:

• Active and empathetic listening with a positive attitude
• Critical thinking and sound decision making
• High level of initiative and strong planning and organizational skills
• Adaptable and flexible in a fast-paced, high energy environment
• Value teamwork and collaboration
• High level of accountability
• Value diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Engage in continual learning
• High level of emotional intelligence

Application Deadline

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Please do not email or call the school directly.

EEO
The Bishop's School is an equal opportunity employer. We are a diverse community of professionals that broadly reflects the people of the San Diego area and the United States at large. We aim to align our hiring process with our mission and institutional goals. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion or religious practices, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship status, national origin, age, ability status, military status, unemployment status or any other category protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. The Bishop's School takes affirmative action in support of its policy to employ and advance all qualified candidates.