DEAN OF COLLEGE AND CAREER COUNSELING

Summary

Eagle Rock School & Professional Development Center (Eagle Rock / ERS) is a tuition-free, residential high school in Estes Park, Colorado, serving students from around the country through a competency-based approach that emphasizes community and belonging, as well as academic and personal growth. ERS is seeking a Dean of College & Career Counseling to design and build innovative postsecondary programming, advise students, and play an active role in our vibrant community. The Dean partners closely with each student to understand their aspirations and strengths, then offers informed guidance as they navigate the path they choose. These pathways may lead to college, a trade, the workforce, or another route entirely. The Dean also facilitates a school-wide program that helps every student overcome barriers, access the resources they need, and graduate ready for what comes next.

Essential Attributes

The successful Eagle Rock staff member possesses the following attributes: a deep love of work with high school students; demonstrated success in collaborative work with colleagues; adept interpersonal skills; a sense of humor; visionary thinking as well as demonstrated follow through; ability to thrive in a work environment with multiple, simultaneous projects and frequent interruptions; timely and thorough completion of tasks without supervision or needed followup; a commitment to professional and personal growth; seasoned judgment. Candidates must be willing and able to work and live at a year-round, community-focused, residential high school.

The successful candidate for this position will possess the following attributes:

• Formal or informal teaching experience.
• Thorough and up-to-date knowledge of the college admissions processes, including financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
• Experience with innovative transcript generation and ability to understand a wide range of transcripts from other high schools.
• Excellent networking and communication skills, with a particular emphasis on communicating the complexities of an innovative high school to external partners.
• Experience networking and building community relationships in order to create authentic learning opportunities for students.
• Diligent follow-through with external partners and families.
• Experience with standardized test administration and preparation.
• Experience working with diverse populations, including students from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, LGBTQ+ students, and students from low-income backgrounds.

Role Responsibilities

Teaching & Curriculum Building

• Develop culturally responsive and differentiated curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices that support a diverse range of learners.
• Offer regular Graduate Seminar classes to support students in their path to graduation.
• Offer other classes as needed and in line with the individual's background and interests.
• As a member of the instructional team, support instructors to ensure postsecondary readiness through curriculum and instructional best practices.
• Other duties as assigned and dependent on organizational and student needs.

Postsecondary Planning & Support

• Track student progress toward graduation and collaborate with advisors, instructors, and directors to develop strategies toward graduating; co-create and maintain student action plans.
• Counsel and support students and families through the entire college application and admissions process.
• Support students in leveraging strengths to overcome academic challenges, including in classes, 1:1 meetings, support meetings, and small group tutoring.
• Coordinate and chaperone local and long-distance college visits for student groups.
• Schedule admissions representatives' visits, in-person or remotely.
• Coordinate standardized testing, including registration, scheduling, and transportation; ensure students receive appropriate and required accommodations for testing.
• Utilize skills, assessments and software to track students' academic progress to help ensure they are meeting college admissions requirements.
• Stay informed about current trends in college admissions, including opportunities and organizations that support low-income, first generation, and BIPOC students.
• Raise awareness about postsecondary options by organizing fairs, application and financial aid workshops, classroom presentations, and information sessions for students and their families both in person and remotely.

Administrative

• Steward department budget, facilities, inventory, and resources. Oversee specific budget logistics.
• Mentor, supervise, and coach a College & Career fellow each year, while continuing to grow and refine fellowship coaching practices.
• Oversee graduation logistics, including presenting the charge to graduates during our graduation ceremony.
• Design and collect postsecondary pursuit survey data.
• Organize and analyze graduate, alumni, and other data to prepare board reports and inform strategic planning.

Partnership & Relationship Building

• Oversee Eagle Rock's Real-World Learning (RWL) experience, which offers internships, jobs, and self-paced learning for current students and recent grads during July and August.
• Coordinate and support students with dual enrollment through Aims Community College and other colleges as fit the needs of Eagle Rock students.
• Build and maintain additional relationships with colleges, recruiters and trade/certificate programs, and organizations and companies that hire recent graduates.
• Create a robust alumni network, including periodic networking events and reunions.
• Stay connected with and support recent graduates up to a year after graduation.

Community

• Commitment to and embodiment of creating a campus-wide culture of belonging, competency-based curriculum, and ERS instructional values.
• Collaboration across departments to develop, implement, and refine an innovative interdisciplinary postsecondary planning program that centers and empowers students.
• Support graduate Presentations of Learning as community-wide learning experiences rooted in reflection, growth, and empowerment.
• Participate as an active member of one of the residential house teams, including mentoring students through advisory.
• Co-create and deliver engaging student programming opportunities as part of an evening program team; regularly work one night a week on this team and with students.
• Engage in weekend programming and supervision of students through the weekend staff schedule.
• Perform other duties related to being an active community member at ERS, including advisories, community meetings, service projects, house team participation, and other community events.
• Be open to serving as a residential Houseparent should staffing needs arise, as part of our shared commitment to the residential community. On-campus housing may be available but is not guaranteed.
• Be an active member of the ERS community beyond this job description.

Qualifications

• BA/BS or equivalent experience required (in education, behavioral science, human services, or a similar field).
• MA/MS or equivalent experience preferred.
• 3+ years supporting students in pursuing postsecondary options.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver postsecondary readiness programming both in and out of the classroom.
• Training and experience in college and career readiness, college counseling, and career planning.
• Familiarity with a wide range of postsecondary opportunities, including: colleges and universities, community colleges, trade and certification programs, apprenticeships, workforce pathways, military recruitment navigation, gap year options, etc.
• Experience supporting first-generation students and those from low-income families.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; effective public speaker and listener.
• Strong organizational, time management, and leadership skills.
• Experience living and working in a residential setting is preferred.

Compensation

• Salary range for this position: $60,000 - $80,000 (based on role, education, and experience; the higher end of the range is reserved for candidates with advanced degrees or certifications).
• Annual bonus.
• Medical/dental/vision plan.
• Vacation/sick time/additional paid time off.

To Apply

Interested applicants should provide a cover letter, resume, and 3 professional references (phone number and email address) as ONE document submitted through the following link: https://forms.gle/hRGBBGJqhFFdj1346

Clarifying questions can be sent to info@eaglerockschool.org. No phone calls, please. We will ONLY accept electronic submissions through the link above.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Learn more about Eagle Rock at www.eaglerockschool.org

Hiring Timeline:

• Initial Application Review: August 17, 2026 (then rolling deadline until filled)
• Phone Interviews: September 2026
• Onsite Interviews: October 2026
• Start Date: January 2027