Jobs

The Governor’s Academy, the oldest boarding school in New England, inspires and engages inquisitive students in ninth through twelfth grade. Our 456-acre campus is located thirty miles north of Boston and five miles south of Newburyport, a classic New England coastal town. Govs has approximately 400 students and 200 employees. 

Govs faculty and staff are committed to creating and cultivating an intentionally diverse and inclusive community that allows students to learn from each other’s unique backgrounds and experiences, discover their passions, find and use their distinctive voices, and achieve academic and co-curricular excellence. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

Adults in our community are professionals who appreciate individuality, collaboration, and service to others— all so that we can go far together. 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of College Counseling leads a student-centered, collaborative, and equity-driven college counseling program. The College Counseling Office is known for its warm, progressive environment and deep commitment to guiding each student through a highly personalized college search and application process. This leadership position is ideal for an individual who is passionate about mentoring students, empowering families, and fostering a culture of access and opportunity within a rigorous academic community.

This full-time administrative faculty position will have ongoing contact with and direct responsibility for the academic and social life of students on campus (in loco parentis) and will involve specific responsibilities that include coaching or other afternoon program involvement, possible residential life duty, and student advising.  The successful candidate will have enthusiasm and appreciation for working with adolescents, and will be a collaborative member of the faculty. There is an expectation of total involvement in the lives of students on campus, contributing to the life of the campus through various means inside and outside the classroom. This is a 12-month administrative faculty position, including additional responsibilities unique to a boarding school community. Housing may or may not be available. 

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide strategic leadership and vision for a comprehensive college counseling program that supports all students in discovering and pursuing appropriate post-secondary pathways.
• Manage and support a team of college counselors and administrative staff, fostering professional growth, collaboration, and innovation within the department.
• Maintain and strengthen a student-centered counseling model that emphasizes individual discovery, fit, and personal growth in the college process.
• Cultivate strong relationships with colleges and universities across the country and around the world, serving as an advocate for Governor’s students.
• Develop and deliver a progressive, equitable college counseling curriculum that reflects the Academy’s values of inclusion, access, and excellence.
• Provide individualized college counseling to a caseload of students and their families, guiding them through all aspects of the college search, application, and financial aid processes.
• Partner with faculty, advisors, coaches, and administrators to support students’ academic and personal development throughout the high school years.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of school materials for college applications, including school profiles, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and related documents.
• Stay informed of national and international trends in college admissions and higher education and serve as a thought leader in the school community.
• Represent the Academy in national and regional professional organizations and attend conferences and college visits regularly.
• Must show a demonstrated interest and experience in creating professional spaces that reflect a commitment to a sense of belonging for all students and adults. 

Afternoon Program:

• Participate in one season 

Residential Life Program: 

• Dorm parenting or equivalent, depending on housing status.
• Advising: Advisor to no more than 7 students beginning in the second year at Governor’s.
• Weekend chaperone duties.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred.
• Minimum of 7–10 years of experience in college counseling and/or college admissions, with demonstrated leadership experience.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
• Deep understanding of college admissions processes, including familiarity with a broad range of colleges and universities and their varying selectivity.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable college counseling process that supports a diverse student body.
• Experience in and enthusiasm for working in a residential boarding school environment is preferred.
• Experience in coaching and/or playing interscholastic athletics, directing, and/or experience on stage in the performing arts preferred. 
• Successful completion of a CORI/SORI and fingerprinting check
• Must have a valid driver’s license. 

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

This position reports to the Assistant Head of School

SUPERVISION OF OTHERS 

This position manages two associate directors of college counseling.  

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The successful candidate will be flexible, enthusiastic, hardworking, and responsible and will enjoy a very busy work environment in which they will meet many people on a daily basis.  
• The Governor’s Academy is a non-smoking campus. 

STATEMENT OF SCHOOL VALUES

As an educational community, the Academy has an administration, a faculty, and a student body committed to learning. We pursue this commitment in a dynamic environment that fosters lifelong intellectual independence, responsibility, teamwork, service, and respect for others. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive community that is physically and emotionally healthy.

In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at the Academy are based on merit, qualifications, and skills.

The Academy is committed to a policy of non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants and strives to promote equity in all areas of employment. The Academy is committed to ensuring that employment decisions are made without regard to race (including traits historically associated with race, such as protective hairstyles), color, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, veteran status, military service, application for military service, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law (“Protected Characteristics”).  The Academy will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law. 

This commitment is evident in all aspects of our employment practices and policies, including recruiting, hiring, selection, job assignment, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.

Any employees or qualified applicants with questions or concerns about any type of discrimination in the workplace are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of their immediate supervisor or the Human Resources Office. Employees can raise concerns and make reports without fear of reprisal.  Retaliation against an individual for making a good faith report of discrimination is unlawful and is strictly prohibited by the Academy. Anyone found to be engaging in any type of unlawful discrimination or retaliation in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.