University and Career Counselor

**OVERVIEW**

**Position**

**University and Career Counselor
**Job Code**

N/A

**Reports to**

**Head of School**

**Direct Reports**

**N/A**

**Division**

**ERI**

**Department**

**EC12**

**Role Purpose**
- Provide high quality, innovative college and career guidance to students. Establish and expand partnership relationships with top tier National and International Universities

**KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES & ACTIVITIES**

**Key Responsibilities**
- Provide strategic oversight and direction to all staff involved in the college counseling process to ensure robust systems and processes are established and followed
- Create a program designed to support career planning and readiness, and the potential that a student/graduate may decide to follow a non-traditional educational path beyond secondary education
- Develop and maintain a comprehensive and effective college counseling process that includes parents, faculty, and students.
- Work in partnership with school leadership and faculty to ensure that students receive appropriate academic preparation for college, meeting both graduation and college acceptance requirements
- Make recommendations to the Head of School and Executive Director regarding program enhancements, current trends, and research to ensure that NEOM remains innovative and ‘first’ in this field
- Establish and maintains online college counseling information.
- Direct communication via newsletters, information sharing, and digital communications for students and families.
- Develop the College Counseling Guide, and related collateral material
- Provide leadership in the community of schools, to the student body, parent body, and faculty on issues pertaining to college and university admissions.
- Provide leadership in the NEOM community through outreach, specific events and programming.
- Integrate and work closely with existing partnership resources to future proof the counselling service (e.g. DigiCred, iSchool Connect)
- Gather and collate robust and accurate data sets, including destination information, pathways, trends over time etc and create professional data reports to be shared with the Executive Director and Steering Board
- Work in direct partnership with parents to determine an appropriate list of potential colleges for each applicant
- Provide comprehensive counseling to each member of the senior class in a personalized process that is indicative of a warm and supportive school and program.
- Counsel Grade 8/9 students through a comprehensive process beginning formally at spring break of the Grade 8/9 year, with the process concluding with admission to a school/college of choice during the senior year including the creation of a College Counseling Seminar that would be required of all Grade 8/9 during the third term and/or Grade 9/10during the first term
- Create an active, positive program to support students and families in grades 9 and 10 to create and foster a “university preparatory” culture
- Create working relationships with various colleges and universities throughout the world, including regular travel beyond NEOM
- Attend and provide leadership through various professional organizations that support the college admissions process
- Invite and host representatives from colleges and universities to NEOM and offer regular college counseling events to NEOM students and families
- Offer and be actively involved with college visit trips and trips to college fairs in the region
- Write letters of recommendation and provide support and training to faculty and staff to ensure advocacy for NEOM students
- Working collaboratively with Upper School administrators and advisors on the upper school course selection process
- Engage in the Standardized Testing Programming. Administer four-year standardized testing program, including ACT, PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, AP Exams, and TOEFL, as well as standardized test preparation programming
- Understand Saudi education system, Ministry requirements for direct entry to Saudi universities, and engage colleagues across the Kingdom to ensure that NEOM is well-represented in various university programs
- Establish a close relationship with NEOM University and ensure connectivity between NEOM EC12 Schools and NEOM U.
- Other duties as assigned

**BACKGROUND, SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS**

**Knowledge, Skills and Experience**
- Have direct and current knowledge of both the IB Diploma and IB Careers Related Programmes respectively.
- Demonstrate relevant and current knowledge of the college admissions landscape and in addition, active research into the future of college/university pathways.
- Have the ability to work collaboratively with administration, faculty, and other members of the NEOM community.
- Have a commitment and ability to work with a diverse, multi-lingual community.
- Exhibit strong public speaking skills and the desire to lead and participate in events for students, parents, and colleagues
- Possess strong writing skills and the ability