International Student Guardianship Assistant

**International Student Guardianship Assistant**

Academic Families is a vibrant small international education agency recruiting international students to study at boarding schools in the UK, Canada and US. We also provide the best professional guardianship services to support our international students in the UK. In fact everything we do is as close to the best that we can manage and we are accredited and recognised for our success - always putting children first.

Our successful business continues to be directed by our energetic and insightful founder who is focussed on providing the best possible experience for both clients and employees. Personal development is a given in this dynamic, ambitious and agile business. Academic Families is a great place to work because it’s fun The team spirit, can-do attitude and continuously growing business provides lots of support, challenge, variety and development for everyone.

We care about our colleagues, promoting work-life balance, wellbeing and flexible working. We believe that the skills and experience you bring to Academic Families are invaluable. We want you to have the opportunity to develop your abilities, and to innovate and develop in areas which you are important to us both.

We continue to grow and recruit like minded team players who want to succeed, are outward looking, internationally experienced/aware and customer focussed.

**International Student Guardianship Assistant Role**

You will uphold Academic Families’ commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. To represent Academic Families, you will be required to
- Ensure the highest pastoral care for international students at their boarding school and when holidaying with a local host family. This will include a minimum termly visit to each student with a short pastoral and academic report to their parents and attending any school meetings as required.
- Match students with hosts and manage short term visits as required
- Manage their UK transfers
- Liaise with parents, UK transfer providers (taxis and airport assistance partners), UK host families and develop relationships with key boarding school staff
- Maintain accurate records for each student, host and school contact on the Academic Families guardianship management database
- Emergency support - you will be required to cover emergency mobile support on a rota basis - probably 1in 4 weekends during term.

There are three terms in each school year which runs from September to early July. Key travel days include the start and end of term, start and end of half term, and occasional ‘exeat’ weekends once or twice per term.

This role is part of our guardianship team and mutual support and teamwork are a given. We are a small and professional team who love coming to work each day

This is an office-based role in our Edinburgh Head Office.

**Skill Requirements**

To do well and enjoy the role you need to be a, or have
- good communicator with strong interpersonal skills with a wide range of people especially international families; and good written and spoken English
- flexible attitude with a high standard of customer service - caring and friendly
- ability to work to deadlines with a strong work ethic
- demonstrate integrity and professionalism and remain calm in a crisis
- good IT skills, especially MS Office suite
- strong attention to detail and a logical approach to problem solving
- enjoy working through lists of actions
- be prepared to visit English schools and host families.

**Key Responsibilities & Tasks**

You will be required to manage the support for international students attending English boarding schools including their out-of-school transfers. In conjunction with the Academic Families Guardianship team, you will match host families to students for local hosting and support.

We are a Safer Recruiter so safeguarding is our priority.
- maintain child protections standards, ensure the safety and well-being of all your assigned students at all times
- support your assigned students, parents and hosts
- confirm your students’ school holidays requirements in good time to successfully plan and manage their arrangements
- manage all transfers and host accommodation as required and ensure they go to plan
- match students and hosts where a short term visit is required during school holidays
- keep up-to-date with international travel requirements eg visas and health
- ensure all arrangements are confirmed in good time to students, parents, schools, and transfer providers

**Hours**

This is a full-time role - 37.5 hours per week. Work hours are 9am - 5pm with 30 minutes for lunch, Monday to Friday but may vary and flexibility may be required at busy times. It is anticipated to be busier during term time and quieter during school holidays.

Holiday entitlement is 28 days pa.

**Job Types**: Full-time, Graduate, Permanent

**Salary**: £22,000.00-£25,000.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Company