Mar 30

Job: International Student Services Coordinator – Spelman College (Atlanta, GA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: International Student Services Coordinator – Spelman College (Atlanta, GA)

Via JET alum Carleen Ben.  Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai.  Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: International Student Services Coordinator
Posted by: Gordon-Zeto Center for Global Education, Spelman College
Location: Atlanta, GA
Type: full-time

Duties:

• Serves as Principal Designated School Officer in SEVIS to maintain federal regulatory compliance and prepares paperwork necessary for international students to obtain F-1 visa, extension of visa, change of visa status, on-campus work approvals, and optional practical training;
• Maintains accurate records and tracking information for each student which includes forms I-20, I-539, I-94, and other pertinent information required by the Department of Homeland Security;
• Advises international students on tax compliance, procedures for obtaining social security card; provides educational sessions/or updates on immigration procedures/laws pertaining to international student population;
• Organizes and coordinates orientation for incoming international and exchange students;
• Develops new programs and/or enhances the effectiveness of the existing programs (Host Family Program, International Education Week and Faculty Mentoring Program for international students) while collaborating with external agencies to enrich students’ experiences and their cross-cultural integration on campus and in the broader Atlanta Community;
• Serves as liaison to the Office of Enrollment Management, Registrar’s Office, Office of Student Affairs, Office of Undergraduate Studies, Office of Alumni Relations, and the WISDOM Center to plan the New Student Orientation (NSO) and to provide services needed for the success of international student population;

• Responsible for coordinating alternative housing plans for students when the college is closed during the Winter and Summer breaks;
• Advises the International Student Organization and assists with programming for the group;
• Coordinates and schedules meetings with various constituencies on Campus and with external constituents;
• Monitor budget and expenditures in Banner and prepare periodic reports;
• General administrative support for the entire department, including handling incoming phone calls, filing, faxing, and photocopying, mail collection and shipping on a daily basis and in timely manner, etc.;
• Schedule appointments, meetings and arrange travel for the Associate Provost and students (if applicable); and process travel expenses reports;
• Schedule Study Travel Seminar Classes and communication with Study-Travel Directors;
• Arrange for appropriate facilities for meetings/events and order refreshments as needed;
• Maintain inventory of and order office supplies, instructional supplies, and equipment;
• Make arrangements for visitors to the Center (for example, reserve local hotel rooms, parking arrangements);
• Perform clerical duties such as copying, typing various forms of correspondence (i.e. letters, reports, proposals, forms, envelopes), and mailings;
• Process and handle purchases, check requests, etc.;
• Serve as point of first contact for the Department. Welcome students, faculty, staff and visitors, answer general inquiries, and answer and direct telephone calls.

Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree and at least two years of experience or a combination of education and experience required. Experience with SEVIS and international student services and/or programming in an academic setting required. Knowledge of federal regulations related to foreign students, of cross-cultural communication, and of personal and academic counseling. Knowledge of related non-immigrant visa statuses, e.g. J-1 for foreign scholars is a plus.

Must meet the Department of Homeland Security’s qualifications for appointment as a Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) or Alternate Responsible Officer.

Must demonstrate a warm and welcoming presence that will provide a supportive environment for international students to succeed. Excellent interpersonal, customer service, writing, and time management skills are essential, as well as the ability to handle multiple tasks. Must work diligently to ensure deadlines are met. Professional demeanor with the ability to interface with internal and external customers while engaging in diplomacy and tact is essential. Independent judgment is necessary to plan, prioritize and organize a diversified workload with attention to detail.

Must also be a dynamic individual who can sometimes work late hours and/or weekends during the orientation week for new international students and/or when cultural events are organized. Ability to work effectively under pressure, be proactive, demonstrate initiative, and promote teamwork is essential.

Excellent oral communication skills are required when presenting information and responding to questions from internal and external customers in one-on-one or group situations. The successful candidate must also be able to read, analyze, interpret immigration procedures, legal documents, and various reports.

This work requires the ability to perform intermediate level computer skills using the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and Power Point). In addition to producing correspondence, duties may involve assignments that require creating mail merges, fliers, forms, and spreadsheets using formulas, plus the use of Lotus Notes, Banner Financial Module and Internet navigation. Requires the ability to type 55 wpm. Database management skills a plus.

In order to apply for an open position, employees should complete and submit the Internal Career Opportunity Application form.