Director of College Counseling at St Paul's School for Girls

School Overview

Voted a Top Workplace in Baltimore, The St. Paul’s Schools is a family of independent schools in Baltimore County, Maryland. Serving children from infancy through grade 12, our three schools share a 120-acre campus, an Episcopal tradition, and a focus on developing confident, well-balanced students who will use their education and ethics to improve the world. A coordinated?structure?allows The St.?Paul’s?Schools?to preserve the?small-school?feel within each school while sharing resources and certain programs to maximize opportunities for students.

Mission: Guided by Episcopal values and a commitment to each student’s full journey, a St. Paul’s education inspires us to lead with love, discover and pursue our unique gifts, and act with courage in all we do.

Vision: St. Paul’s students thrive and serve in a global community. We create transformational experiences through innovative and responsive teaching in a diverse community of authentic belonging.

Specifically, St. Paul's School for Girls has over 430 girls in grades 5-12.  St. Paul’s School for Girls educates hearts and minds in an inclusive community that is grounded in the Episcopal values of respect, integrity, and spiritual growth. We empower voice, nurture intellectual curiosity and creativity, and inspire confident leaders who serve in the world.

Position Description

Our school seeks a warm, knowledgeable, and student-centered Director of College Counseling to lead a dynamic and highly personalized college counseling program for students in grades 9–12. This is an exciting opportunity for an educator and mentor who believes deeply in the power and potential of girls and young women and who approaches the college process with equal parts expertise, empathy, humor, and perspective.

The Director of College Counseling serves as a trusted guide for students and families throughout the high school journey — helping students discover who they are, what matters to them, and where they will thrive after graduation.

The ideal candidate is both strategic and relational: someone who can expertly navigate an evolving admissions landscape while creating a calm, supportive, and joyful process for students and families.

This position works closely with students, parents/guardians, faculty, and school leadership to foster a healthy, mission-aligned approach to college counseling that reflects the school’s values of intellectual curiosity, confidence, leadership, and community. The start date for this position is December 1, 2026 and this is a 12 month position.

What You’ll Do

Counsel, Guide, and Champion Students

• Build meaningful relationships with students and families over all four years of high school.
• Help students identify colleges and postsecondary pathways that are strong academic, social, and personal fits.
• Guide students through every aspect of the application process, including essays, interviews, resumes, applications, and decision-making.
• Write thoughtful, personalized counselor recommendations that bring each student’s story to life.
• Encourage students to approach the college process with confidence, balance, and self-awareness.
• Support students pursuing a wide range of interests and pathways, including highly selective colleges, arts programs, athletics, STEM fields, international study, and gap year opportunities.
• Oversee college counseling timelines, transcripts, school reports, and application documentation.
• Maintain accurate student records and data.
• Analyze admissions outcomes and help continuously strengthen the counseling program.

Lead a Thoughtful and Engaging Program

• Design and oversee a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate college counseling curriculum for grades 9–12.
• Plan engaging workshops and events for students and families on topics such as college readiness, testing, financial aid, wellness, and emerging admissions trends.
• Help cultivate a school culture where the college process is exciting and aspirational — but never defining.
• Stay current on trends in higher education and bring fresh ideas and insight to the community.
• Manage college counseling staff.

Collaborate with the School Community

• Partner closely with faculty, advisors, administrators, and student support teams to advocate for students and support their growth.
• Serve as a visible, approachable presence in the Upper School community.
• Build strong relationships with college admissions representatives and host college visitors on campus.
• Partner with St. Paul’s School for Boys college counseling team with overlap families and/or cross coordinated academics and testing.
• Represent the school professionally within regional and national college counseling organizations.
• Serve as an upper school advisor
• Proctor senior workshop
• Other duties as assigned

Who You Are

• A strong communicator and thoughtful listener with exceptional writing skills.
• Calm under pressure, highly organized, and able to balance multiple priorities with warmth and humor.
• Someone who understands adolescent development and values relationship-based counseling.
• Passionate about empowering girls and young women to lead lives of purpose, curiosity, and confidence.
• Collaborative, optimistic, and eager to contribute to a vibrant school community.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in college counseling, college admissions, secondary school counseling, or related work.
• Independent school experience preferred but not required.
• Deep knowledge of the college admissions landscape and trends.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

At St. Paul’s Schools, we are dedicated to fostering a nurturing and inclusive learning environment where every individual is celebrated for their unique strengths and contributions. We believe that diversity enriches education, empowering students to reach their fullest potential. By embracing a culture of inclusion, we prepare our students to succeed in an increasingly interconnected and multicultural world. We stand firmly against all forms of prejudice, including those related to race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic background, gender identity, sexual orientation, and physical appearance.

The St. Paul’s Schools has a compensation scale based on direct years of experience and degree held.  Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate’s years of experience, education and skills.  For this opportunity, our salary range is $90,000 to $100,000 annually. Candidates with additional experience or qualifications may be offered a salary outside of the range shown.  In addition, full-time team members gain access to our robust benefits package designed to support your well-being, inside and outside of work. This includes a competitive healthcare package (medical, dental, and vision), disability protection, participation in our 403(b) retirement plan which has an immediate employer contribution and a generous time off package, including wellness days because we believe you may need a day off ‘just because!’.

Beyond the basics, we offer extras like a lunch stipend, access to multiple fitness centers on campus and professional development experiences to continue your learning. In addition, full-time employees who choose The St. Paul’s Schools for their children’s educational journey, are eligible to receive a tuition remission benefit. Your salary will be commensurate with your experience and reflect the value you bring to our team.

Interested candidates can send their cover letter, resume and list of references to Shannon Duckett, Executive Director of Human Resources, at sduckett@stpaulsmd.org. The St. Paul’s Schools is an equal opportunity employer.

See job description.

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