Jun 20

Job: International Student Specialist, Yale University (CT)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: International Student Specialist, Yale University (CT)

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 Specialist
Posted by: Yale University
Location: New Haven, CT
Type: Full Time – 37.5 HRS; Weekdays M-F; 8:30AM-5PM. Some limited overtime and very occasional weekends hours.

Position Focus

Under minimal supervision of the Senior Assistant Director, provides high level administrative support for the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS), a highly trafficked office.   OISS serves as a primary campus resource for international students, scholars and their families, fostering a sense of community by offering orientation for new arrivals and hosting programs and activities throughout the year and assisting with a range of student and scholar needs including advice about immigration and employment regulations.   This position manages all aspects of OISS’ interactions with newly admitted international students, including liaison with all Yale admissions offices, pre-arrival communications, and issuance of visa documents through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) database (SEVIS.)  Other duties include the maintenance of international student data ensuring data integrity for federal compliance and reporting, occasional support at the front desk and involvement in OISS orientation and programs. Ultimately this position may include the responsibilities of a DHS Designated School Official.

Principal Responsibilities:

1.       Serve as primary support to University admissions offices and newly admitted international students to ensure timely and accurate processing of all student visa documents.

a.       Train and support school admissions staff in this process

b.      Review data transferred from Banner for newly admitted students to ensure correctness of data

c.       Review financial certification to ensure compliance with federal regulations

d.      Prepare student records for submission to SEVIS

e.      Review visa documents for completeness, and accuracy

f.        Respond to inquiries from students, parents and admissions staff

2.       Assess continually the efficiency of the process and identify new technologies to streamline flow of information and communications will relevant constituents.

3.       Perform data audits on a regular basis to ensure integrity of data and facilitate compliance with federal (DHS) regulations.

4.       Prepare data for annual statistical reports and other reports as required. Utilize Excel, PowerPoint and MSWord, and desktop publishing software to provide specialized department reports.

5.       Provide some coverage for a highly-trafficked front office providing efficient and customer-oriented services to all visitors and performing the following tasks:

a.       Greet visitors and answer incoming calls, assess nature of query and respond to concerns or make appropriate referral either within or beyond OISS.

b.      Respond to preliminary questions, including questions about immigration and employment regulations and U.S. tax regulations. Provide information related to OISS, Yale and New Haven.

c.       Complete and sign I-9 documents for Yale’s international student and scholar community and input I-9 data into ORACLE.

d.      Evaluate eligibility requirements for U.S. social security numbers and CT driver’s licenses and advise accordingly.

6.       Coordinate electronic storage of all international student documents.  Ensure data record protocols are up to date and adhered to at all times.

7.       Participate in and contribute to departmental meetings, including weekly staff meetings.

8.       May ultimately serve as one of Yale’s DHS designated DSOs (designated school officials), and in that capacity review, confirm lawful status and endorse SEVIS travel documents for F students, sign visa documents for newly admitted students and for updated I-20s for travel and employment.

Education and Training

A minimum of six years of related experience and a high school level education, or six years of related experience and an Associate’s degree, or two years of related work experience and a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of experience and education required.

Required Skills and Abilities

1.       Excellent interpersonal skills in working with students, faculty and staff of diverse national and linguistics backgrounds.

2.       Demonstrated ability to maintain high level of productivity with changing priorities and frequent interruptions and to organize and prioritize fluctuating workloads.  Accuracy and attention to detail critical.  Demonstrated ability to balance varying demands of office visitors and staff and handle pressure and conflicting demands calmly and professionally.

3.       Demonstrated ability to make sound decisions and employ effective problem-solving techniques.

4.       Strong organizational and communication skills, including demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with individuals at all levels in the organization to explain policies, regulations, and procedures.

5.       Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively. Excellent record of attendance.

6.       Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft office suite (particularly Excel), Outlook, social media, web editing and database management.  Ability to work in Yale’s systems such as Banner and/or Oracle.

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills:

Bachelor’s degree.  Study, travel or work experience outside the U.S. and a proficiency in a language besides English.  Familiarity with US immigration and tax regulations in an academic setting.   If serving as DSO, must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to assume signing authority to immigration documents.. General knowledge of University and city resources, Yale policies and procedures.

Physical Requirements; 

A level of physical fitness, as position involves frequent getting up and down, walking between the first and second floors, bending and reaching for files, as well as straightening and moving furniture.