The Aga Khan Academy Nairobi is operated by Aga Khan Education Service Kenya (AKESK), a non-profit organization, with close to a hundred years’ experience operating schools in Kenya. Our first formal schools were opened in 1918, and AKESK currently operates 11 schools in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Eldoret, serving close to 5,000 students with a quality, ...

Role Summary

The University and Careers Counsellor will provide comprehensive academic and career guidance to students across the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP), supporting subject choices, university aspirations, career planning and successful transition to post-secondary education.

Key Responsibilities:

University and Career Counselling:

• Strong counselling and guidance skills, with the ability to support students and parents through subject selection, career exploration and university application processes.
• Ability to guide students on university selection, personal statements, statements of purpose, recommendation letters and application requirements.
• Strong understanding of international higher education systems, scholarships, admissions trends, visa requirements and standardized testing.
• Familiarity with university application platforms such as UCAS, CommonApp, College Board and Maia Learning.
• Collaborate with staff and stakeholders to integrate career education into the curriculum.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills:

• Excellent counselling, listening and interpersonal skills, with the ability to relate effectively to adolescents and parents.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, including report writing, presentations and facilitation of parent and student workshops.
• Strong networking and relationship-building skills with universities, professional bodies, industry partners, alumni and other external stakeholders.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive student information with professionalism and discretion.

Organizational and Analytical Skills:

• Strong planning and coordination skills for university fairs, Career Days, workshops, job-shadowing programmes, internships and related events.
• High attention to detail in managing multiple student applications, deadlines and institutional requirements.
• Strong research and data management skills for monitoring student placements, scholarships, alumni outcomes and global university trends.
• Analytical ability to assess student readiness, university fit and post-secondary opportunities.

Personal Attributes:

• Empathetic, approachable and student-centred.
• Culturally aware and globally minded, with an understanding of diverse post-secondary pathways.
• Proactive, resourceful and able to work independently.
• Demonstrates integrity, professionalism and resilience under pressure.

The requirements

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Psychology, Counselling, or a related field.
• Minimum of 4-5 years’ experience working in a secondary school environment, preferably in a university or careers counselling role.
• Experience supporting students and families through the university admissions and application process.
• Familiarity with ManageBac and experience in generating and managing student transcripts.
• Knowledge of the UCAS university application system and familiarity with other international university application platforms.
• Knowledge of university admissions, scholarships, financial aid opportunities and standardized testing requirements, including SAT/ACT.
• Strong written and verbal English communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and administrative skills, with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple student applications, deadlines and institutional requirements.
• Understanding of the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum and global university systems.
• Experience working in an international or multicultural school environment will be an added advantage.

• Strong counselling and guidance skills, with the ability to support students and parents through subject selection, career exploration and university application processes.
• Ability to guide students on university selection, personal statements, statements of purpose, recommendation letters and application requirements.
• Strong understanding of international higher education systems, scholarships, admissions trends, visa requirements and standardized testing.
• Familiarity with university application platforms such as UCAS, CommonApp, College Board and Maia Learning.
• Collaborate with staff and stakeholders to integrate career education into the curriculum.
• Excellent counselling, listening and interpersonal skills, with the ability to relate effectively to adolescents and parents.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, including report writing, presentations and facilitation of parent and student workshops.
• Strong networking and relationship-building skills with universities, professional bodies, industry partners, alumni and other external stakeholders.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive student information with professionalism and discretion.
• Strong planning and coordination skills for university fairs, Career Days, workshops, job-shadowing programmes, internships and related events.
• High attention to detail in managing multiple student applications, deadlines and institutional requirements.
• Strong research and data management skills for monitoring student placements, scholarships, alumni outcomes and global university trends.
• Analytical ability to assess student readiness, university fit and post-secondary opportunities.

• Counselling and guidance
• University selection and application guidance
• Knowledge of international higher education systems
• Knowledge of scholarships, admissions trends, visa requirements and standardized testing
• Familiarity with UCAS, CommonApp, College Board and Maia Learning
• Excellent counselling, listening and interpersonal skills
• Written and verbal communication
• Report writing, presentations and workshop facilitation
• Networking and relationship-building
• Confidential information handling and discretion
• Planning and coordination
• Attention to detail
• Research and data management
• Analytical ability
• Organizational and administrative skills
• English communication skills

• Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Psychology, Counselling, or a related field.
• Familiarity with ManageBac and experience in generating and managing student transcripts.
• Knowledge of the UCAS university application system and familiarity with other international university application platforms.
• Knowledge of university admissions, scholarships, financial aid opportunities and standardized testing requirements, including SAT/ACT.
• Understanding of the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum and global university systems.
• Experience working in an international or multicultural school environment will be an added advantage.