Student Mentor (Fixed Term)

Tēnā koe. Nau mai ki te Kuratini Tuwhera.

Mō te tūnga | About the role

Student Mentor

About the role:

We are looking for a Student Mentor to join our team. This is a Fixed-term (9 Months) full time role. Student mentors support and monitor learner engagement and offer targeted support to learners as and when they require, and to escalate matters to Academic Staff Members and others as appropriate. You will enjoy working as one of a team in a fast-paced learner centred environment enabling and empowering learners to succeed in online distance learning. 

The ideal candidate will preferably have.

• A degree qualification is preferred
• Education or teaching qualification, preferably in open distant flexible learning (ODFL)
• Experience in advocacy or advisory in a tertiary environment
• Experience in working with priority learners and your empathy and understanding for the complexities that influence their learning experiences
• Ability to engage in culturally appropriate and ethical ways that demonstrate practical application of the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in education.
• The ability to work flexibly and be responsive to change
• Experience working collectively as part of a team
• Excellent relationship management skills

You will be responsible for:

• Ensuring that learners' support needs are met, as and when they require support
• Providing educationally sound support based on data-driven requirement
• Establishing relationships and provide advice to learners as and when required
• Identifying learners who are struggling, disengaged or at risk of withdrawing, proactively contact them and flag them for Academic Staff Members to contact as appropriate
• Coaching and mentoring learners (e.g. in dealing with situations that may impede their learning) to improve their study success.
• Proactively supporting learners with disabilities and in need of special assistance
• Agreeing a schedule of times of availability for learner support that is reasonable but not limited to a standard working week
• Ensuring that engagement is culturally appropriate

Ngā pūkenga mo te tūnga | What you will bring to the role

You will have a passion for impacting the lives of everyday people and seeing them achieve their educational goals and dreams. You will also constantly be striving to be the best you can be, just as our students do and you pride yourself on the quality of your work.

Mō mātou | About us

The Kuratini Tuwhera is Aotearoa New Zealand's leading distance and online learning provider. Open Polytechnic is a business division within Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology. Set up as part of the Government's Reform of Vocational Education , Te Pūkenga is creating a national network of online, on-campus and on-job learning.

We specialise in taking the learning to our students, focusing on enabling the success of almost 40,000 students each year. We're a place where you can make a difference.

We offer a wide range of learning disciplines from Real Estate to Social Work, Construction and Education. From our Academic Staff Members to our Student Journey Centre, we ensure our students are at the heart of everything we do, every step of the way.

Ngā hua o tō tomo mai ki a mātou - Why you should join our team

We offer our people 50% off on education (50% off for whanau) free car parking on campus, flexible working options (including some working from home), a modernised working environment, subsidised school holiday programmes for your children, free fitness classes, and an on-site café.

We are proud of our kaimahi and value every contribution from all of our people.

Tono mai | Apply now

If this role sounds like you, we would love to hear from you. Applications must be submitted online via our career's website. Contact Shannon McGuinness on [email protected], with any questions about the role. Applications close 11pm 5 April 2024. 

Noho ora mai. Tēnā koe.