Purpose of the Position
The purpose of the position of Senior Psychologist is to ensure the psycho-emotional well-being of students and staff at the University through providing consultative and therapeutic work, offering crisis psychological support, organizing educational events on psychological health and preventive measures aimed at improving psychological support and fostering a positive psycho-emotional climate within the educational environment.
Responsibilities (tasks, key areas of responsibility, and functions):
Providing psychological assistance through consultations:
1) Conducting individual consultations with students, entering data and consultation results into the relevant software/database.
2) Conducting group consultations/sessions for students.
3) Providing emergency consultations according to the duty schedule and offering crisis psychological assistance.
4) Conducting initial assessment consultations during duty hours and performing triage.
5) Performing psychodiagnostics using modern techniques and tools, conducting relevant tests, and entering results into the appropriate software/database.
6) Keeping records of consultations and analyzing the dynamics of requests.
Educational and preventive activities:
1) Creating informational materials (articles, brochures, guides) on psychological topics for students and staff.
2) Developing programs for training sessions and seminars aimed at improving the psychological health of students and staff, and conducting them according to the approved schedules.
3) Organizing and conducting educational events such as workshops, seminars, and training on student psychological health and preventive programs to reduce anxiety, stress resilience, emotional burnout, etc.
4) Conducting meetings, discussion clubs, and informational sessions on psychological topics and increasing psychological literacy among students.
5) Conducting educational activities for colleagues (psychologists) following completed training programs as part of professional development, as well as exchanging current knowledge, new techniques, and best practices in psychological counseling.
Participation in the organization and provision of crisis psychological assistance to student:
1) Developing, organizing, and conducting training for students and staff on actions in crisis situations and methods of providing first psychological aid.
2) Developing and conducting crisis response drills and simulation training.
3) Developing guidelines and methodological recommendations for students and staff on psychological safety and crisis situation response protocols.
4) Providing emergency psychological assistance to students and staff in crisis situations when necessary.
5) Conducting post-crisis support for students who have experienced difficult life situations (losses, trauma, violence, etc.).
6) Participating in interdisciplinary commissions regarding students requiring active monitoring and case review.
7) Maintaining a crisis case database for analysis and improvement of response algorithms.
8) Keeping records and analyzing request dynamics.
9) Providing information to management regarding crisis students, including history, number of consultations, reasons for seeking help, and recommendations.
10) Interacting with psychiatrists from the outpatient service and/or medical assistance services, as well as the city mental health center for monitoring the condition of students requiring active observation.
11) Collaborating with structural units and external administrative organizations to coordinate efforts in crisis situations.
Professional competency development:
1) Regular professional development through participation in seminars, conferences, training programs, workshops, intensives, and masterclasses.
2) Sharing professional experiences with colleagues, participating in expert meetings, roundtables, and discussion clubs. Joining professional associations and communities, contributing to the development of the University’s psychological service.
3) Undergoing professional supervision and peer reviews to improve the quality of counseling and diagnostic work.
4) Participating in research in psychology aimed at studying the psycho-emotional state of students and staff at the University.
5) Developing, adapting, and implementing new psychological methods and approaches to enhance the psychological well-being of students and staff in the educational environment.
6) Mastering and applying modern digital technologies in psychological counseling and psychodiagnostics (online counseling, using specialized software, working with artificial intelligence in psychology).
Administrative and analytical work
1) Timely and accurate completion of online tables, databases, and software to reflect data on the dashboard and monitor the number and status of activities conducted by the Department's management.
2) Preparation, analysis, and submission of statistical data, reports, and analytical notes to management and structural units of the University.
3) Development and maintenance of documentation, regulations, methodological materials, and internal regulatory documents related to psychological assistance within the psychological service's activities.
4) Participation in planning and distributing the budget.
5) Compliance with confidentiality and personal data protection norms when maintaining documentation and working with databases.
6) Participation in the development of strategies for the psychological service's growth at the University, analyzing the needs of students and staff for psychological support.
7) Monitoring the effectiveness of provided psychological assistance, analyzing trends, and providing suggestions for improving services.
8) Timely and quality completion of other tasks assigned by University management within the scope of duties.
Development and Coordination of Preventive and Adaptation Programs
1) Supervising the development and implementation of psychological adaptation programs for first-year students, international students, students returning from academic leave, and other at-risk groups.
2) Organizing and conducting regular trainings and workshops aimed at enhancing students’ self-regulation, stress resilience, communication, and adaptive skills.
3) Initiating and coordinating psychoeducational events (Mental Health Days, open lectures, psychological support clubs, etc.) in collaboration with other University departments.
4) Preparing and distributing educational materials on the prevention of mental health issues (booklets, infographics, videos, checklists, etc.).
5) Participating in the development of an early detection system for adaptation difficulties, including collaboration with faculty, coordinators, and student support services.
6) Collecting and analyzing feedback from participants of preventive events and proposing improvements to program content and delivery formats.
7) Maintaining records of implemented programs, preparing reports, and monitoring the effectiveness of adaptation and preventive initiatives.
8) Contributing to the development and implementation of the University’s strategy on psychological adaptation and mental health risk prevention.
Education requirements
(level, profile, relevant licenses, professional qualifications)
Higher education, preferably from institutions that offer programs in English. A degree no lower than a Master's or Specialist in the fields of Psychology, Pedagogy and Psychology, or Psychotherapy is preferred.
If the education was obtained in CIS countries, a certificate from institutions accredited by international associations or international institutes in the fields of psychology or psychotherapy is required.
Priority areas of specialization:
Psychology
Psychotherapy
Pedagogy and Psychology
Psychological Counseling
Experience requirements:
A minimum of 5 years of experience as a psychologist or psychotherapist in educational institutions, medical institutions, or private practice, documented (registration certificate), with at least 3 years holding a Master's degree in the relevant field.
Requirements for knowledge, skills, competencies:
Knowledge:
Skills:
Competencies:
Language knowledge requirements
Fluency in English, Kazakh, and Russian.
Recruitment and selection process
Recruitment and selection at Nazarbayev University include the following process: preliminary selection based on experience and qualifications, assessments (e.g. technical skills/capabilities, aptitude, personality, work samples, in-basket exercises, and informal interviews), and motivation.
Formal interviews form the final stage of the selection process.
They are typically based on organizational values and behaviors and conducted in English.
You are encouraged to share your views and values to identify how they fit into Nazarbayev University core values