Job Summary

Reporting to the DVC- Student Life, the person will manage the services offered at the counseling center to ensure the mental, emotional, and social well-being of the USIU Community as well as provide prevention and intervention support for students with academic problems.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervision of staff at the counseling center to ensure the provision of quality services. This involves;
  • Develop annual performance plans with performance indicators and measurements for all staff and forward the same to DVC- Student Life
  • Monitor the provision of services, documentation of client’s data, and effective use of counseling tools e.g. client data collection instruments, psychological tests, checklists, etc.
  • Ensure timely and effective implementation of all planned activities at the center
  • Prepare and coordinate leave schedule for counseling center staff
• Prepare annual budgets according to the university’s strategic plan and departmental goals, implement financial management policies, and approve, monitor, and control financial expenditure in the counseling department to ensure effective and efficient use of financial resources
• Ensure proper, efficient, and effective management of resources within the counseling center for optimum operation of the center.
• Develop standard operating procedures for all counseling center processes.
• Market counseling services to manage the stigma attached to counseling and to Increase the demand for counseling services.
• Enhance students’ academic performance by addressing issues that impact student’s performance. This involves:
  • Liaising with the different Deans of schools, academic advisors, financial aid officers, and parents when helping students with academic difficulties
  • Liaising with the Dean of Students on students with disciplinary issues for behavior change
• Continuous improvement of counseling services through the following:
  • Professional development of counseling center staff to strengthen their skills.
  • Facilitate client feedback and needs assessment survey.
  • Develop Standard operational procedure manuals for standardization of counseling services.
  • Establish a referral system and contacts for the management of cases that require more specialized attention- both internally and externally.
• Research, design, develop and disseminate information/educational and publicity materials (notice board campaigns, posters, brochures, e-mail messages) that create awareness, guide the prevention and management of emerging and contextual issues likely to impact negatively on students, e.g. HIV/AIDS, drug and substance abuse, stress, relationships among others and promote mental health.
• Strengthen student’s life skills through planning and facilitating training on life skills, consulting with various student groups, clubs, sports teams, and student leaders for the development of life skills and leadership skills.
• Coordinate HIV/AIDS program within the university, through:
  • Ensuring availability of personnel for the provision of VCT services by individually providing VCT services, coordinating other counseling staff to provide VCT services, or with the availability of funds recruitment of VCT counselor
  • Develop Liaison with government, NGO and private institutions to ensure provision of HIV test kits, continuous supply of condoms, and training on new developments on HIV/AIDS
  • Establish networks and identify partnerships with non-governmental organizations both national and international to raise funds through proposal writing that will ensure the availability of varied services for students
  • Advice and ensure USIU-Africa policies, procedures, and processes are adhered to when working with partnering organizations
  • Carry out baseline surveys to establish the knowledge, attitudes, skills, perceptions, and behavior as they relate to student well-being
• Receive individual reports from the counselors, consolidate and disseminate the departmental work plans, progress/achievement reports, end-of-semester, and annual reports to the DVC-Student Life for planning and decision making.
• Ensuring the counseling center department participates in university-wide activities, through attending meetings, training, university-wide events, membership in committees, and appointing staff for membership in different committees, meetings, and training.
• Work with other departments in crisis intervention and management by providing debriefing and trauma counseling to the affected.
• Represent the university in forums both internal and external in areas related to counseling and HIV/AIDS.
• Ensure all services provided comply with university policies, procedures, systems, processes, legal frameworks, and the APA ethical and professional code of conduct for counselors

Educational /Professional Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in Counseling/Clinical Psychology from a recognized educational institution
• Professional Qualifications: Membership to a Professional regulatory body; NASCOP VCT certification.
• Proficiency in computer applications;
• 5 years of Counseling practice 3 of which involve managerial work
• Showed merit and ability as reflected in work performance and results.

Personal Attributes & Competencies

• Good communication skills.
• Cross-cultural interpersonal skills.
• Confidentiality and integrity.
• Team player with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Proactive and with proven ability to take instructions and execute.
• Self-motivated.
• Attention to detail.

How To Apply

If you have the requisite qualifications and experience and desire to work as a team member in a modern, progressive, international, and multicultural institution where you can make a difference, please apply indicating in the subject line of the email address the position you are applying for.

Interested applicants must provide a cover letter and a current CV, certified copies of educational certificates and transcripts, names and addresses of three referees, current salary and benefits, telephone and e-mail contacts by 5.00  p.m., Sunday, November 12, 2023, to:

Director Administration,
United States International University – Africa,
P. O. Box 14634-00800,

Nairobi, Kenya

Email: jobs-dvcasa@usiu.ac.ke