About this role
College and Career Specialist (Pending Available Budget Resources)
Summary: In collaboration with the student services staff, advises students in grades 9-12 on post-secondary options, including college planning, career planning, scholarships, and financial aid; manages relationships with a wide variety of organizations, such as colleges and universities, military recruiters, local employers, nonprofits, scholarship donors, and community organizations; has primary responsibility and accountability for managing a student-centered college and career center with resources on a wide variety of information concerning colleges, technical schools, military, apprenticeships, employment, and gap year opportunities.
Qualifications: Required
• Any combination of education and experience equivalent to a bachelor's degree. • Two (2) years of experience in an education environment, some which shall have been in college admission counseling, secondary school counseling, workforce development, post-secondary financial aid, or other related field. • Advanced degree(s) beyond the minimum degree requirement in a relevant field may be considered for some experience.
• May be required to work a flexible schedule for evening appointments and walk-in services and/or evenings for planned events. • Knowledge of policies, procedures, guidelines, concepts, regulations, and practices related to college admissions and success. • Knowledge of college planning, scholarships and financial aid, career planning, workforce development, and career trends. • Knowledge of, or willingness to learn, specifics of colleges and universities, their academic programs, admissions policies, and selection processes. • Proficiency in the use of technology. • Ability to plan, organize, and implement programs, projects, and activities. • Ability to apply effective time management skills. • Ability to present information to groups. • Ability to work effectively with students, staff, and the public from diverse cultural, social, economic, and educational backgrounds. • Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with school staff, colleges, businesses, and community groups. • Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. Preferred
• Bachelor's degree in education, management, or human resources.
Major Duties/Essential Functions: • Advises and assists students in the exploration and planning of post-secondary college and career options, including but not limited to, four-year colleges and universities, two-year community college and junior colleges, apprenticeships, technical schools, employment, military, and gap year opportunities. • Manages a student-centered college and career center with current information and resources on all post-secondary options, career exploration and planning, scholarships and financial aid, part-time jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities. • Reviews, selects, and maintains college and career information from a wide variety of sources and makes this information available and accessible to all students. • Manages relationships and hosts admissions representative visits from four-year colleges and universities throughout the country and internationally. • Coordinates multiple visits and programs with local community college representatives; hosts information sessions, application workshops, and organizes field trips. • Performs a full range of professional duties required to support the school's scholarship program, which includes managing relationships with scholarship donors. • Advertises scholarship opportunities, creates the self-nomination process, serves on internal scholarship committees, and works closely with school nominees on final application and preparation for competitive scholarship interviews. • Plans and executes large-scale day and evening college and/or career programs to educate students and families; coordinates all logistical planning. • Communicates college, career, scholarship, job, summer, and/or leadership opportunities to the school community via electronic newsletters, emails, websites, and social media platforms. • Develops and presents college and career workshops specific to grade level on specific topics such as resume writing, essay writing, interviewing, and scholarships and financial aid. • Designs and delivers college and/or career presentations to classrooms. • Coordinates visits with military recruiters and other representatives and supports ASVAB test and interpretation dates. • Schedules visits from military cadets, school alumni promoting specific college programs, or other representatives from the community or businesses to promote career awareness and opportunities. • Provides guidance and support to students and families regarding paying for postsecondary education, such as supporting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process and/or the Virginia Alternative State Aide (VASA) application, as appropriate. • Participates in appropriate professional development, such as visiting college campuses and attending college admissions events and/or college admissions counseling conferences in order to stay abreast of the ever-changing field of college admissions. • Assists students, families, faculty, and staff with using the online college and career planning software and resources. • Performs related duties as required or assigned.
Work Environment/Physical Requirements: This job operates in a professional office environment and has a noise level of mostly low to moderate. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.