Instructional Support Dean of College Completion
Job Description
Intrepid College Prep is a growing network of public “no-excuses” college preparatory charter schools founded to address two interrelated achievement gaps – the academic achievement gap and intergenerational wealth gaps in the communities we serve. In the 2017-2018 school year, Intrepid College Prep operates two campuses – Opportunity Academy, educating 420 students in grades 5-8 and Independence Academy, educating 100 students in grade 9. We were recently named a 2015 Tennessee Reward School for Progress and we have received local recognition from Metro Nashville Public Schools as an Excelling School in every year we’ve had the honor and responsibility to educate students.
We make three commitments to every student – admission to selective colleges, preparedness to engage the world as a financially literate young professional, and the cultivation of positive leadership skills.
The work is demanding – it is a tremendous investment of time, energy and smarts but the return on investment is extraordinarily high.
Dean of College Completion
The Dean of College Completion establishes the vision for the pathway and supports in place for every Intrepid College Prep student to excel in the selective four-year college of their choice. The Dean of College Completion will ensure 100% college acceptance and matriculation among graduates. The Dean of College Completion creates and implements the Pre-Collegiate Training program for students in grades 7-12. The leader in this role creates a comprehensive and measurable approach to success in the following areas: college-going culture, college readiness, college affordability, and college completion. The Dean of College Completion creates the framework to provide four years of college counseling to every high school student and supports campus leaders to ensure our academic model aligns to the rigor of college entrance exams and the college admissions process. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Dean of
College Completion works with principals and school-based staff on enrichment and summer opportunities, college entrance exam management, college advising and financial aid application processes, matriculation and transition to college. This is an extraordinary opportunity for a leader in college admissions, college advising and early college awareness.
Duties and Responsibilities
College-Going Culture
- Accountable for all college initiatives and the success of those initiatives
- Attend and participate in leadership meetings to ensure college and alumni perspective on school-wide decisions.
- Coordinate with advisories and grade level teams to ensure collaboration and support of college initiatives in the school
- Ensure operations and academic teams are informed, aligned and supporting the data needs of the college team, i.e. transcripts, Naviance, data imports from student information systems
- Plan and execute targeted, strategic college visits aligned to 9-12th grade scope and sequence
- Plan and execute Senior Signing Day
Summer Opportunities
- Build and maintain systems for managing summer programs including the development of community partnerships
- Ensure strategic integration of summer programs benchmarks calendar with the entire school and the College Readiness Seminar curriculum
College and Post-Secondary Success
- Oversee and manage comprehensive 7-12 Pre-Collegiate Training curriculum
- Instructional coaching and management of all College Readiness Seminar teachers
- Track progress of all college initiatives using Naviance (success planning, career planning and college planning)
- Designate owners for each metric in the College and Alumni Report Card
- Prepare monthly report to send to the Network Office on monthly metrics and progress to goals
- Manage and maintain a relationship with the College Board and ACT, including but not limited to test dates, score reporting, ACT and Advanced Placement tests
- Oversee and evaluate ACT prep programs both in-house and external partnerships
- Evaluate test data to inform both college and school practices
College Affordability
- Collaborate with partners such as CollegeBacker to support all students and families in the attainment of annual college savings goals in 529 plans or similar tax-advantaged instruments
- Advise students on scholarship opportunities and support applicants throughout the search and application process.
- Counsel students to make financially wise decisions about financial aid, tuition and financing college costs in a manner that reduces reliance on student loans as much as possible.
College Completion
- Maintaining and building college relationships (admissions, financial aid, etc.)
Provide one-on-one college counseling to a caseload of students in grades 9-12 - Assist students in creating college lists, writing and revising the personal statement, advising on financial aid and making final matriculation decisions
- Maintain systems for managing the alumni counseling office including the master calendar, success toward articulated goals and metrics, and the development of alumni rituals and traditions
Skills and Characteristics
- Excellent organization skills and detail-orientation
- Ability to be successful in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced-achievement-oriented environment
- Commitment to reaching ambitious team goals and ability to influence and motivate others to reach ambitious goals
- Ability to see multiple projects with many moving parts through from beginning to end
- Outstandingly persuasive verbal and written communication skills.
- Outstanding interpersonal and relationship building skills.
- Commitment to education opportunity and college success for Nashville students and families
- Belief in the Intrepid College Prep mission and educational model
- Maturity, humility, strong work-ethic, sense of humor and “whatever it takes” approach to the work
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA; Master’s degree preferred (Higher Education, Ethnic Studies, Student Affairs)
Work Experience
College Advising/Admissions Experience
Qualified candidates should have one or more of the following:
- At least three years of demonstrated success in advising low-income, first generation, and undocumented/DACA college applicants and their families in all phases of the college and financial aid application processes, including student admissions to selective colleges and favorable financial aid packages.
- At least three years of demonstrated success in college admissions or on-campus college support services focused on meeting the needs of low-income, first-generation college applicants and college students. Evidence of success may include college matriculation and college completion rates among low-income and first-generation students.
- Demonstrated experience and success working in a multicultural environment with a clear understanding of the issues of diversity and inclusion in both student and workplace settings
- Wide knowledge of Southeast and national colleges, including degree programs, diversity programs, admissions criteria, defining “fit” for first-generation college students, as well as familiarity with admissions personnel.
Compensation
We offer a generous compensation package, commensurate with experience. All staff members are equipped with the tools needed to succeed, including a dedicated work space, laptop computer, email, high-speed internet access, and all necessary supplies. Compensation is highly competitive; non-certificated employees are eligible to participate in Metro Government of Nashville retirement system.
Commitment to Diversity
Intrepid College Prep is an equal opportunity employer. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability.
