Director of College Counseling

Carney, Sandoe & Associates; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Housing/board schools only

Job summary

Atlanta International School (AIS) in Atlanta, GA, is partnering with Carney, Sandoe & Associates to recruit a Director of College Counseling. The role will start July 2027 and leads AIS’s college counseling program for grades 9–12, emphasizing US and international university pathways.

The Director brings substantial US admissions experience, strong leadership, and a global perspective, guiding students and families through applications, campus visits, and matriculation with data-informed

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in college counseling and/or university admissions.
• Established professional network within US admissions offices.
• Ability to lead people and programs with strategic vision.

Responsibilities

• Lead the AIS college counseling program and drive continuous improvement.
• Oversee applications, recommendations, scholarships, and nominations.
• Manage counseling budgets and travel for university visits.
• Counsel one-third of juniors and seniors; maintain caseloads.
• Build and sustain US college admissions networks.

Skills

US admissions experience

Leadership experience

Presentation skills

Job description

Carney, Sandoe & Associates, an educational recruitment organization, has partnered with Atlanta International School in Atlanta, GA to find their next Director of College Counseling. The role would start July 2027.

Overview:

Founded in 1984, Atlanta International School (AIS) is a private, International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum school in Atlanta, GA that serves students from 3K to Grade 12. AIS offers the Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP), Diploma Program (DP), and Careers-related Program (CP) in a diverse learning community whose values emphasize the joy of learning and purposeful effort, mutual respect and understanding, and being intentionally inclusive and intercultural. The school operates on two campuses, the main campus in Buckhead and satellite campus for special and auxiliary programs in Sandy Springs.

The school emphasizes language learning, global perspectives, and intercultural understanding, with students coming from a wide range of cultural and national backgrounds. AIS combines a rigorous academic program with opportunities for students to develop communication, collaboration, and leadership skills, creating a diverse and globally focused learning environment. AIS learning principles place curiosity, authentic inquiry, collaboration and responsive support at the heart of student growth.

Atlanta International School unites students, educators, and families from Atlanta and around the world with a shared mission: to develop courageous leaders who shape the world for the better. The community represents over 90 nationalities, speaks more than 60 languages, and currently enrolls approximately 1,350 students. This dynamic, inclusive environment gives AIS unique energy, and creates a place where students, educators, and families thrive, innovate, and belong. AIS frames the college-search process as an opportunity for self-reflection and self-understanding. In other words, counselors seem to encourage students to think about who they are, what they value, and what kind of environment will help them thrive, rather than simply asking, “What is the most prestigious school I can get into?”.

Almost all Upper School students at AIS study the International Baccalaureate (IB) Curriculum. In Grades 9 and 10 students follow the IB Middle Years Program (MYP), followed by the IB Diploma Program (DP) or the IB Career-related Program (CP) in Grades 11 and 12. In AIS Upper School, young people are taught to be critical thinkers and complex problem solvers. They develop a wide array of interests and passions, and learn through real world collaboration - in school, through internships, and service projects. Students become highly skilled at using the latest technologies and develop computational skills to understand and solve problems. They also gain a high level of intercultural competence - through learning more than one language, joining in cultural traditions, and exploring local, national and world histories.

Position Description:

The next Director of College Counseling will build on the program’s existing strengths to raise the quality, consistency and visibility of university counseling at AIS. Bringing demonstrated US admissions experience and an established professional network within US college and university admissions, the Director should combine strategic leadership with direct counseling to help students pursue well-matched opportunities in the United States and internationally. International pathways remain central, drawing on the existing counselor expertise where needed.

A visible leader with gravitas and excellent presentation skills, the Director is expected to inspire trust among students, parents and the wider community through expertise, sound judgment, empathy and consistent follow-through. The Director uses data to guide decisions and, with school leaders, enrollment and marcomm, explains the counseling journey, AIS pathways and verified outcomes clearly and credibly.

AIS college counselors provide individualized guidance in the search and application for universities worldwide. Through individual, family, and group meetings, counselors help students identify colleges and universities that best fit their academic and personal interests, needs, and goals.

The office also benefits from the broader IB environment. AIS students can pursue the IB Diploma Programme or Career- related Programme, and the school emphasizes that its students are prepared for universities in both the U.S. and internationally. AIS's published matriculation examples include schools such as Yale, Harvard, MIT, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Emory, McGill, Durham, and the University of Exeter.

AIS seeks a DCC with substantial relevant experience in college counseling and/or university admissions, with demonstrated leadership of people or significant program work. S/he should be able to demonstrate experience with US college and university admissions, including highly selective processes, and an established professional network within US admissions offices. Candidates should possess the kind of gravitas and excellent presentation skills needed to inspire trust among students, parents and the wider community, alongside effective family partnership, intercultural communication and team development. Demonstrated use of application, admission, matriculation and feedback data to inform advice, improve programs and communicate outcomes responsibly, with attention to context and confidentiality will be important along with a commitment to ongoing professional learning, university visits and professional networks, with availability for relevant evening events and travel.

Direct experience in a US college or university admissions office, ideally at a well-regarded institution, with substantive responsibility for application review and selection. International admissions, IB and international-school experience are highly valued; the Director may draw on the existing counselors’ complementary international expertise while maintaining strong global pathways. Candidates may demonstrate relevant leadership through different career pathways.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead the program’s strategy and continuous improvement in alignment with AIS’s mission, Vision for Learning, learning principles and professional standards.
• Bring an accessible, authoritative and reassuring presence to the school community.
• Oversee applications, recommendations, scholarship and nomination processes, testing guidance and counseling events.
• Ensure the maintenance of accurate, confidential records and effective use of counseling platforms and school systems.
• Update accurate and current content on the parent hub, website and presentations.
• Lead a team of two College Counselors, one Comprehensive Counselor for AISx and one Administrative Assistant.
• Personally counsel one third of the junior class and one third of the senior class with caseloads currently assigned alphabetically (approximately 100 students/class).
• Build a coherent Grade 7–12 experience, beginning with developmentally appropriate exploration and family orientation
• Communicate proactively and empathetically, address concerns constructively and ensure families understand the rationale for advice, available options and next steps.
• Bring and actively sustain an established network and relationships within US college and university admissions.
• Explain AIS’s program - curriculum, grading and pathways - accurately to universities.
• Develop and manage the counseling budget; prioritize resources, university travel and professional learning in line with program needs.

The Director of College Counseling reports to the Associate Head of School (Academics). This is a 12‑month position with vacation days and options to work remotely during school holidays when not taking vacation.

About the Location:

The capital of Georgia and its most populous city with just over 500,000 residents (5.8 million in the metro area), Atlanta is a beloved gem of the Southeast and one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. In recent decades, the city has attracted business from both domestic and international corporations and greatly expanded its civic and cultural venues and activities; the city is home to the nation’s busiest airport. As a major business center, Atlanta has the country’s third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies. Delta Air Lines is the city’s largest employer and operates one of the world’s largest airline hubs. Media powerhouses based in Atlanta include Turner Broadcasting Company, which began in the city, and CNN. Cox Communications is the nation’s third-largest cable service provider and publishes over a dozen newspapers, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The city is a healthcare hub with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory Healthcare, the largest hospital system in the area. Atlanta is also home to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), as well as Coca-Cola, UPS, and Home Depot. With more than 30 colleges and universities located in the city, Atlanta is a center for higher education. Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, and Georgia State University are some of the city’s most prominent institutions. Atlanta also has the largest consortium of historically black colleges, comprised of Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and the Interdenominational Theological Center.

Atlanta’s cultural offerings are rich. Highlights include the High Museum of Art, Atlanta History Center, The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, and The Center for Civil and Human Rights. The Carter Center was founded by Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter to advance human rights worldwide and alleviate human suffering. Atlanta’s performing arts scene includes the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Alliance Theater, Atlanta Opera, and Atlanta Ballet. Parks — like Piedmont Park in Midtown, Downtown’s Centennial Olympic Park, and the Beltline that surrounds the city — are prevalent throughout Atlanta, and it is common to see people taking advantage of these urban oases with a game of Frisbee or a family picnic. The parks also provide the perfect locations for Atlanta’s numerous festivals that bring people out in droves. Atlanta residents are also avid sports fans, flocking to Truist Park to cheer on the MLB’s Braves, to State Farm Arena to support the NBA’s Hawks or to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to root for the NFL’s Falcons or the MLS’ Atlanta United. Meanwhile, families have access to a number of attractions including the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola and the Chick-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame.

Potential Benefits:

• Paid holidays, vacation and personal time
• Housing (boarding schools only)

Carney Sandoe does not discriminate on the basis of physical handicap, sex, race, creed, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic origin in administration of its services, consulting, events, professional development, or other programs.