Purpose

Reporting to the director of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), the associate director oversees the university’s compliance with U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Labor and other regulatory agencies applicable to enrolling international students and inviting/employing international faculty and scholars at the university. The associate director manages the unit’s immigration operations and implements ISSS strategic goals and initiatives.

Responsibilities

Immigration Services and Compliance

• Serve as federal Designated School Official (DSO) and Alternative Responsible Officer (ARO) and liaise with government agencies regarding international student and scholar policies and issues.
• Interpret and incorporate regulatory changes into internal policies and procedures. Oversee the documentation of policies and procedures to ensure consistency in advising practices across ISSS teams.
• Ensure proper understanding and application of complex immigration regulations and university policies. Develop and implement ongoing training for staff regarding immigration regulations and best practices.
• Manage protocol for student and scholar recordkeeping ensuring data integrity in administrative databases.
• Oversee immigration business processes and provide high standards of service using technology to ensure operational efficiency. Ensure accurate documentation of procedures and workflows. Analyze data to assess quality and effectiveness of ISSS immigration services and programs.

Leadership and Supervision

• Manage day-to-day operations of and provide strategic oversight for student advising services; faculty and scholar services; and sponsored and exchange programs. Supervise the assistant director of each respective unit.
• Use best practices to train staff in providing the highest level of customer service through topical expertise, cultural sensitivity, and inclusion. Foster career growth of ISSS team members by providing professional development opportunities for staff.
• Represent the director at university meetings and collaborate with campus partners to support and advocate for the needs of international students and scholars.
• Coordinate the support of international students and scholars that experience personal crises situations or where world events have impacted their home countries or regions.
• Work closely with the director in developing and executing the strategic vision for International Student and Scholar Services.
• Manage ISSS operations in the director’s absence.

Communication and Outreach

• Serve as a resource and proactively communicate with academic departments and university units to provide information about federal regulations as they relate to their specific college, school, or unit.
• Oversee the development and implementation of training and informational sessions on issues pertaining to international students and scholars for the university community.
• Ensure that written communication, including but not limited to the ISSS website, presentations, handouts and publications, includes clear and concise information for international students and scholars, departments, and the university community and is consistent with the Texas Global brand.

Support of ISSS and Texas Global functions

• Actively support the critical priorities and functions of ISSS and Texas Global, serve on internal committees, and participate in work groups to support the mission of the organization.

Required Qualifications

Master’s degree in international education, higher education administration, or related field. Six years of experience working with immigration regulations in a university setting including significant experience as Designated School Official and/or Alternate Responsible Officer. Demonstrated experience in supervising professional staff. Experience using software and emerging technologies to organize unit work, improve processes, and provide excellent customer service. Ability to lead and take initiative considering unit’s strategic plan and priorities. Ability to multi-task and problem solve in a fast-paced environment. Ability to work collaboratively and productively in a professional setting. Strong skills in intercultural communication, professional communication, and public speaking. Excellent written communication skills with a strong attention to detail. Equivalent combination or substitution of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate. Due to federal database access requirements, only U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents may apply for this position.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience filing USCIS forms I-140, I-129, and other employment-based petitions in a university context. Proficiency in a foreign language. Experience working, living, and/or studying abroad. Experience with and proficiency in using Sunapsis.

Salary Range

$80,000+ depending on qualifications