Director of College Pathways and Post-Secondary Success

WHO WE ARE

Our mission is to transform the lives of students - especially those who will be the first in their family to attend college - by preparing them for success in college, career, and life. 

At Envision Education, we believe the current achievement gap reflects a systemic failure to understand how kids learn, what motivates them to learn, and what they need in order to learn well. We know that vibrant learning communities apply compassion and high expectations to inspire and empower students.  With a population that is 75% first-generation college-bound, our approach is specifically designed to increase student engagement, deepen integration and understanding, promote active learning, and ensure college success.

Envision Education is a national model for using Project Based Learning and Performance Assessment to prepare students for success in college and in life.  Envision Education currently operates three small high schools and two middle schools. Graduates go on to succeed in college at significantly higher rates than their peers: 99% attend college and 82% persist once they get there.

OUR APPROACH

We believe that deeper learning experiences challenge students to think critically, solve problems resourcefully, and collaborate productively. Students have an opportunity to use these skills and show what they know through portfolio defenses. In 8th, 10th and 12th grade, Envision students present a defense of learning, demonstrating their growth and learning. Similar to a master’s thesis defense, these presentations are required to graduate in 12th grade and are invaluable in preparing for life after high school. They practice for these defenses through regular exhibitions and in-class presentations. Our students say portfolio defense is the hardest thing they have ever done, and nothing has prepared them more for college. Read about our approach here.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of College Pathways and Post-Secondary Success is charged with setting a strategic vision and high-quality program to ensure college and career access and success for students at Envision Education. This position will be responsible for developing a vision, strategy, and progress monitoring plan to ensure that Envision graduates will be accepted into 4-year colleges and persist in their postsecondary success plans. The Director will be focused on leading a program that cultivates a college and career culture, vertically aligns (6-12th grade) teacher, family, and student college knowledge development, and aligns philosophy and tools in service of student and family self-determination. The Director will also develop and implement a training and professional development structure for the college counseling staff at all Envision Education sites. This position reports to the Chief Academic Officer. This is a new position at Envision Education and will require a leader who has the ability to develop and execute a vision and plan. This person will be setting the direction for the work of the college counseling teams at all the sites. They will be a key partner with the Chief Academic Officer, Education Directors, and Principals in establishing Envision Schools as exemplar schools of equity and excellence for our students and for Envision Learning Partners. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: College Counseling Program Oversight

• Cultivate a strong college-going culture for all students across Envision.

• Develop and implement a 6-12 Grade scope and sequence for college counseling initiatives and exposures at Envision Education, aligned with our Graduate Profile.

• Develop a comprehensive data collection & tracking and progress monitoring plan related to college access, including an organization-wide plan around student interventions in response to that data.

• Internalize, interpret and integrate the National Association of College Admissions Counselors Standards, American School Counselors Association, and California Association of School Counselors standards into the work of the college counseling teams at Envision Education.

• Provide general oversight of the college counseling program at each Envision Education site.

• In partnership with the School Principal, conduct regular supervision and progress monitoring check-ins with each College Counselor.

• In partnership with the School Principal, oversee hiring, onboarding, and training of the College Counseling staff at Envision Education.

• In partnership with the School Principal, support the College Counseling staff with the development of high quality parent meetings, family sessions, and information dissemination at Envision Education.

• In partnership with the Communications Department and School Principals, plan and execute a highly successful College Signing Day for all Envision Education campuses.

• In partnership with the Communications Department and School Principals, plan and execute a highly successful High School Graduation Day for all Envision Education campuses.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Partnership Development & Management

• Evaluate and manage current vendor relationships and partnerships related to the college counseling program.

• Establish clear criteria for deciding which post-secondary institutions and non-profit organizations to build strategic partnerships with. 

• Serve as the external face of Envision Education on all things related to the college counseling program and post-secondary success work. 

• In partnership with the Director of Special Education, find and develop partnerships with organizations and programs that support students with developmental disabilities attain postsecondary independence.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Professional Development 

• Design and provide professional learning opportunities for College Counselors and School Leadership Teams on topics related to the design and maintenance of a robust site-based college counseling program.

• Design and develop professional learning opportunities to support teachers and other school-based stakeholders with understanding post-secondary success initiatives and key best practices.

• Design, with Chief Academic Officer and school leaders, professional development around new initiatives in the areas of post-secondary success and college counseling.

• Partner with Senior Manager of IT and Senior Manager of Data to deliver training related to key topics such as Naviance usage, grading set up, etc.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Strategic Planning & Forecasting

• In Partnership with the Chief Academic Officer, set rigorous and time bound goals for the College Counseling program at Envision Education.

• Engage in strategic planning and initiatives geared towards ensuring the development of a strong Alumni Database and Alumni Support Strategies. 

• Ensure strong partnership with Envision Education leaders on organizational needs related to college access and success, including data tracking, reporting, program effectiveness assessment, and external communications.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Other duties as assigned by supervisor

QUALIFICATIONS

• Commitment to the mission of Envision Education.

• Commitment to anti-racist and pro-Black pedagogy.

• 5+ years as a highly successful high school college counselor in a K-12 or non-profit/CBO setting achieving breakthrough results for students.

• 5+ years of experience working with students from diverse backgrounds and/or under-resourced communities.

• 3+ years of people management experience within a college counseling setting

• Demonstrated experience using data to lead decision making processes

• Demonstrated experience training and supporting adult learners in a school based context

• Motivated, self-starter who is able to work independently and be a great team member

• Strong verbal, written and graphical communication skills

• Ability to deliver strong work and lead decision making, even in uncertainty and/or ambiguity.

COMPENSATION: The starting salary range for this position is $90-100k. Salary and benefits are competitive and based on experience.

TO APPLY: Please submit your application, including a thoughtful cover letter at Envision Careers

As an equal opportunity employer, we believe deeply in diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all people. Envision recruits, employs, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, disability, age, veteran status, and the many other characteristics that make us diverse.