2026-27 (CT) Dean of College and Career

School Year: 2026=2027

Summary: 

Achievement First seeks a Dean of College to lead the college team and ensure 100% college acceptance and matriculation among the graduates. You serve an integral role to the mission of the school, working closely with the principal, leadership team and faculty to increase student  awareness about college life, to guide the college search, and to support students through the application process. 

This position is an extraordinary opportunity for a leader in college advising and early college awareness. The right candidate will combine exceptional communication and management skills  with capacities for strategic thinking and acute attention to detail. You will demonstrate a relentless commitment to excellence and will share AF's vision of access to and success in top-tier college education for underserved populations. As a member of the school leadership team, deans  work together to ensure that all students show dramatic student achievement gains and develop  strong character skills to help them succeed in college. Reporting to the principal and network  senior director of college, the Dean of College will work with principals and school-based college  staff to build and sustain highly effective college initiatives including: early college awareness and  skill building for students and their families; enrichment and summer opportunities access; college  entrance exam management; college advising and financial aid application processes;  matriculation and transition to college; and alumni support.  

The Dean of College's responsibilities will include but are not limited to: 

School-Based Responsibilities 

• Manage all school-based college staff: college counselors, summer programs manager, and Foundation of Leadership teachers 
• Manage college office budget in tandem with the director of school operations
• Participate and contribute to the school leadership team via weekly meetings, summer retreats, etc. 
• Conduct weekly team meetings that inform and align to the team's yearly goals
• Collaborate and ensure sharing of best practices across regions in relation to college counseling, summer and alumni programming 

College Process 

• Execute and monitor systems that ensure an efficient and effective college application process; 
• Codify and institutionalize all processes, procedures and supporting documents for the  college application process on Better Lesson 
• Provide one-on-one college counseling to a caseload of seniors through the admissions cycle including, but not limited to, creating a college list, writing and revising the personal  statement, advising on financial aid, and making final matriculation decisions 
• Through management of the college counselor, arrange strategic college representative visits to the high school during the fall application season and market and brand AF high  schools to all national colleges and universities 
• Build and maintain relationships with colleges and universities to create partnerships benefiting both the school and students 
• Edit the annual school profile 

Alumni Programming

• 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 
• In tandem with the college success counselors, support and help facilitate the sharing and  results of alumni persistence and success in college with the school-based team to  improve the 9-12 program 
• Coach the alumni counselor in teaching the Foundations of Leadership IV: Transitions  course to all seniors 
• Analyze data with alumni counselor and the director of alumni success to make  recommendations for improving AF's high school programming and alumni support  program 

Summer Opportunities 

• Build and maintain systems for managing summer programs including the master calendar, success toward articulated goals and metrics and the development of new and  continued community partnerships 
• Ensure strategic integration of summer programs benchmarks calendar with the entire  school and the Foundations of Leadership curriculum 

9-12 Foundations of Leadership Course 

• Oversee & manage the comprehensive 9 through 13 Foundations of Leadership  curriculum including the 9-12 Foundations of Leadership and Transition to College  Seminar 
• Instructional coaching and management of all Foundations of Leadership teachers
• Track progress of all college initiatives using Naviance (success planning, career planning  and college planning) 

College Entrance Exams 

• Manage and maintain a relationship with the College Board including but not limited to  test dates, score reporting, PSAT and SAT and Advanced Placement tests 
• Oversee and evaluate SAT prep programs both in-house and external partnerships
• Ensure timely uploading and sharing of test data to inform both college and school  practices 
• Evaluate test results to identify possible school-wide intervention strategies 

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 advisory and grade level team 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 and Naviance, data imports from student  information systems 
• Plan and execute targeted, strategic college visits aligned to the 9-12th grade scope and  sequence 
• Plan and execute Senior Signing Day 

College and Alumni Report Card 

• Designate owners for each metric in the College and Alumni Report Card
• Manage and track progress to reaching both monthly and end of year goals
• Prepare monthly reports to send to Network Support on monthly metrics and progress to  goals 

Skills and Characteristics 

• Excellent organizational skills and acute attention to detail 
• Ability to see multiple projects with many moving parts through from beginning to end
• Strong analytical and writing skills 
• Strong focus on results and the flexibility and willingness to do "whatever it takes"
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment 
• Ability to work autonomously, as well as to take direction 
• Exceptionally skilled at analysis, communication, persuasion, and negotiation
• Belief in the Achievement First mission and educational model 
• Maturity, humility, strong work-ethic, sense of humor, and "roll-up-my-sleeves" attitude
• Solid technical skills and experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Naviance 

Educational Background and Work Experience: 

• A bachelor's degree; master's degree preferred. 
• At least 3 years of teaching experience with a record of high student achievement.
• Experience leading and managing adults. 
• If not currently certified, obtaining necessary state certification in specific subject and  grade level is required within the first two months of employment. 

Work Experience 

College Advising Experience: 

• At least three years of demonstrated success in advising low-income, first generation  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 packages 
• Track-record of developing early college awareness programs 
• Wide knowledge of East Coast and national colleges including degree programs,  opportunity programs, diversity programs, admissions criteria, defining "fit" for first generation low income students, as well as familiarity with admissions personnel 
• Track record of participation in and presentation at local, state, and national college  admissions counseling events and professional organizations 

Management Experience: 

• Successfully managed a team to performance metrics 
• Successfully coordinated programs, events and college trips 
• Applicants should have demonstrated experience developing and codifying systems and  procedures 

Teaching Experience: 

• High School teaching or training experience required