Career & University Guidance Counsellor (Yasmina British Academy) AY2026/27

Job Description

Yasmina British Academy is an outstanding English Curriculum school in the beautiful city of Abu Dhabi. With our globally recognised and admired curriculum, dedicated and passionate practitioners and outstanding teaching and learning, Yasmina British Academy is an exceptional place to work. It has an exciting, diverse and progressive learning community that annually produces some of the very best I/GCSE and A Level result in the UAE. Our learning culture is under pinned by our core values of excellence, respect, passion, collaboration and creativity allowing all students to thrive. Furthermore, the Academy is extremely proud of its recent ADEK inspection, which rated Yasmina British Academy as ‘Outstanding’ in all six performance standards, putting it amongst the top schools in the UAE and Middle East.

Yasmina British Academy has recently moved to a new multi-building campus incorporating state of the art facilities that has enabled our teachers and students to flourish, fostering a future focused educational experience while also delivering on our environmental commitments to supply sustainable schools to the UAE. This incredible facility is more than just a school, acting as a social, sporting and performance hub for both the local and international communities of the city. The new campus enables us to add even more value to our currently outstanding educational provision, whilst utilising the reputation of Aldar Academies’ brand to positively impact the lives of our learning community in the UAE.

The successful candidates will be closely aligned with our core values and ethos and possess a genuine understanding and appreciation of the values of the region.

Responsibilities

• To contribute to the strategic approach of the careers and university guidance team, collaborating with key staff, parents, students and key contacts to support the offer of an outstanding careers and guidance provision.
• To work closely with the Assistant Principal, Key Stage Leads and the Heads of Year to facilitate and support with the transition from KS3 to KS4 and KS4 to KS5 processes.
• To work closely with the university and guidance team to ensure the local and International university application deadlines are met.
• To conduct student-focused, impartial, personal career guidance interviews which challenge and support students to make informed, realistic and adaptable career decisions.
• To support students with profile building for competitive applications to universities locally and oversees.
• To guide students through. Variety of university application portals locally and oversees, such as CommonApp, UCAS, Studielink and OUAC.
• To generate and maintain students records electronically in support of personal guidance interviews, including a summary of agreed actions/action plans.
• To monitor individual student progress across subjects (using ALPS) in relation to their careers and aspirations.
• To manage the varying administrative needs of the university application process including any specific entrance examinations (SAT, UCAT, LNAT, BMAT, IELTS).
• To work across primary and secondary phases, informing curriculum planning to ensure future ready skills and initiatives are embedded in learning.
• To work with the Extended Curriculum Lead, developing a portfolio or extracurricular activities which have real world implications.
• To inform the options and pathways process across secondary – leading interviews, options evenings and parent meetings when required at KS4 and KS5 transition events.
• To facilitate career-related learning activities in groups with students including leading and managing of Unifrog or similar platforms.
• To review and enhance the impact of the annual whole-school Careers Week initiative, sourcing parent and external speakers to engage the wider-school and local community.
• To conduct staff training, student / parent workshops on future careers and university application processes.
• To work with the Director of Inclusion and EAL Lead to develop access pathways and specialised options for students on the POD, EAL and AG&T registers.
• To organise careers fairs and other relevant activities in conjunction with the Assistant Principals for Pastoral and Student Wellbeing in Primary and Secondary.
• To build relationships with relevant external agencies and networks for the benefit of students and the
• To involve parents and carers, where relevant, in the career guidance programme and provision.
• To organise and outside agencies, speakers and programmes which broaden the scope of our students’ opportunities.
• To actively keep abreast of and promote wider opportunities offering career guidance and experience for students.
• To negotiate Service Level Agreements, where relevant
• To work with the PRE for Marketing and Communications to contribute and enhance the online presence and celebration of Careers provision at Yasmina
• To support the review and enhancement of the Yasmina Alumni through the engagement and leadership of our YBA Connect alumni platform.
  
  
  

Qualifications

• BA Degree in Education or any related field
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in the same role.
• Knowledgeable of careers and university provision and preparation programmes
• Flexible and dedicated
• Has integrity and strong personal communication skills
• Highly organised and can manage timelines efficiently
• Has competent IT skills
• Has an appreciation of cultural diversity
• Personal drive and ability to manage workload when working independently
• Previous experience working with students whom English is not their first language
• A high level of professionalism and consideration of the well-being of children
• A positive and solution-focused attitude to working life
  
  
  

This job description is not all inclusive. Aldar Education reserves the right to amend this job description at any time. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are also mindful of our national development strategy and encourage UAE Nationals in their application at our company.

Aldar Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Offers of appointment are subject to satisfactory references and police clearance.