Career Center

Job Description

Holderness School seeks a dynamic and creative candidate to provide individualized and personalized education, advising, and guidance for students and families throughout the college exploration and application process in a residential environment. Reporting to the Director of College Counseling, this position will interact with students, families, teachers, advisors, coaches, administrators, and college admissions representatives.

Overview

Holderness School is a vibrant and caring boarding school community dedicated to our vision of developing people the world needs most. Educating grades 9-12, our school is home to learners, adventurers, artists, advocates, and athletes surrounded by New Hampshire's lakes and White Mountains. From epic outdoor experiences and serving the community to exploring intellectual passions, we are committed to fostering the growth and success of our students - each of whom is respected, known, and challenged.

Diversity Mission Statement

Holderness School is a community that celebrates and supports diversity in its many forms. We value the multiple perspectives and experiences that diversity brings to our community. At all times, Holderness strives to create opportunities to collaborate, to broaden the educational experience of all students and adults, and to enrich the lives of all community members.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Individual Work with Students 

• Educate, advise, guide, and advocate for 30-35 12th-grade students and 30-35 11th-grade students through the college exploration and application process including research, applications, interviewing, essay writing, college affordability, and financial aid forms. We begin working 1:1 with the juniors in January. 
• Meet biweekly with counselees using their free blocks and 1 night of “drop-in” hours during the months of September and October (2hrs). Post timely notes from each meeting. 
• Provide a personalized approach to counseling and working with students and families in line with our office mission of providing students with a choice of multiple communities for them to belong and thrive. Recognize the college process is different for every student. 
• Maintain strict confidentiality with sensitive student data and information. 
• Maintain a professional level of sensitivity to different family cultures and dynamics.  
• Understand and address the social and emotional pressures on students and families as associated with the college search, application, and admissions processes.
• Write thoughtful, well-crafted, compelling, recommendation letters summarizing each student’s high school experience and the community’s view of the overall contribution made by that student.
• Communicate clearly, effectively, and timely with students, families, colleagues, and college admission officers through individualized conversations and written communication.

Team Duties with the Office 

• Work collaboratively with the other members of the College Counseling Team to support all students and families, welcoming conversations and encouraging interaction among students, families, and the college counseling office.  
• Cultivate strong relationships with college admissions officers from a broad range of colleges; host admissions officers during campus visits.
• Represent the school at events and activities that build communication and strong relationships with college admissions professionals to promote the school.
• With the Director, organize college counseling events and programming, for students and families that may include programming occurring outside of the school day, such as evening programs, college fairs, and weekend testing.
• Career and major counseling
• College Application Workshops
• Maia Trainings
• Financial Aid and Scholarship Presentations (we partner with Smart Track)
• Athletic Recruitment
• Panels
• Practice Standardized Tests 
• Stay abreast of current knowledge and trends in college admissions and NCAA requirements through reading, research, and participation in professional development opportunities, including visits to colleges, utilizing our membership in and attending professional associations and conferences, participating in campus visits and tours, and networking with college admissions and college counseling colleagues. 
• Update and improve the College Counseling website in collaboration with the Directors of College Counseling and Strategic Marketing and Communications.  Post/distribute periodic news, articles, and assignments to specific pages and group channels.
• Build upon a culture of inclusivity in the college process. Meet the ethical standards of the college admission profession as articulated by the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
• Actively support the school’s mission and values while sharing in the day-to-day life of the school community. 

Other duties as assigned, 

• Engage in two other areas of school life based on prior experience; this could include evening dorm supervision (offering a time to meet with counselees), coaching a sport in the winter/spring, advising a club, or teaching a class. The goal is to fully engage in the Holderness community to better serve counselees in the process. 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree 
• 3-5 years of experience in selective college admission is preferred; experience in college counseling will also be considered. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A collaborative, team-oriented, and professional style. 
• Strong organizational skills and ability to meet multiple deadlines for multiple application processes.
• Strong computer software acumen and ability to learn new programs quickly. Knowledge of technology such as Maia, College Kickstart, school databases, and Google apps is preferred, but not required. 

The Process

If interested in this position, please send a resume with a letter of interest to holderness-employment@holderness.org. Priority consideration will be given to applications received before Friday November 10, 2023. 

Holderness School offers a comprehensive benefit package including health, dental, vision, life insurance, generous retirement match, paid time off, tuition remission for dependents, paid training and development, use of grounds and facilities, and lunch when school is in session. 

All employment is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check.

Holderness School is an equal opportunity employer, and will not discriminate, or tolerate discrimination against any employee or applicant in any manner prohibited by law. 

About Holderness School

Located amid the lakes and mountains of central New Hampshire since 1879, Holderness School is a traditional co-ed independent secondary school, serving grades 9-12. Holderness strives to strike a balance in fostering the resources of the mind, body, and spirit: the mind through a challenging college preparatory curriculum; the body through outdoor activities and required interscholastic athletics; and the spirit through school and community service and affiliation with the Episcopal Church. Holderness remains by choice a small school where everybody plays an important role, and where students, faculty, and staff maintain close personal relationships.

Connections working at Holderness School