ROLE PURPOSE:

You are primarily responsible for supporting students and parents through the college application process to universities and colleges worldwide. Your role involves working with students through all their application materials, including but not limited to their personal statements, counselor recommendation letters, and financial aid applications. Your role will require getting to know each student on an individual level to understand their backgrounds, ambitions, and journey at Gashora Girls Academy. You will coach students every week for the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), especially the SAT, and provide, where necessary, additional support. You will create and foster positive relationships with university admissions officers by hosting them on campus tours and attending conferences around the world to keep up with trends in admissions.

Role Dimension

Our all-girls secondary boarding school, the Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology, was founded to enable Rwanda’s young women to reach their full potential, becoming the future scientists, entrepreneurs, advocates, and thought leaders the world needs. These young women will bring insights and solutions to our most significant global challenges.

At GGAST, we foster a positive learning environment that prioritizes student success. To partner in our mission, we seek a qualified college counsellor with experience and passion to support girls attending the world’s best universities. The college counsellor will impart essay writing and interview skills while empowering students to grow and thrive. A candidate must value creativity and student engagement and know how to accommodate students’ diverse learning needs. We at GGAST look forward to welcoming a motivated and enthusiastic College counsellor to our team.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct weekly one-on-one meetings with students to draft college application essays.
• Draft counsellor recommendations and submit academic materials to universities.
• Advise students on standardized tests, with a strong emphasis on SAT coaching.
• Assist students and parents in completing financial aid applications (e.g., CSS Profile or country-specific aid forms).
• Take part in organizing college fairs to educate students, parents, and teachers about application processes worldwide.
• Plan and execute with the team an annual college application and essay-writing camp for Grade 12 students.
• Maintain accurate records by updating a student application data collection system.
• Draft monthly reports detailing activities and students’ progress.
• Travel to represent the institution at college counseling conferences where necessary.
• Stay informed about summer programs, competitions, and opportunities that enhance college admissions success.
• Keep up with application admissions trends and procedures for universities across the globe.
• Create and maintain positive relationships with university representatives through campus tours or hosting universities.
  
  
  

Safeguarding

As a college counsellor, you will hold a key position within the organization. In this role, safeguarding is of utmost importance, and GGAST operates a zero-tolerance policy to anyone who violates our safeguarding and child protection policies, procedures and protocols.

We are committed to ensuring the safety and protection of children, and we expect all employees, partners, and stakeholders to share this commitment. As a counsellor, you will be responsible for fostering a culture of safeguarding in the school, ensuring that appropriate policies, procedures, and practices are reflected and represented, playing a key role to prevent abuse, exploitation, and harm.

You will be expected to lead by example, demonstrating and promoting the highest standards of safeguarding within the organization.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

Held accountable to deliver on their responsibilities.

Ambition:

Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their students, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their students to do the same.

Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their students, colleagues, and external partners and supporters where necessary.

Values diversity and sees it as a source of competitive strength.

Creativity:

Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions to teaching and learning, responding to the needs of the students.

Integrity:

Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity, lives out Gashaora values, vision, and mission in all areas.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Psychology, Writing, or any other Liberal Arts programs is Ideal,
• Experience in SAT/ Duolingo English Test/ Toefl etc coaching is strongly preferred.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILL

• Strong knowledge of college admissions processes, including understanding standardized testing, application platforms (e.g., Common App), and scholarships, is a bonus.
• Ability to manage and motivate self and others.
• Innovative approach to teaching and learning as demonstrated by a broad range of adaptable teaching styles and methods.
• Commitment to the GGAST vision, principles, mission, and values.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with Gashora’s policies, procedures, and protocols.

How to Apply:

If you are passionate about education and empowering young women in STEM, we would love to hear from you! Please submit your application, which should include an updated CV, cover letter, and a minimum of two references, by April 16, 2025, to jobs@rwandagirlsinitiative.org .