Director of College Counseling and Partnerships Strategy, California

Director of College Counseling and Partnerships Strategy: California 

Priority Deadline is August 7th

Position Overview 

The Director of College Counseling and Partnerships Strategy: California will report to the Managing Director of College Counseling and Partnerships Strategy and be responsible for implementing and operationalizing College Track’s college counseling strategy across all College Track sites within California. This includes collaborating closely with College Thrive Directors, ensuring alignment across all sites, and maintaining strategic partnerships with colleges and universities across varying states. The California Director will work to ensure national strategic alignment, best practice sharing, and continued collaboration with key stakeholders across the organization. 

Primary Responsibilities 

College Counseling Strategy Implementation 

• Lead the execution of College Track’s college counseling strategy across all California sites.
• Collaborate with Director of College Counseling and Partnerships Strategy: Greater US and site college counseling teams to implement College Track’s college counseling strategy with fidelity and alignment across all sites and regions 
• Manage state-specific counseling frameworks, ensuring alignment with UC, CSU, and private college systems. 
• Maintain and iterate standardized college counseling resources, materials, and tools aimed at supporting the admission, financial aid, and matriculation processes for scholars
• Support in developing, maintaining, and iterating College Track’s College Counseling Playbook, which outlines the expectations and programming associated with CT’s college counseling strategy 
• Collaborate with key internal stakeholders to ensure integration and alignment of CT’s College Counseling Strategy across the entire 10-year program (e.g. Programs, College Thrive, College Readiness, Strategic Effectiveness, etc.) 

Content-Specific Coaching and Role Specific Resource Development 

• Work in tandem with the Director of College Counseling Strategy: Greater US to ensure cross-regional program alignment. 
• Coordinate with College Thrive Directors to support scholars transitioning to college.

• Advise California college counselors to aid them in strategizing towards meeting outcomes and provide expert knowledge in problem solving through specific application, financial aid, and matriculation challenges along 
• Utilize dotted line management to assess college counselors’ proficiency in college access content and respond to gaps through one-on-one coaching and facilitating Role Specific meetings, connection to training and resources, and supplemental onboarding of new college counseling staff in alignment with their site-level, formal managers 
• Collaborate with California site leaders to ensure counseling strategy is seamlessly implemented. 

Partnership Liaison and Implementation 

• Serve as the implementation liaison for college and university partners across varying states to support scholar matriculation. 
• Manage the planning and implementation of marquee partner college exposure, application, selection, and matriculation processes, including but not limited to special fly-ins
• Collaborate with the Managing Directors, College Thrive to oversee and ensure a smooth transition to college for 12th-grade scholars and to ensure the successful implementation of College Track’s college and university partnerships initiative at the college level
• Represent College Track at national and California-based conferences and partnership convenings. 

Program Fidelity and Data Accountability 

• Oversee data tracking for college applications, FAFSA completion, and scholar matriculation across California sites. 
• Develop data-driven interventions to enhance scholar college readiness and enrollment success.
• Track, monitor, and report on site progress towards college counseling data expectations and College Counseling Playbook programmatic outcomes and report on key partnership outcomes to senior leadership. 
• Spearhead communication to College Counselors to ensure effective dissemination of information, expectations, updates, and resources to support the implementation of college counseling strategy (e.g. build newsletters, establish internal deadlines, update program website etc.) 
• Collaborate with site leaders to share feedback, highlight successes and thought partner around challenges 
• Other duties as assigned 

Qualifications 

First and foremost, the Director of College Counseling and Partnerships Strategy: California will be a fierce advocate for College Track’s mission to equip scholars confronting systemic barriers to earn a bachelor’s degree in pursuit of a life of opportunity, choice, purpose, and power. Additionally, candidates bring with them the following skills, experience, and knowledge: 

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree preferred 
• 3-5 years of experience as a College Counselor supporting 12th graders through the application, financial aid, and matriculation processes in California; experience should be within the past 5 years 
• 3+ years of experience in staff development, coaching, management (emphasis on dotted-line management), and training 
• Deep knowledge of the key college application processes like Common App and California higher education system, including UC, CSU, and private institutions. 
• Ability to travel periodically within region and out-of-state when strategically necessary for conferences, delivering training, and in support of marquee partnership programs
• Ability to hold staff accountable through dotted line management 
• Program area expertise: Expert knowledge of financial aid and scholarships, including supporting students in applying for FAFSA and relevant state-specific financial aid applications
• Demonstrated success in analyzing scholar data and developing targeted, data-driven interventions 
• Ability to identify and solve problems that may arise during the application, financial aid, and matriculation processes 
• Demonstrated ability to clearly and effectively communicate information to dotted line reports in a way that is easy to understand and can motivate them to action 
• Demonstrated ability to adapt coaching style to meet the needs of different learners and be able to adjust approach as needed. 
• Ability to give and receive feedback regularly. 
• Ability to effectively prioritize tasks as needed. 
• Working knowledge of relevant software and tools, such as learning management systems and presentation software. 
• Physical Requirements: sedentary work that primarily involves sitting, standing, typing on a keyboard, manipulating a mouse to use a computer's operating system/internet. Ability to move around an office environment and communicate with stakeholders (conveying and receiving information). 

Compensation and Benefits 

This position is full-time exempt with compensation ranges listed below by location, with the exact compensation depending on experience: 

Oakland - Full Range: $115,000.00- $165,000.00, Target Range: $127,500.00 - $139,999.00

Los Angeles - Full Range: $99,000.00 - $142,000.00, Target Range: $109,750.00 - $120,499.00

Sacramento - Full Range: $90,000.00 - $129,000.00, Target Range: $99,750.00 - $109,499.00 

College Track provides access to extensive benefits centered around three core areas of wellness: health care, work-life balance, and financial security. We believe time off is essential to success and provide up to 23 discretionary time off days (Sick and Vacation) in addition to 23 paid office closures and holidays in your first year of employment. Learn more about benefits here (bit.ly/JpBs22). 

What Else You Should Know: This is a hybrid role based in one of our College Track California Regions with varying in-office expectations. 

○ Oakland: You are expected in person at our office 483 9th Street Oakland, Tues-Thurs with the flexibility to work remotely on Mon & Fri. 

○ Los Angeles or Sacramento: You and your manager will work out an in-office hybrid schedule. 

• While we hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, we especially encourage applicants who identify as first-generation college graduates to apply for open opportunities on staff.
• College Track is an equal- opportunity employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce. College Track does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.