Associate Director of University Advising

Main Responsibilities:

• Developing meaningful, purposeful, and sustainable relationships with students
• Co-develop and implement a careers education program
• Support students in their transition to the IB Diploma Programme with preliminary university information and guidance on IB subject selection
• Provide guidance, information and advocacy to students as they navigate their way through the university application process domestically, US, Europe, and so forth
• Ensure students are well-informed, supported and empowered to identify the right “fit/match” with colleges/universities
• Coach students to present themselves to those universities in a manner that highlights their strengths
• Coordinate meetings/sessions to inform/update/educate parents on the the philosophy and vision of the department
• Support the management of operations critical to the program including:
  • Co-coordinating standardized testing
  • Developing and monitoring the department’s budgets

Specific Tasks:

Individual Guidance and Counseling

• Establish a personal advising relationship to an assigned caseload of students in G11-12 to offer advice on a range of issues including:
  • Resources for researching universities worldwide; guidance on visiting campuses, informational interviews with Admissions staff, and questions to research;
  • Short-listing reach/realistic/likely universities for applications following detailed research — country-specific and individual university application procedures;
  • Fee status/financial aid/scholarship opportunities & application procedures;
  • University planning and application procedures for Gap Year;
  • Career options available following tertiary education; university courses best suited for career plans;
  • Strategies for strengthening academic and overall profile to ensure best possible application outcomes, including advice on standardized test planning, work experience, essays, interviews, etc.;
  • Identify students who need financial assistance and provide detailed guidance and support to ensure the best scholarship matches;
  • Offer individual guidance interviews to G10 students about IB course selection based on careers exploration, academic interests identified, and tentative university plans.

Group Guidance for Students, Parents, and Staff

• Inform students, parents, and staff about university systems. Conduct information sessions about university destinations and issues.
• Guide G11 and G12 students and UWC ISAK Japan graduates through the university application process via small and large group work (group assemblies, lunchtime/after school/evening information sessions, etc.).
• Guide G11 and G12 students planning to take a Gap Year or on their university plans.
• Advise and run workshops for students on personal statement and college essay writing. Provide individual feedback on multiple drafts of students’ personal statements/essays.
• Guide G10 students on preliminary university exploration and university implications of their IB course selection via small and large group work.
• Produce materials to support staff involvement in the university application process (G11-12).

Administration and Communication

• Inform students, parents, and staff of relevant deadlines and support throughout the varied application processes for multiple university destinations.
• Use Maia Learning for US/CAN application processing and UCAS for UK application processing. Manage and track university applications made by allocated students, including processing school-issued supporting documents, following up with university representatives and troubleshooting as needed.
• Contribute to printed and electronic communication (including a weekly University Advising Bulletin, the University Advising website, and other forms of communication) to inform students, parents, and staff about on and off-campus events, university information opportunities, deadlines, and other relevant tertiary information.
• Actively seek financial aid and scholarship opportunities worldwide and facilitate student research for scholarships. Coordinate scholarship nominations and applications.
• Write or review, edit and collate references. Manage the production of high-quality references by contributing to Insets and publications for teachers and other relevant members of staff.
• Contribute to collation and analysis of university application and placement data, and use appropriate data analysis to inform various aspects of university guidance provided.
• Network with UWC ISAK Japan alumni regarding final destinations, sharing their university experiences with current students.
• Regularly update knowledge base on all university-related matters in a rapidly changing tertiary world through personal research, departmental Insets, and various professional development opportunities including visiting universities and making presentations at relevant conferences, very often during the school holidays.

Relationship with Universities and Organizations

• Co-host (virtual) visits from universities throughout the school year.
• Liaise with universities and educational institutions through a variety of forums, including mutual visits, regular email and telephone communication, sharing publications, evening and weekend information sessions and receptions, networking opportunities at conferences and during visits to university campuses, etc.
• Maintain ongoing relationships with university representatives to better advocate for students and UWC ISAK Japan regarding admissions decisions, waitlists, conditional offers, financial aid awards, etc.
• Develop relationships with UWC ISAK Japan’s Alumni and Parents Association.

Part of the Team

• Work with the Head of School and Director of University Advising to develop and implement appropriate procedures consistent with the school’s values and practices.
• Ensure through regular meetings, briefings, and other forms of communication that appropriate members of staff are kept informed of tertiary issues pertaining to students and of any changes in university systems worldwide that may have implications for IB course selection or any other aspect of academic guidance provided to students.

Main Working Relationships:

The main working relationships are the Head of School, Director of University Advising, UWC schools/colleges, Grade Coordinators, Advisors, IB Coordinator, Counselors, Admissions, and External Tertiary Institutions.

Qualifications:

• Candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate field (master’s degree preferred).
• At least 3+ years experience in university advising at an international school is preferred.
• The ability to engage with students and to engender enthusiasm for learning is a pre-requisite for working at UWC ISAK Japan.
• Candidates should be passionate about working within an international and multicultural environment. Flexibility of approach and a collaborative style are essential.
• Applicants should possess excellent communication skills, be a strong writer, a compelling speaker, and a thoughtful listener.
• Expectations include strong time-management skills, empathy, energy, flexibility, maturity, optimism and a strong work ethic are highly valued.
• Able to function in a dynamic and fast-paced office environment that encourages collaboration, congeniality, and collegiality.
• A self-starter with the ability to complete tasks in a timely fashion.
• It should be noted that UWC ISAK Japan is a dynamic and high energy environment: the rewards are high — but so are the demands on time and engagement.

Contract Period:

August 1, 2024 – July 31, 2026. Thereafter, employment may be renewed by agreement.

Salary:

Salary will be determined based on experience

Safeguarding:

All employees must adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy at all times. If, in the course of carrying out their duties, an employee becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the School, they must report those concerns to the DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead) or DDSL (Deputy Designated safeguarding Lead) immediately.

How to Apply:

Submit a cover letter and resume using the subject line Associate Director of University Advising Job Posting to: [email protected]. Resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

For more information about UWC ISAK Japan, please visit our website at www.uwcisak.jp