Responsibilities of the Counselling Directorate

Responsibilities of the Director of Counselling and Career Services

1. Formulate and implement a comprehensive strategy for counselling and career development tailored to the needs of distance learners.

1. Align directorate goals with the university’s mission, national education policies, and emerging trends in online and distance education.
2. Provide leadership for innovation in virtual counselling and career guidance platforms.
3. Develop policies that ensure equitable access to counselling and career services across all study centres and virtual platforms.
4. Design inclusive programs addressing academic, psychological, and career-related challenges specific to remote learners.
5. Ensure that all services are compliant with regulatory frameworks and professional codes of ethics.
6. Ensure the deployment of technology-enabled systems for delivering counselling and career services, including tele-counselling, e-advisory, and online self-help resources.
7. Coordinate the activities of counsellors and career officers at study centres to ensure service consistency.
8. Monitor the effectiveness and accessibility of virtual service platforms.
9. Supervise a distributed team of counsellors, career advisors, and support personnel across the study centres.
10. Promote professional development and training in digital counselling methods, learner engagement, and virtual tools.
11. Ensure proactive support for diverse learner needs, including mature students, students with disabilities, and those in remote areas.
12. Promote mental health awareness and life skills development for self-regulated learners.
13. Establish collaborations with employers, industries, NGOs, alumni, and government agencies to provide career opportunities and internships for learners.
14. Represent the directorate in institutional, national, and international platforms to advocate for ODL learner needs.
15. Collaborate with academic departments, ICT units, and support services for integrated learner development.
16. Lead research on student well-being, employability, and the effectiveness of distance counselling services.
17. Collect, analyse, and report data on service usage, impact, and learner satisfaction.
18. Use evaluation findings to inform continuous improvement of services and policy formulation.
19. Ensure that digital counselling maintains high standards of confidentiality, data protection, and informed consent.
20. Develop proposals and seek funding for programs, digital infrastructure, and capacity building.
21. Ensure judicious use of institutional and external resources for programme sustainability.
22. Leverage alumni and private sector support for scholarships, mentorship, and career development programmes.

Responsibilities of Deputy Director, Counselling Services

1. Assist in formulating and implementing policies, strategies and programmes related to counselling services.

1. Supervise and coordinates the work of senior counsellors.
2. Oversee daily operations of the counselling unit and ensures efficient service delivery.
3. Monitor staff performance and provides mentorship and professional development opportunities.
4. Supports the Director in setting long-term goals aligned with institutional objectives.
5. Ensure quality and consistency of counselling services across departments or study centres
6. Develop tools for evaluating the effectiveness and impact of counselling programmes.
7. Review and update protocols based on best practices and emerging needs.
8. Designs and implements student-centred counselling initiatives (e.g., mental health awareness, peer support programmes).
9. Coordinates crisis intervention and response mechanisms.
10. Promotes preventative and developmental counselling programmes.
11. Liaise with academic departments, student affairs and external agencies (e.g. special education services, vocational rehabilitation centres) to support holistic student development.
12. Represent the Directorate at meetings, workshops and institutional committees.
13. Foster partnerships with mental health and career development organizations.
14. Recommend appropriate training and professional development for professional staff and ensures they receive the necessary skills and knowledge to support the clients.
15. Carry out any other duties as may be assigned by the Director.

Responsibilities of the Deputy Registrar

1. Oversee and supervise all administrative officers, clerical staff and environmental attendants for effectiveness and efficiency.
2. Serve as Secretary to Committees hosted by the Directorate.
3. Develops and implements administrative policies, procedures and guidelines for the Directorate.
4. Coordinates internal communication within the Directorate to ensure effective collaboration between the Directorate and Study Centres, Directorates, Departments and Faculties at the Headquarters.
5. Maintains official records, reports and correspondences related to counselling and career development services.
6. Facilitates training and capacity building programmes for administrative staff within the Directorate.
7. Manages the postings, orientation and performance evaluation of administrative personnel.
8. Carry out any other duties as may be assigned by the Director.

Responsibilities of the Head of Career Services Unit

1. Designs and implements structured career guidance programmes for students and graduates.
2. Provides one-on-one and group sessions on career exploration, goal setting, and personal branding.
3. Assists individuals in identifying their skills, interests and values related to career choices.
4. Establishes and maintains strong relationships with employers, industry leaders and alumni for internship, mentorship and employment opportunities.
5. Organizes employer engagement activities such as job fairs, campus recruitment drives and networking events.
6. Coordinates employability enhancement initiatives including soft skills training, CV/resume writing, interview preparation and workplace readiness.
7. Identifies gaps in student skills and collaborates with academic departments to bridge gaps through workshops and short courses.
8. Conducts regular research on labour market trends, in-demand skills and emerging career paths.
9. Provides timely and relevant career information through newsletters, bulletins and online platforms.
10. Generates regular reports to evaluate the effectiveness of career services and informs decision-making.
11. Works closely with counselling services, academic departments, alumni offices and student affairs to provide integrated support.
12. Participates in institutional committees related to student development and career progression.
13. Promotes career services to students, faculty and other stakeholders through orientations, campaigns and digital platforms.
14. Leads initiatives that encourage students to take early ownership of their career journey.
15. Develops and implements new programmes and initiatives within the centre following approvals.
16. Advocates for the needs of the clients and promotes the services of the centre to the wider community.
17. Carry out any other duties as may be assigned.

Responsibilities of the Head of Special Needs Unit

1. Oversees the unit’s operations, sets goals and ensures they align with the overall mission of the centre.
2. Provides leadership and support to ensure people and students with disabilities have equal access to educational, career and counselling services.
3. Assesses individual needs, offers tailored guidance and direct support.
4. Collaborates and networks with counsellors and other staff to ensure a coordinated approach for support.
5. Ensures the centre is an inclusive and supportive environment for this population.
6. Advocates for the rights and needs of this population.
7. Collects and analyses data related to the special needs’ population including data on outcomes and service delivery.
8. Contributes to the development and implementation of policies and procedures related to this category within the centre.
9. Provides consultation and support to the people and students with disabilities, their families and other staff members on a variety of topics.
10. Carry out any other duties as may be assigned.

Responsibilities of the Head of Information, Advice & Guidance Agents Unit

1. Oversees the IA&G officers at the study centres and responsible for training and performance evaluation of information and guidance agents.
2. Provides information and answer inquiries about the centre’s services and programs
3. Assist with resume writing, cover letters and interview skills.
4. Stays updated on job market trends industry developments and educational programmes.
5. Carry out any other duties as may be assigned.

Responsibilities of Career Counsellors

1. Conduct one-on-one sessions to help clients explore career options based on their interests, skills, values and personalities.
2. Provide personalized career advice and action plans for students and graduates.
3. Administer and interpret career assessments (e.g., aptitude tests, interest inventories, personality tests).
4. Help clients understand assessment results and how they relate to career choices.
5. Provide up-to-date information on educational pathways, labour market trends, occupations and professional requirements.
6. Assist in organizing and facilitating career development workshops on topics like career planning, job search strategies, entrepreneurship and workplace etiquette.
7. Carry out any other duties as may be assigned by the Director and the Deputy Director.

Responsibilities of Industry Development Officers

1. Establish and nurture partnerships with companies, industry associations and professional bodies.
2. Identify opportunities for collaborations that benefit students (e.g., internships,
3. Regularly engage with employers to understand their workforce needs and skill expectations.
4. Organize employer visits, networking events and career fairs to connect students with the world of work.
5. Engage alumni working in different industries as potential mentors, guest speakers or recruiters.
6. Strengthen the alumni network to open more career pathways for current students.
7. Carry out any other duties as may be assigned.

Responsibilities of ICT Staff

1. Manages and maintains the Directorate’s hardware (computers, servers, printers) and software systems.
2. Provides technical support to staff and students for all ICT-related issues.
3. Develops updates and maintains the Directorate’s website, online career portals and counselling booking systems.
4. Ensures online resources are user-friendly, secure and up-to-date.
5. Provides technical support for online webinars, virtual career fairs, online counselling sessions and training workshops.
6. Assists with setting up virtual platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams or institution-specific systems.
7. Generates data analytics reports on service usage, website traffic and student engagement.
8. Assists in analysing ICT usage data to improve service delivery strategies.
9. Carry out any other duties as may be assigned.

Responsibilities of Administrative Staff

1. Receiving of mails on behalf of the Directorate.
2. Updating information coming to the Directorate.
3. Drafting of letters and memos for administrative replies.
4. Preparing of the Directorate’s requisitions and collecting of all needed consumables and materials for the Directorate.
5. Taking charge of all Directorates’ documents and making sure that all mails are properly filed for easy retrieval.
6. Recording during meetings and preparing decisions extract and minutes.
7. Administers the enquiry form on the students who have reported to the Directorate with complaints especially with the recent introduction of e-ticketing to help the University resolve complaints concerning students’ academic programmes.
8. Carry out all other registry related functions and other duties as may be assigned.

Responsibilities of the Secretary

1. Provides a warm welcome to Director’s visitors and handles inquiries professionally and accurately.
2. Handles administrative tasks in the Director’s office.
3. Manages the Director’s appointment calendar.
4. Prepares correspondences, types letters, emails and other documents.
5. Assists with event planning and helps with organizing workshops, seminars or other events.
6. Ensures the Directorate has necessary office supplies.
7. Enters information into computer systems for scheduling and other purposes.
8. Maintains the confidentiality of the Director’s office
9. Assists with implementation of new administrative and procedure systems.
10. Acts as a receptionist.

Responsibilities of Clerical Staff

1. Provides general administrative and clerical support.
2. Manages office supplies, maintains equipment and ensures a clean and organized workspace.
3. Processes mails and deliveries by handling incoming & outgoing mails and packages.
4. Operates machines and assists with various office tasks such as photocopying, scanning and ordering supplies (making requisitions).
5. Creates files, update files, keeps and maintains records & reports.
6. Keeps files and records of Directors and student counsellors of the study centres.

Roles and Responsibilities in Supporting Learners:

1. Course Selection and Credit Load Guidance:
   Assist students in selecting appropriate courses each semester, ensuring they register all compulsory courses and one or two electives. Students must not exceed a maximum of 24 credit units per semester.
2. Access to Learning Materials:
   Provide guidance on obtaining course materials—informing students that physical copies are available at the store while soft copies can be accessed via the NOUN e-courseware at nou.edu.ng.

iii. Facilitation and Online Participation:
Support students with relevant information on how to access and fully engage in online facilitation sessions, encouraging consistent participation.

1. Study Planning Support:
   Help students develop a personal study timetable and motivate them to adhere to it consistently for better academic outcomes.
2. Training on Study Habits:
   Educate learners on effective study techniques and learning styles, with attention to individual differences in concentration span and assimilation periods.
3. Encouraging Peer Learning:
   Promote the formation of learning groups and discussion forums to foster collaborative learning among students.

vii. Psycho-Emotional Counselling:
Use appropriate counselling theories to help learners address emotional and psychological challenges that may hinder academic performance.

viii. Academic Support and Liaison:
Offer comprehensive academic guidance and act as a liaison between the student and their faculty through the Study Centre.

1. Extra-Curricular Engagements:
   Organize extracurricular activities such as field trips and excursions to enrich students’ learning experiences.
2. Guidance on Practical Components:
   Provide detailed support for practical requirements including science labs, teaching practice, SIWES, clinical attachments, and practicums.
3. Seminar and Project Preparation:
   Prepare students for seminar presentations and project writing, and coordinate with faculty and departmental officers to organize their defense.

xii. Graduation Readiness Support:
Guide students through graduation requirements—ensuring awareness of the credit unit thresholds per programme category.

xiii. The counsellor is expected to provide information on:
Potential organizations and sectors where the student can seek employment after graduation, available job opportunities and the specific requirements for each, How to develop a well-structured and impactful Curriculum Vitae (CV), Strategies for effectively preparing for aptitude and screening tests, Tips on presenting confidently and professionally during panel interviews and Professional and academic training programs that support career advancement

xiv.  Coordinates activities regarding non-examinable courses such as Teaching Practice, Practicum, Field trips, Seminars and project by giving adequate orientations to students on these courses.

Any other duties as may be assigned by the Study Centre Director*