Associate Director - College Counseling

University School of Nashville

Associate Director of College Counseling

October 2025

University School of Nashville (USN) seeks a dynamic, student-centered professional to serve as an Assistant/Associate Director of College Counseling. This full-time, 12-month position works in close collaboration with the Director of College Counseling to advise and support students and families through all aspects of the college admissions process.

Grounded in the office’s core values of Self-Awareness, Agency, Empathy, Resilience, and Joy, the Associate Director will help students approach the college process as a journey of personal growth and discovery. The role requires a combination of counseling expertise, strong communication skills, organizational acumen, and a deep appreciation for the individuality of each student’s experience.

The Associate Director serves as a member of the high school faculty and contributes to the broader life of the school by collaborating with colleagues across academic and student support areas, serving as an advisor, and engaging in ongoing professional growth.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a personalized approach to counseling and working with students and families to reinforce the office values (Self-Awareness, Agency, Empathy, Resilience, and Joy), emphasizing process over results, and holding a strong belief that the college process is different for every student
• Educate students and families about the landscape of colleges, the admissions process, trends, procedures, affordability, and standardized testing
• Write official counselor letters of recommendation for approximately 30-37 seniors 
• Meet with students in collaboration with advisors and the Assistant Head of High School for Academics to discuss course selection and sequence to meet graduation requirements and be well-prepared for their college admissions and career goals
• Collaborate closely with the Student Success Team, including the emotional support counselor, college counselors, class deans, Director of Counseling, and High School administration as a representative for their grade level to track student successes and challenges, help coordinate grade level meetings, and work with faculty to identify relevant supports
• Lead college counseling communication efforts 
• Support students to navigate their interests and passions through the pursuit of summer programs, internships, and extra-curricular opportunities
• Guide students and parents through the financial aid process and familiarity with a variety of affordable university options 
• Act as an ambassador of the school to external constituents, including meeting with college representatives who visit USN and serve as a liaison with college admissions offices throughout the academic year
• Engagement and involvement in professional organizations (NACAC, SACAC, ACCIS, etc.) for professional development
• Complete administrative tasks, including sending application documents, scheduling college representative visits, reserving testing rooms, and preparing transcripts for students applying to college and transferring
• Demonstrate expertise in Google Suite, Gmail/Google Drive applications, Blackbaud; experience with Scoir is also valued; willingness and ability to learn necessary programs
• Serve as an advisor to a group of students in the high school
• Perform other duties as determined by the Director of College Counseling and, in some cases, the Head of High School

What You Will Bring

• You love and respect teenagers. You feel deeply passionate about supporting them to learn, grow, and thrive as people
• You're energized by both dimensions of this work: the holistic focus on an individual, and also the much larger national trends in enrollment management
• You believe that the college process can hone larger life skills that students can use later in life
• You can build deep relationships with high school students and their families, assuming the best intentions from parents and empathizing with different cultural values 
• You communicate in lucid, compelling ways with a high level of accountability and responsiveness
• You navigate difficult conversations with grace and empathy
• You effectively handle multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment
• You have comfort using data to tell stories and create compelling arguments
• You are eager for feedback and collaboration

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in related field, graduate degree preferred
• Minimum three years of experience working in educational environments
• Possess a deep commitment to working with a diverse population of students and families with equally diverse interests and goals

Physical Requirements:

• Be available reliably to work office hours during the week, as well as some evenings and weekends for college counseling events
• Be able to view screens for extended periods throughout the day
• Work in a fast-paced, sometimes chaotic and high-stress, office environment.
• Be able to sit for long periods
• Be able to move around the campus to interact with students, their families, and faculty members

The School

University School of Nashville is an independent, non-sectarian, co-educational day school with enrollment of 1,080 students kindergarten through twelfth grade.  In 1915, the George Peabody College for Teachers opened Peabody Demonstration School (PDS), USN’s predecessor, which earned acclaim for its curriculum and faculty. In 1974, Peabody College announced plans to close PDS, and a group of parents, alumni, students, and teachers reconstituted and re-chartered the school as University School of Nashville. 

USN’s midtown location adjacent to Vanderbilt University and its Peabody College for Teachers reminds us each day of our beginnings 110 years ago in the demonstration school culture of innovation and educational best practices. It’s a vibrant academic community for both students and teachers in the midst of a dynamic city.

In the USN community, students expect much of each other, and the faculty benefits from that high standard. We seek educators who are enthusiastic about their learning to complement their teaching, and we offer many opportunities for professional growth. USN is committed to creating an institutional environment that mirrors the cultural and ethnic composition of greater Nashville. USN encourages a diverse applicant pool and provides equal employment opportunities for employees and job applicants. 

Application Process

Those interested in being considered for this position should complete the online application for this position available at www.usn.org/jobs. 

Visit www.usn.org for more information.