About Job

Are you a former admissions officer or independent college counselor who loves connecting with and empowering students, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and appreciates working with a friendly, supportive team? If so, Great Expectations College Prep wants you! We are looking for outgoing, innovative thinkers who are as dedicated to providing enthusiastic, comprehensive support to families as they are to finding new, exciting ways to contribute to our fast-growing company’s success.

Description

Position Description

The Managing Counselor will serve as a mentor for our part-time college counselors and provide support to the company’s senior leadership team. The candidate must be self-motivated, detail-oriented, extremely comfortable multitasking, and able to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Reporting to the Executive Director of Operations but also working closely with our founder and Lead Counselors, this role requires collaboration across our outreach, operations, and client relations teams to ensure success for both our counselors and clients.

The Managing Counselor will also be an ambassador for our company, responsible for driving growth through webinars and consultations with potential clients, presenting our services in a compelling manner that resonates with families. The majority of time will be dedicated to clients, supporting students on their journeys, and ensuring the process goes smoothly and deadlines will be met, but there are three key components of the job:

Client Management

Maintain a caseload of around 50 clients total (potentially more if students are primarily underclassmen, or less if the students are primarily upperclassmen)
Be able to make multi-year commitments to students and meet after school hours and on weekends
Oversee the entire college application process for parents and students
Determine counselor pairing(s) for clients you’ve met in consultations, then supervise said counselors:
- Create/oversee/approve checklists and timelines for each grade
- Approve all narrative-building and coursework recommendations, college lists, key essay topics, etc.
- Serve as key escalation point of contact for clients and counselors when issues arise
- Proactively check in with direct reports’ families (estimated 1-2 times per year)

Team Management

Assist in the interview process with counselor candidates, make recommendations based on overall fit, knowledge base, and alignment with the company’s values
Oversee part-time counselors, review and evaluate performance through check-in meetings and annual reviews, provide feedback (both positive and corrective), and provide additional resources as needed
Assess staffing needs and recommend hiring when necessary
Collaborate with Lead Counselors on the design and implementation of college counselor training and professional development programs

Qualifications

Education
- Bachelor’s degree from a Top 50 institution
- Master's degree in counseling, education, psychology, or a related field preferred
Experience
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in college counseling or educational leadership roles
- Experience managing teams and working with a diverse student population
- Deep understanding of the college admissions process, financial aid, scholarships, and standardized testing
- Success placing high-achieving students into top programs; experience with highly competitive applications in niche fields – for example, engineering, business, performing arts, and/or BS/MD programs – is a huge plus
Skills/Qualities
- Natural ability to connect with others and build trust and rapport quickly. Whether collaborating with colleagues, guiding students, or reassuring parents, you create positive, meaningful interactions that leave people feeling valued and supported
- Capacity to manage fast-paced, high-pressure situations where emotions run high
- Willingness to take ownership of issues and follow problems through to resolution
- Independence and autonomy, but also an understanding of when to escalate concerns
- Relentless passion for helping students achieve their academic and personal potential and the drive to go above and beyond to help them do so
- Ability to identify unexpected extracurricular activities that advance or highlight students’ unique interests and ambitions; create balanced (realistic but optimistic) college lists; offer clear, detailed feedback on all stages of essays; devise a plan around early action, early decision, etc.; and project manage the entire application process
- Strong leadership and team management abilities
- Handling of confidential information with discretion
- Adaptability and agility (knowing when and how to pivot in complex situations)
- Exceptional organizational and time management skills
- Proficiency in using college counseling software, spreadsheets, and data management tools
- Dedicated, quiet workspace with reliable internet access for virtual sessions

Compensation & Additional Details

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position with a base salary range of $75,000 to $90,000 per year DOE
Includes attractive sales incentives and performance-based bonus plans that will enable you to double your annual earnings
Company-provided equipment as needed (laptop, cell phone, internet access)
Eligible employees can participate in certain benefits including but not limited to:
- 401k plan with company match
- Paid time off
- Technology stipend
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits
Life insurance and LTD coverage
Regular professional development courses
Opportunities for growth, learning, and promotion

We are looking for people who would like to call Great Expectations home for years to come, so if this position piques your interest, please send us a cover letter that demonstrates your creativity, personality, and general writing skills – please be yourself and use this opportunity to show us the real you!

** NOTE: We are extremely dedicated to employee engagement and hiring for the long term. To that end, our recruiting process includes two virtual meetings, an essay editing assignment, a personality assessment, and reference checks. **