Job Description
Location: Memphis, TN
Job Type: Full-Time
Reports To: Director of Social Services
Gestalt Community Schools (GCS) seeks an experienced, scholar-centered School Counseling Manager to support the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of school counseling and social-emotional learning (SEL) programming across the network. The School Counseling Manager will support the oversight of counseling services while providing school counselors with ongoing coaching, professional learning, and direct implementation support.
The Manager will maintain a strong school-based presence through weekly site visits, observation of services, file audits, and actionable feedback to counselors. This role will collaborate with school and network teams, monitor program data, and support compliance with applicable state and federal requirements related to counseling services and mandated reporting.
Key Responsibilities
School Counseling & SEL Program Implementation
- Support the oversight and implementation of network-wide school counseling and SEL programming to ensure cohesion, quality, and efficiency.
- Execute network strategies and initiatives related to school counseling and SEL services.
- Support consistent implementation of counseling programs, practices, and expectations across schools.
- Partner with the Director of Social Services to identify program priorities and areas requiring additional support.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen counseling and SEL services based on scholar and school needs.
Counselor Coaching & Professional Learning
- Execute the network strategy for ongoing professional learning and coaching support for School Counselors.
- Provide regular coaching, feedback, resources, and implementation support to counselors.
- Conduct weekly school site visits to observe counseling services provided to scholars.
- Provide timely, actionable feedback based on observations, data, file reviews, and implementation of key strategies and initiatives.
- Identify individual and network-wide professional development needs and support delivery of aligned learning opportunities.
- Promote collaboration and sharing of effective practices among School Counselors.
Program Monitoring & Quality Assurance
- Conduct regular file audits to assess documentation, program implementation, and adherence to established requirements.
- Monitor implementation of key school counseling and SEL strategies and initiatives.
- Identify gaps in services, documentation, or implementation and provide targeted support for improvement.
- Establish consistent follow-up processes to ensure identified areas of concern are addressed.
- Support schools in maintaining high-quality and consistent counseling practices.
Compliance & Scholar Safety
- Ensure compliance with applicable state and federal regulations related to school counseling services, mandated reporting, and related requirements.
- Monitor counseling practices and documentation to support compliance and accountability.
- Provide guidance and support to School Counselors regarding required procedures and expectations.
- Escalate significant compliance or scholar safety concerns to the Director of Social Services and other appropriate leaders.
- Maintain confidentiality and appropriate professional standards when handling sensitive scholar information.
Collaboration & School Support
- Collaborate with school and network staff to ensure effective implementation of programs and initiatives under the school counseling services umbrella.
- Build strong working relationships with School Counselors, school leaders, and other scholar-support professionals.
- Partner with school teams to identify scholar needs and strengthen coordination of counseling and SEL supports.
- Support alignment between counseling services and broader network social services programming.
Data & Continuous Improvement
- Monitor counseling, SEL, scholar, and program data to evaluate effectiveness and identify trends.
- Use data and observations to adjust coaching, professional learning, and implementation support.
- Track implementation of key strategies and initiatives across schools.
- Provide the Director of Social Services with regular updates regarding program implementation, counselor support needs, and emerging trends.
- Recommend adjustments to programming based on data, observations, and school needs.
Key Competencies
- School Counseling & Scholar Support
- Coaching & Talent Development
- Social-Emotional Learning
- Compliance & Accountability
- Scholar Safety & Confidentiality
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Program Monitoring
- Relationship Building
- Communication & Collaboration
- Problem Solving
- Attention to Detail
- Continuous Improvement
Work Environment
- Network-level role requiring significant school-based presence and interaction with School Counselors, school leaders, and network staff.
- Requires weekly site visits to observe services, review documentation, and provide coaching and feedback.
- Requires handling confidential and sensitive scholar information with discretion and professionalism.
- Requires the ability to respond appropriately to concerns involving mandated reporting, scholar safety, and counseling services.
- Will require participation in professional learning, school meetings, and scholar-support activities outside regular school hours.
Requirements
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in school counseling, education, psychology, social services, or a related field.
- Certification/licensure in school administration and/or school counseling.
- Three (3) to five (5) years of relevant professional experience.
- Significant administrative experience in K-12 education supporting scholars in underserved communities.
- Demonstrated knowledge of school counseling practices and scholar support systems.
- Knowledge of applicable state and federal requirements related to counseling services and mandated reporting.
- Strong coaching, communication, organizational, and relationship-building skills.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze data and observations to identify areas for program and staff improvement.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in school counseling, education, educational leadership, psychology, or a related field.
- Experience coaching, supervising, or developing School Counselors.
- Experience supporting counseling or SEL programming across multiple schools.
- Experience conducting program reviews, file audits, or compliance monitoring.
