University and Careers Guidance Counsellor

Job overview

Repton Al Barsha is seeking to recruit an outstanding University and Careers Guidance Counsellor.

The University Guidance Counsellor plays a central role in supporting students from Year 7 to Year 13 in their career development, university planning and application processes. The postholder will manage the school’s careers and guidance programme, lead university application procedures and maintain strong relationships with students, parents, staff, universities and alumni. The role requires deep knowledge of global university systems, excellent communication skills and a strategic, student-centred approach.

About Cognita:

Cognita is a global leader in independent education. Founded in 2004, we are a growing community of 100+ schools in 16 countries - in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East - serving more than 85,000 students. Each of our schools are proudly unique, however our collective purpose is to create an environment where everyone can, ‘Thrive in a rapidly evolving world’.

About Repton Al Barsha
Repton Al Barsha currently educates students from Nursery (FS1) to Year 11 and will be growing year on year through to Year 13.

We are a well-resourced Apple Distinguished School with exceptional sporting facilities, seeking to achieve the best from every pupil both academically and in extra-curricular activities which is a key aspect of the school program.

The school was rated Very Good with several outstanding features in the most recent DSIB inspection.

Repton Al Barsha boasts state of the art facilities and is situated at the heart of ‘New Dubai’ in the Dubai Science Park, Barsha South. It offers the academic rigour of the UK National Curriculum within an inclusive family environment. The School is built on the twin foundations of academic excellence and the highest standards of pastoral care.


The successful candidate must have:

Have previous experience working within an educational setting, preferably a Sixth Form environment.

· Have significant experience using Unifrog, including managing a full school careers programme.

· Have a proven track record of successful applications to top global universities (e.g., UK Russell Group, US Ivy League, Canada, Europe, Australia, Singapore).

· Be fully familiar with the Common App counsellor role, including documentation, uploads and student support.

· Have working knowledge of global application platforms such as:

- OUAC (Canada)

- Studielink (Netherlands)

- UCAS (UK)

- ApplyTexas, Coalition, UC portal (US)

- Australian and UAE university systems

· Be confident in writing professional academic references and collating academic documentation.

· Demonstrate excellent organisational, administrative, and communication skills.

It is desirable for the candidate to have:

· Accreditation or membership with a recognised body (e.g., THE, CDA, ICG, NCDA, IECA, UCAS Adviser Accreditation).

· Experience administering and evaluating a careers programme from Year 7 to Year 13.

· Experience delivering student and parent workshops or assemblies.

· Experience organising large-scale school events such as careers fairs or university visits.

· Experience in alumni engagement or work experience coordination.

Key Responsibilities:

Student Guidance & Support

• Hold weekly interviews with KS5 students to review academic progress, university readiness and their evolving profiles.

• Support students in identifying best-fit universities and appropriate pathways.

• Prepare students for university, scholarship and internship interviews.

• Manage Year 12 work experience, including placements and student preparation.

Parent Communication & Engagement

• Maintain strong communication with parents to ensure they remain informed throughout the university process.

• Deliver parents’ presentations on university systems, deadlines and application strategies.

• Ensure parents are aware of upcoming deadlines and concerns if students fall behind.

• Academic Documentation & Applications

• Collate predicted grades from teaching staff.

• Gather subject references and write counsellor references where required.

• Write and issue academic transcripts for all Year 13 graduates.

• Submit all university applications accurately and on time.

• Maintain an updated database of all university offers, used for the Board of Governors report.

• Careers Programme Leadership (Years 7–13)

• Deliver a complete careers education programme based on the Unifrog spiral curriculum.

• Train subject teachers in writing high-quality references.

• Lead SSenior School assemblies related to careers, pathways and university preparation.

• University Relations & Events Management

• Build and maintain strong international university partnerships.

• Facilitate university visits, guest speakers and enrichment lectures.

• Organise the annual Careers Fair and ensure high engagement from universities and industry.
  

School Break Availability

• Provide support during school holidays as required by international examination results timetables (e.g., A-levels, GCSEs, IB, SAT/AP reporting) and will be required to attend GCSE and A-level results days.

Ethos, Values & Compliance

• Actively promote and uphold the values and ethos of Repton Al Barsha.

• Ensure all deadlines, safeguarding requirements and KHDA expectations are met.

• Perform any other reasonable duties as assigned by the Assistant Principal, Head of Sixth Form

To support your application please include a current, up to date CV.

The school reserves the right to interview and appoint strong candidates before the official closing date, and therefore we would encourage candidates to apply early in the process.

Safeguarding Statement:
Cognita and the Repton Family of Schools is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expects the same from its employees. All new staff will be subject to detailed and enhanced pre-employment clearance, including identity checks, criminal background checks for all countries lived in, qualification checks, employment checks to include an exploration of any gaps in employment, and satisfactory reference checks for all employment in the last 5 years