Alumni Counseling

Position SummaryReports to Director of College/Alumni Counseling or School PrincipalCollaborates Directly with Students, Parents, Faculty, College Counselor(s), and College RepresentativesThe Alumni Advisor plays an essential role in ensuring all Cristo Rey students are on track to enroll in college and complete their degree. The position requires an extraordinary commitment to serving diverse students of limited economic means - most of whom will be the first in their family to pursue a degree - through the implementation of a comprehensive, alumni advising program. The position requires extensive experience with college admissions, matriculation, and financial aid processes, a strong sense of low-income students' and family needs in preparing for college, and the ability to manage key relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders and travel to college campuses. In addition, candidates should be prepared to work closely with Salesforce and integrate it into the workflow of their caseload management.Primary ResponsibilitiesServe as principal advisor and thought leader on best practices in college matriculation, persistence, and completionSet vision for alumni programming, including:Conducting college campus visits according to school budgets and strategic prioritization of alumni caseloadAssisting students through college matriculation, course sequencing, financial aid, and transfer processes as neededPlanning and leading workshops for alumni and key stakeholders (parents, administrators, etc) on topics related to college matriculation and persistence processesIdentifying and working with struggling students to assess their needs and recommend individualized resources and solutionsEnsuring students take advantage of special opportunities made available to low-income college enrollees (e.g. emergency funding, travel grants, etc)Communicating with alumni via telephone, text, email, videoconference, and social media platforms, leveraging Salesforce to maximize efficiency of tracking informationCreating and sharing resources for students that promote college success, career readiness, and job placementCoordinating multiple events per year for alumni to build community and access programmingIn light of Cristo Rey Network alumni data that affirms our students are more likely to earn their degree upon initial enrollment in a four-year program, working closely with four-year college enrollees to ensure degree completion and with students enrolled in two-year colleges to support a successful transition into a four-year program.Develop collaborative partnerships with colleges alumni attend, creating capacity to link students to college/university resources that support their successful enrollment and retentionCollaborate closely with the College Counseling team to support seniors in making their college selection, learn about the alumni program prior to graduation, and identify key trends in enrollment and completion dataDevelop college enrollment, persistence, and completion reports to track and communicate latest trends and progress to developed school goalsBuild and celebrate a school-wide college-going culture for 9th-12th grades (e.g. publicly posting college graduations, hosting alumni panels, connecting prospective applicants to alumni in college, and promoting Cristo Rey Alumni Association, etc)Additional ResponsibilitiesRepresent your school at local, state and national college admissions conferences, fairs, and/or tours to help strengthen regional partnerships and college persistence expertiseParticipate in professional development opportunities offered by local college access organizations (i.e. Association of College Admissions Counselors) and Cristo Rey national officeConnect with other alumni advising programs at Cristo Rey Network schoolsMust be able to travel, as neededQualifications and SkillsBachelor's Degree required; Masters preferredAt least 3 years of experience in college or high school advising with economically disadvantaged, racially diverse students and their familiesStrong understanding of the academic, financial, and social barriers to college access persistence for underrepresented, first-generation studentsHighly collaborative, autonomous, and dynamic leader with the ability to manage a large number of professional relationships with a variety of stakeholdersRelentless focus on results, high level of accountability, self-starter, and willingness to do "whatever it takes," including flexibility around scheduling, travel, and ability to work some evening hours and or travel to assigned collegesKnowledge of social media platforms, event planning, and database management a plusDemonstrated commitment to the mission of the Cristo Rey Network and modelAbility to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial school environmentA belief that all students can succeed in college and careers