University and Career Guidance Manager

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High quality university and careers guidance is essential for supporting our students to discover and successfully move into their next destination when they move on from CHIS. Our academically selective Sixth Form is growing rapidly and this new appointment will spearhead the guidance and support to students as they navigate the university application process, both in Malaysia and internationally.

This role involves helping students identify their strengths, interests, and career aspirations, while advising them on selecting appropriate academic pathways. The counsellor will assist in crafting compelling applications for prestigious universities, offering one-on-one coaching, interview preparation, and workshops on scholarship opportunities.

The Careers Counsellor will stay informed on global and local higher education trends, ensuring students receive up-to-date, relevant advice to help them make informed decisions about their future academic and career pursuits.

Main Responsibilities

• To support the Sixth Form team to manage a significant part of the university applications processes and to assist/advise students with their applications worldwide.
• To support students in their preparation of personal statements, personal essays and application forms.
• To be involved in meeting university representatives and other external agencies and, where required work alongside members of the careers department in organising university presentation sessions, fairs, workshops for students and parents.
• Support the delivery of a planned programme of lessons and activities for university guidance and applications throughout Years 9 to Year 13 delivered through the tutorial, enrichment and careers guidance programmes.
• Support the Sixth Form team in maintaining a high quality and accessible careers library, building on the existing resources, particularly digital material, advertise current information to students and parents and keep up to date with changes in university admissions.
• Support in giving presentations to parents at appropriate points in the calendar, and proactively organise meetings with individual parents as required.
• Consult and collaborate with Sixth Form tutors, faculty staff and boarding staff, concerning university advice and applications and offer support to staff and students.
• Support in the provision of training sessions for staff on areas such as Personal Statement writing and reference writing, and be supportive to staff who require assistance and guidance in these areas.
• Support Sixth Form students in preparation for highly competitive courses through the activities programme and Sixth Form enrichment.
• Develop a keen understanding of world-class universities, their target student demographic and scholarships opportunities.
• Undertake other reasonable duties as requested by the Head of Department, Head of Faculty or members of the Senior Leadership Team deem necessary for the effective operation of the school.

Other duties

• Build and maintain an alumni network to provide mentoring opportunities and insights for current students.
• Organise alumni talks and Q&A sessions about university life and career pathways.
• Organise sessions or recommend resources for standardized test preparation (e.g., SAT, ACT, IELTS, TOEFL).
• Ensure students are aware of test dates, formats, and strategies to perform effectively.
• Create detailed timelines and checklists for parents and students to help them navigate the application process.
• Offer regular updates through newsletters or digital platforms.

General

• The Careers Counsellor will report to the Head of Sixth Form.
• Participate in professional development, training and supervision.
• Attend and contribute to meetings as requested.

Person Specification: Careers Counsellor

Qualifications:

• A degree and / or relevant qualification.

Experience:

• Experience in career counselling or university admissions, ideally with a focus on prestigious institutions both in Malaysia and internationally.
• Experience working with young people in an educational setting.

Skills:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and build rapport with students, parents, and staff.
• Strong organisational and time-management abilities.
• An understanding of the global and local higher education landscape, university admissions processes, and scholarship opportunities.
• Proficiency in ICT, including experience with university application platforms, data management systems, and educational software.
• Ability to provide personalised, student-centred guidance tailored to individual needs.

Personal Attributes:

• A proactive, empathetic, and supportive approach to working with students.
• A strong commitment to the academic and personal development of young people.
• Experience working in an international school setting is desirable.
• Fluency in English is required; additional language skills are a plus.