School Name: Cristo Rey High School
Location: 1228 S 38th St, San Diego, CA 92113
Reports to: Principal / Director of College Counseling
Employment Type: Full Time
FLSA Status: Exempt
Pay Rate: $68,640 - $70,304 (Depending on Experience)

The Alumni Advisor plays an essential role in ensuring all Cristo Rey San Diego High School students are on track to enroll in college and complete their degree. The position requires an extraordinary commitment to serving diverse students of limited economic means - most of whom will be the first in their family to pursue a degree – through the implementation of a comprehensive, alumni advising program. The position requires extensive experience with college admissions, matriculation, and financial aid processes, a strong sense of low-income students’ and family needs in preparing for college, and the ability to manage key relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. In addition, candidates should be prepared to work closely with Salesforce and integrate it into the workflow of their caseload management. Your commitment to excellence will help form a student body distinguished by breakthrough achievement gains, a passion for justice, and ability to perform in the professional world. In the Catholic tradition, you will create opportunities for students to act, reflect, and grow as they become persons for others. Ultimately, by giving generously of yourself, your gifts, and your time, you will help grow a school that serves its students’ diverse needs and cultivates their many talents 

About the School

Cristo Rey San Diego High School is the 37th school in a growing national network of Catholic high schools recognized for transforming Catholic education through a unique integration of rigorous academics, professional experience, and spiritual formation. Cristo Rey’s innovative model calls for our students to attend class four days per week and work in a professional setting five days per month through our Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP). While many of our students will enter high school below grade-level academically, it is the collective mission of our staff to ensure that our students gain admission to—and ultimately graduate from—college. In pursuit of that goal, Cristo Rey has a longer school day and an extended academic year, and our teachers innovate, plan, reflect, and practice so that they maximize their impact in the classroom.

Duties and Responsibilities

College Counseling Team 

• Serve as principal advisor and thought leader on best practices in college matriculation, persistence, and completion 
• Conduct college campus visits according to school budgets and strategic prioritization of alumni caseload 
• Assist students through college matriculation, course sequencing, financial aid, and transfer processes as needed 
• Plan and lead workshops for alumni and key stakeholders (parents, administrators, etc.) on topics related to college matriculation and persistence processes  
• Identify and work with struggling students to assess their needs and recommend individualized resources and solutions 
• Ensure students take advantage of special opportunities made available to low-income college enrollees (e.g. emergency funding, travel grants, etc.) 
• Communicate with alumni via telephone, text, email, videoconference, and social media platforms, leveraging Salesforce to maximize efficiency of tracking information 
• Create and share resources for students that promote college success, career readiness, and job placement 
• Coordinate multiple events per year for alumni to build community and access programming   
• In light of Cristo Rey Network alumni data that affirms our students are more likely to earn their degree upon initial enrollment in a four-year program, working closely with four-year college enrollees to ensure degree completion and with students enrolled in two-year colleges to support a successful transition into a four-year program 
• Develop collaborative partnerships with colleges alumni attend, creating capacity to link students to college/university resources that support their successful enrollment and retention 
• Collaborate closely with the College Counseling team to support seniors in making their college selection, learn about the alumni program prior to graduation, and identify key trends in enrollment and completion data 
• Develop college enrollment, persistence, and completion reports to track and communicate latest trends and progress to develop school goals 
• Build and celebrate a schoolwide college-going culture for 9th-12th grades (e.g. publicly posting college graduations, hosting alumni panels, connecting prospective applicants to alumni in college, and promoting Cristo Rey Alumni Association, etc) 
• Represent Cristo Rey San Diego High School at local, state and national college admissions conferences, fairs, and/or tours to help strengthen regional partnerships and college persistence expertise 
• Participate in professional development opportunities offered by local college access organizations (i.e. Association of College Admissions Counselors) and Cristo Rey national office 
• Connect with other alumni advising programs at Cristo Rey Network schools 
• Must be able to travel, as needed 

Professional Presence 

• Model values consistent with Catholic education and service to others 
• Approach learning through a developmental lens, and enthusiastically participate in professional development; seek and apply feedback from the instructional leadership and from colleagues; demonstrate drive and independence in accessing resources to further your own improvement 
• Contribute fully, intentionally, and constructively to the team in a range of ways: analyze student data, identify students in need of additional support, problem-solve unanticipated challenges that arise within the school 
• Collaborate with peers with integrity, humility, commitment, humor, and joy to ensure the foundation of trust that will enable the team to accomplish its ambitious goals  
• Engage students and parents with respect, fairness, and empathy to enable full partnership with the school 

Student Support and Contribution to School 

• Actively monitor transitions and/or other common times to ensure a calm and orderly environment; chaperone and moderate school events, including trips and dances 
• Be open to running a student club or extracurricular activity; assist students through their journey at Cristo Rey, and serve as a point of contact for students’ parents 
• Seek opportunities to participate on committees, plan and attend school-wide events, and otherwise contribute to the life of the school 

General Administrative/ Other Responsibilities 

• Return voice-mail/e-mail messages in a timely manner 
• Communicate regularly with parents 
• Demonstrate a respectful demeanor with staff, students, and parents 
• Observe utmost confidentiality regarding parent, student, staff information/conversations 
• Supervise campus and other areas of duty as the role may require 
• Other duties as assigned 

Successful applicants will embody the mission-commitment, intellectual curiosity, openness to growth, optimism, and zest that are central to the character of our staff. In addition, they will meet or exceed the following requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s Degree in an educational field preferred 
• Clear criminal background check (a clear Livescan is a condition of employment) 
• At least three years of experience in college advising with economically disadvantaged, racially diverse students and their families 
• Strong understanding of the academic, financial, and social barriers to college access for underrepresented, first-generation students 
• Highly collaborative, dynamic leader with the ability to manage a large number of professional relationships with a variety of stakeholders 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required 
• Background in designing and executing behavior improvement plans 
• Relentless focus on results, high level of accountability, and willingness to do “whatever it takes” 
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission of the Cristo Rey Network and model 
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial school environment 
• A belief that all students can and will succeed in college and career 
• Experience working with English learners is a plus 
• Bilingual in Spanish is a plus 
• Positive professional references and recommendations 

Religious Qualifications

• Active, practicing Roman Catholic (preferred) 
• Respects and understands a Catholic school philosophy 

Physical Requirements

To successfully meet the needs of the students in his/her care, the teacher must:

• Spend the majority of the day standing in the classroom. While standing the teacher will frequently hold objects they are working with or demonstrating
• Sit on an occasional basis when developing lesson plans, grading, etc.
• Walk through the classroom and be able to maneuver in tight spaces between desks. Walk on both even and uneven surfaces.
• Deal with students while kneeling or squatting, stooping, or bending.
• Reach at, below, or above shoulder height with the dominant upper extremity; may require trunk or neck rotation to look back at the class.
• Assist in moving children's desks and chairs to change the layout of the classroom to influence the learning situation. It is occasionally necessary to lift and carry boxes weighing up to 25 pounds from the office to classrooms.

While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to be inside the classroom. The employee is required to be mobile to, from, and within the classroom and preschool environment, as well as maneuver throughout the school facility to attend meetings, trainings, and other work-related events. The employee may be required to conduct trips to, from, and within various city and county-wide locations to attend trainings or workshops.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Please note this position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Cristo Rey San Diego, is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status.