University Overview
The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.
Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.
The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.
Posted Job Title
Case Manager, ELX and International Students, Penn GSE
Job Profile Title
Associate Director C, Student Services
Job Description Summary
At the Penn Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE), we believe in the power of education. We believe there is no greater force for building communities, bridging barriers, improving lives, and healing society. We bring our ideas, our identities, our ambition, and our commitment to a place where a diverse network of researchers, educators, counselors, leaders, and changemakers is unafraid to question what it means to educate.
The Case Manager, ELX and International Students position will serve as the primary contact for addressing the needs of individual international students needing support. This position will also directly support the Educational Linguistics (ELX) division with areas including, but not limited to, international student support, student leave administration, advising, program support and international student worker hiring.
A key part of this position is to serve as a lead member of the academic crisis management team that coordinates services and programs for students in academic or personal difficulty including providing support and referrals, and assistance with communications. This person will proactively support students experiencing challenges that can impact academics via crisis response, provide case management, and offer referrals in partnership with OSS Case Manager. This role provides some academic advising, guidance on time away from and returns to school, and support regarding academic standing for International Students in partnership with International Student and Scholar Services. The incumbent will provide advice, clarification and interpretation of the rules, regulations and procedures of the School and other University divisions, and Federal Government requirements for visiting scholars to students, parents, staff, faculty members, and to external constituencies. Finally, the Case Manager will assist in developing systems to proactively reduce the number of students in crisis and track students in need.
Job Description
- Serve as primary OSS support for international students: Provide outreach, support and data management for international students as a member of the Student Success team. Take the lead in the support of documenting key interactions and establishing and maintaining appropriate records and data. Handle sensitive student information and provide notification of student concerns to faculty when appropriate. Assist in developing systems to track students and proactively reach students who need assistance. Collaborate with the OSS' other Case Manager and elevate issues when needed.
- Provide Case Management for GSE International Students: Serve as case manager for up 300 - 350 students each semester. Meet with each student to address academic challenges, personal difficulties, and International Student and Scholar Services/US Federal Immigration requirements. Build relationships and maintain contact over the course of the student's time at Penn GSE. Provide resources and referrals. Liaise with International Student and Scholar Services, program leadership management, and faculty to determine student needs and resolve student issues. Provide advice, clarification, and interpretation, and enforcement of the rules, regulations and procedures of GSE, ISSS, and other Penn divisions to students, to parents, to faculty, and external constituencies. Provide guidance and feedback on difficult cases.
- ELX Student Support: Provide support to ELX students with issues including, but not limited to, international student support and student leave administration. Liaise with ELX Peer Advisors (second-year master's students) to support the coordination, planning, and execution of bimonthly student information/advising workshops. Attend and help publicize ELX program orientation and other division-sponsored events for all ELX students. Provide direct academic support and/or referrals to University academic support services as needed. Assist with international student worker hiring and onboarding processes, including obtaining SSN and required I-20 documentation.
- Manage International Scholar processes for GSE: This includes all GSE approvals for international students (e.g., OPT, CPT, RCL, etc.). Offer guidance and support to International Students taking time away from Penn and aid in the readjustment of students returning from time away/LOAs in compliance with Federal Visiting Scholar requirements. Provide clarity on the GSE rules and regulations that govern leaves and returns process. Manage and analyze data collection and documentation of leaves and returns in the University's record system. Provide communication to students, families, and faculty around leaves and returns to relevant stakeholders surrounding international needs and concerns (e.g., travel letters, family letters for graduation, employer letters, etc.). Develop recommendations based on the data and help create and implement systems and programming to address relevant concerns/trends as needed.
- Provide guidance and training to staff and faculty: Provide guidance and training to staff and faculty on how to resolve International Student issues. Serve as liaison for university partners in ISSS, ShaC, DS, CSA, SIS, Public Safety, and other groups and external partners who can assist our students in need. Collaborate with the other Case Manager to ensure international students have access to the appropriate Penn resources. Represent GSE at relevant ISSS and related meetings. Participate in orientations, program meetings, and university-wide when appropriate as OSS/GSE representative.
- Collaborate with the Student Success team on School-wide events: Collaborate with the Student Success team on School-wide events and initiatives, such as graduation, orientation, and international student integration efforts.
- ?Perform additional duties as assigned.
Qualifications
ESSENTIAL:
- A Bachelor's degree and 3-5 years of experience of equivalent combination of education & experience.
- Experience directly supporting students experiencing academic and person challenging, as well as handling sensitive information.
- Excellent interpersonal and organizational kills
- Understanding of and appreciation of graduate schools
- Ability to work independently and meet deadlines
- Ability to work cooperatively as a member of a team
- Ability to navigate highly sensitive matters.
PREFERRED:
- A Master's degree in Higher Education, Intercultural Communication, College Student Personnel Affairs, or related field.
- Proficiency in an additional language other than English
- Experience living and working abroad, working with students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds
- Experience working with or advising international students in US academic contexts
Expected salary range: $75,000 - $80,000
*All applicants must submit a cover letter.
Penn GSE actively seeks and welcomes people of color, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, persons with disabilities, and people at intersections of these identities, to apply.
Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / School
Graduate School of Education
Pay Range
$51,824.00 - $80,000.00 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.
Affirmative Action Statement Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.
Special Requirements Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.
University Benefits
- Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
- Tuition : Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits . You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
- Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
- Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family-whatever your personal needs may be.
- Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, you won't have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
- Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
- Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
- University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on at Penn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you're right in the middle of the excitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
- Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
- Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
- Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
- Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.
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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay
The University of Pennsylvania's special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community that draws on the strength that comes with a substantive institutional commitment to diversity along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, interests, perspectives, and socioeconomic status. Grounded in equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and affirmative action, Penn's robust commitment to diversity is fundamental to the University's mission of advancing knowledge, educating leaders for all sectors of society, and public service. The University of Pennsylvania prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.