National Guidance and Counselling Services Director - TJ / 1916210

Pak Turk Maarif International Schools & Colleges is seeking a National Guidance and Counselling Services Director based in Islamabad. This leadership role serves as the national authority for Guidance and Counselling Services (GCS) across all campuses in Pakistan. Reporting directly to the Manager of Student Affairs and Global Engagement, the director is responsible for shaping and maintaining the quality and consistency of guidance and counselling programs. The position involves policy implementation, program development, professional training, monitoring, and quality assurance to support educational goals and student welfare. The role requires regular coordination and campus visits nationwide to ensure cohesive standards and improvements in student support services.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead the national Guidance and Counselling Services framework by defining campus priorities, service expectations, implementation timelines, and reporting requirements aligned with approved policies.
- Develop, revise, and enhance guidance programs, intervention resources, procedures, and implementation tools using data-driven evidence and professional insights.
- Provide functional direction to school counselling staff through school administration and collaborate closely with school leadership to ensure effective implementation and address gaps.
- Periodically review existing GCS policies and procedures, submitting necessary revisions for departmental approval.
- Plan, implement, and continuously develop the guidance curriculum for Grades 1 to 12, focusing on personal-social, educational-academic, and vocational-career guidance with clear learning outcomes.
- Develop facilitation guides, learning activities, and resources aligned with grade-level outcomes to support classroom teachers and school counsellors.
- Establish delivery standards and evaluation methods, monitoring curriculum coverage, classroom practices, student participation, and achievement of intended outcomes.
- Design and deliver national training programs for counsellors, teachers, and school leaders based on needs assessments and feedback.
- Create induction materials and practical training covering curriculum facilitation, student observation, case formulation, referral processes, confidentiality, and safeguarding protocols.
- Lead professional meetings, case consultations, peer learning sessions, and provide supervision within competence areas; arrange external expertise as needed.
- Contribute technical input for counsellor recruitment, induction, and performance reviews in collaboration with management.
- Establish and oversee a national GCS quality assurance cycle, including service standards, campus reviews, classroom observations, record sampling, and follow-up visits.
- Assess adherence to GCS procedures, including target groups, timing, practitioner authorization, evaluations, records, and support services.
- Verify evaluation of completed forms and ensure appropriate consultations, interventions, or referrals occur effectively.
- Analyze data from campus audits, student concerns, disciplinary referrals, and teacher feedback to identify recurring needs and guide program improvements.
- Document findings and require formulation of campus improvement plans with designated owners and deadlines, verifying completion and escalating unresolved issues.
- Direct professional responses to complex or recurring student support concerns, reviewing intervention plans and external referral follow-ups.
- Strengthen collaboration between counsellors, teachers, and parents in observing learning difficulties and developing Individualised Education Plans while ensuring observation tools remain distinct from clinical diagnosis.
- Maintain the highest professional standards regarding student consent, confidentiality, safeguarding, escalation, and appropriate disclosures.
- Ensure urgent student concerns are followed up via established channels and coordinate specialist support services as necessary.
- Lead the Parent Academy initiative, including conducting needs analysis, preparing programs, practitioners, and evaluating national and campus sessions.
- Monitor counselling-related components of the Complaints, Queries, and Suggestions process, ensuring documentation, referral, response, and follow-up are effectively managed.
- Collaborate with the Department Manager to align GCS objectives with career guidance, clubs, and school activities supporting student development, inclusion, and belonging.
- Oversee consistent use of GCS forms, classroom files, student support records, and approved digital systems ensuring record quality, access control, and confidentiality.
- Prepare national reports covering curriculum delivery, service coverage, student needs, training effectiveness, referral follow-ups, and campus improvement actions.
- Maintain aggregated and anonymized data for evaluation and management reviews with strict control of identifiable case information.
- Exercise national authority in setting professional and implementation standards, approving campus plans and resources, requiring reports, corrective actions, and leading training and quality assurance reviews.
- Collaborate with management on policy approvals, staffing decisions, budgets, and external institutional commitments, maintaining discretion and protocol compliance for external referrals.

Required Qualifications

- Minimum of eight years of relevant experience in guidance and counselling services, preferably in an educational setting.
- Proven leadership experience managing multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong knowledge of guidance curriculum development for Grades 1 to 12.
- Expertise in policy development, program implementation, and quality assurance.
- Demonstrated ability to train and supervise counselling professionals and educators.
- Excellent communication, coordination, and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Commitment to confidentiality, safeguarding, and ethical standards in student support.

Preferred Qualifications and Benefits

- Experience working within international or multi-campus educational institutions.
- Familiarity with digital record-keeping systems and data analysis for program improvement.
- Ability to lead national initiatives and collaborate effectively with diverse teams.
- Opportunity to contribute to a reputable international school network with a focus on student welfare and professional development.

This position offers a unique opportunity to lead and shape the guidance and counselling framework at a national level, impacting student development and well-being across Pakistan.