Communications and Qatar Connection Scholarship Officer, Al-Quds Bard College

Marking its thirteenth year of operation, Al-Quds Bard College for Arts and Sciences (AQB) is an innovative program introducing a liberal arts undergraduate education to the West Bank, with an enrollment of approximately 310 undergraduate and graduate students in 2020-2021. The undergraduate program at AQB is rigorous, culminating in a two-semester independent senior project, which is generally a demanding research paper of 45 pages or more. The MAT program requires an equal amount of advanced study in the elected academic discipline (Mathematics, Biology, English, History, or Sciences), and in key education courses that challenge teachers to apply the results of research and pedagogical analysis to the actual work of teaching. 

About Qatar Scholarship -EAA / Al-Quds Bard Scholarship Project

Al-Quds Bard College is proud to partner with the Education Above All Foundation (EAA) in Qatar to offer AQB students an exciting and generous scholarship opportunity to provide marginalized Palestinian youth and adults, refugees and students from historically underserved communities with inclusive and equitable access to high-quality US-accredited and Palestinian-accredited undergraduate and graduate education. As a shared priority with the Foundation, civic engagement and Qatar Connection are intrinsic aspects of the EAA-AQB Scholarship program. All scholarship recipients are required to complete a mandatory number of civic engagement hours, as well as participate in Qatar Connection activities, each semester.  

Job Purpose

In support of this exciting and expansive partnership, AQB looks to hire a full-time Communications and Qatar Connection Scholarship Officer. 

As part of the Communications portion of the role, this position will be responsible for the advertisement of and recruitment to the EAA-AQB Scholarship program at the College for both undergraduate and graduate programs. Given the scholarship program's priorities to serve the most marginalized communities, the position's focus will be on targeted recruitment and outreach to underserved communities throughout Palestine. They will also be responsible for creating communication material and content for the program, whilst adhering to EAA and Al-Quds Bard branding guidelines and visibility.

As part of the Qatar Connection portion of the role, this position is responsible for the arrangement, implementation and facilitation of Qatar Connection activities with Al Fakhoora staff, as well as direct student engagement to facilitate student participation in said activities. This position is also responsible for ensuring that project targets are met for these two areas, and liaising with the appropriate Al Fakhoora M&E focal point to ensure relevant data on participation and satisfaction is collected. 

Main Responsibilities:

Communications:

• Develop and produce communication material and content throughout the duration of the project, as and when required by EAA and Al-Quds Bard College, including press releases, success stories, social media content, and photography and videography of activities

• Promote communications materials through appropriate social media channels. Track analytics and create reports detailing successes and failures of communications campaigns

• Ensure that all communications materials align with EAA and Al-Quds Bard branding guideline

• Maintain digital media archives including photos and videos

• As a Communications Officer, the officer will work closely with the AQB Recruitment and Communications Officer, who is responsible for wider recruitment to the College, in the organization of multi-media recruitment campaigns, school visits, expos, communication with local ministries, school principals, teachers and counselors. 

• The Officer handles the drafting, design and publication of recruitment materials, coordinates student and faculty ambassadors, and communicates with prospective students and their parents.
• The Officer will also assist in creating and maintaining files for every applicant, organizing scholarship interviews, and managing correspondence with applicants, in order to facilitate the selection process

Civic Engagement:

• Ensure students meet minimum participation requirements as per project targets and AQB requirements, and support the Project Manager to ensure relevant data on participation and satisfaction is collected.

Qatar Connection:  

• To liaise with EAA focal point to ensure successful implementation of Qatar Connection component. 

• To meet regularly with EAA focal point to discuss prep planned events, activities and any ad hoc items. 

• To meet with and liaise with all Qatar Scholarship students on a regular basis, minimum once a semester.

• To hold an introductory session with all scholarship recipients to ensure they are aware of the programme, the Qatar Connection component and their responsibility to register and attend events, in accordance with the student agreement.

• To keep Qatar Scholarship recipients up to date on all Qatar Connection events (provided by EAA focal point through calendar of events) and opportunities, including webinars, workshops and trainings.

• To ensure students are registering for various opportunities provided through the Qatar Connection component.

• To meet with Qatar Scholarship students who are not meeting the criteria agreed upon in the student contract and ensure that they register for provided events.

• To ensure students complete required surveys for any activities, webinars and trainings completed. 

• To provide any needed information, data to EAA Monitoring and Evaluation focal point.

• To provide communication content, for example images, social media post per event/training. 

• Administrative tasks in support of the scholarship program as needed

• Under ordinary circumstances, faculty and staff at AQB are required to be on campus five days per week. This will be our expectation if campus returns to normal operations. In the event of continued full or partial closures of our physical campus, employees will be expected to continue all of their duties in an on-line format.

• The Officer will work closely with the Admission and Registration Officer, Dean, Assistant Dean and members of the administrative team in carrying out these responsibilities. This position reports to the Project Manager, with a regular communication flow with Communications and Qatar Connection contacts at the EAA Foundation.