Cardinal Newman School of Columbia, South Carolina is accepting applications for a dynamic individual who takes pride in building trusting relationships with students and parents,  and who is skilled in assisting families in developing realistic options for individualized college application plans.  

The Director position is a twelve-month position beginning July 2023.  The primary role of the Director is to provide vision and oversight to a comprehensive four-year college counseling program with firsthand knowledge of college admissions and financial aid.   They will work with students and families across all four years of upper school, beginning with general programming in the freshman year, and culminating in the application process senior year.  The average size of the senior class ranges from 90-100 students.  The Director will help students identify colleges of interest, support students in completing their applications, work with faculty and staff to generate letters of recommendation, advocate appropriately for students, serve as a resource for parents, and participate in professional organizations, conferences, and college visit programs on and off-campus.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Keep abreast of national admission trends and use them to update the structure of the college counseling program.
• Plan strategically to position Cardinal Newman students well in an increasingly competitive admissions climate. 
• Maintain strong relationships with college admissions officers; stay abreast of new programs/policies.
• Work to ensure that college admissions officers have an accurate and up-to-date perception of the school profile. 
• Support programming related to college counseling for families in grades 9-12.
• Conduct college application workshops for students.
• Communicate regularly with counselees and families about the various stages in the college counseling process.
• Advocate for students during the application process;
• Coordinate college representative visits; match students with appropriate institutions; assist students with college, gap-year, and scholarship applications.
• Provide guidance to academic advisors, students, and parents about the course selection process as it pertains to college counseling.
• Maintaining detailed and accurate records for counselees.
• Research and update scholarships, summer, and volunteer opportunities and internships.
• Train students and parents on the use of Naviance and Common App.

• Assist with persuasive, individualized letters of support for each to submit these and other credentials to colleges, universities, and scholarship programs.
• Contribute to an atmosphere, attitude, and track record of continual program development and improvement in support of students and their families.
• Collaborate closely with all members of the Guidance Department.
• Support the Cardinal Newman Admissions Office with open houses, events, and college counseling information.
• Contribute to the production of the annual report to the  Advisory Board and Graduation program.
• Represent Cardinal Newman at relevant state, national, and professional conferences/workshops.
• Perform other special projects and support as assigned by the Director of Guidance.

Qualifications and Characteristics:

• A Bachelor’s degree is required; a Master’s degree is preferred.
• Prior college counseling experience in an independent school or college admissions experience, three years or more is preferred and an extensive, active network of college admissions contacts nationally.
• Demonstrated and comprehensive knowledge of the college search and admissions process, predominantly of U.S. colleges and universities.
• Knowledge of the financial aid application process is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of curriculum and trends as related to college admissions.
• Knowledge of Naviance would be a plus.
• Passion for building positive relationships with students, families, and colleagues, as well as an eagerness for secondary and postsecondary education
• Timely responsiveness to constituents, attention to detail, and strong organizational skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines under pressure and time constraints

• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Proficiency with data analysis

• History of continued education or professional development
• Ability to be flexible, effectively manage stress, and adapt to changing work priorities and assignments and contribute to an engaging and inclusive learning environment and workplace

About Cardinal Newman School

About the Employer Mission: Tracing its roots to Ursuline academy, founded in 1858, Cardinal Newman School opened on the parish grounds of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Columbia as both Ursuline and Catholic High schools respectively until moving to Forest Drive in 1961, where it remained until December 2015. In January 2016, Cardinal Newman opened a state-of-the-art, 76-acre campus, 16 acres added in 2019, at 2945 Alpine Road for students in seventh through twelfth grades. Cardinal Newman School serves families seeking a Catholic Middle and High School education in the Columbia area from diverse socio economic and cultural backgrounds. We challenge our students to embrace truth, pursue academic excellence, act with integrity, lead courageously, work for justice, and engage in generous service. We are a community where every student is known, the dignity of all is appreciated, and apparent and potential gifts are developed in mind, body, and spirit.

Connections working at Cardinal Newman School