Director, International Student/Scholar Office

University of Nebraska - Lincoln; Lincoln (NE); On-site; USD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln invites applications for a Director of the International Student and Scholar Office (ISSO). This role leads immigration advising, employment-based visas, sponsored students, and incoming exchange programs to ensure students and scholars maintain their legal status in the United States.

Reporting to UNL’s global leadership team, the Director provides strategic direction, oversees a 7.5-person professional staff, and serves as PDSO/RO with SEVIS responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Master’s in international education or related field plus 5 years of international student and scholar services experience.
• Three years of experience leading effective teams.
• Demonstrated knowledge of best practices in supporting international students and scholars in a university environment.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication.
• Strong administrative, organizational, and collaborative leadership skills.
• Excellent leadership and supervisory skills.
• Experience developing immigration policies and procedures and knowledge of employment issues affecting international students and scholars.
• Proven ability to manage complex issues and competing priorities successfully.
• Must be able to think creatively and solve problems effectively during periods of intense activity.
• Experience working successfully with international students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
• Technical experience with SEVIS and student information systems.
• Active involvement with NAFSA or other professional associations.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or LPR per SEVIS rules.

Responsibilities

• Provide vision, strategic management, and leadership to ISSO operations, budgets, and personnel.
• Serve as UNL’s PDSO and RO, overseeing SEVIS student and scholar programs and DSOs/AROs training.
• Oversee training and support of DSOs/AROs and ensure SEVIS compliance and regulatory reporting.

Skills

Team leadership

Excellent communication

SEVIS knowledge

Immigration policy experience

Interpersonal skills

Administrative leadership

Education

Master’s degree in international education or related field

Tools

PeopleSoft

NUView

SUNAPSIS

Job description

The Director of the International Student and Scholar Office (ISSO) serves as a member of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s global leadership team. The Director provides vision, oversight, and leadership to all areas of this comprehensive office: immigration advising, employment-based visas, sponsored students, and incoming exchange programs, to ensure that students and scholars maintain their legal status in the United States.

ISSOalso supports student engagement and intercultural initiatives to enhance student success, including significant programming dedicated to international students’ personal development and adjustment toUNL, in addition to leading programming that integrates international students, scholars, and their dependents. The Director oversees the delivery of exceptional services in all of these areas in collaboration with 7.5 professional staff who are all direct reports.

Additional Duties: Provides vision, strategic management, expert policy interpretation and analysis, and leadership to the International Student & Scholar Office (ISSO); Serves as UNL’s Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) and Responsible Officer (RO) in overseeing the student and scholar programs in the government’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Responsible for UNL’s participation inSEVISand institutional compliance with federal immigration regulations. As such, oversees the training and support of Designated School Officials (DSOs) and Alternative Responsible Officers (AROs) on campus. Provides administrative leadership and oversight ofISSOoperations, budgets, and personnel.

Minimum Required Qualifications:

• Master’s in international education, international studies, student services, global affairs, higher education administration, comparative education, or related field plus 5 years of experience in an international student and scholar services role with direct experience processing F, J, H and other non-immigrant regulations required
• Three year’s experience leading effective teams.
• demonstrated knowledge of best practice in supporting international students and scholars in a university environment.
• excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication
• strong administrative, organizational, and collaborative leadership skills.
• Excellent leadership and supervisory skills
• Demonstrated experience developing immigration policies and procedures and knowledge of employment issues affecting international students and scholars.
• Proven ability to manage complex issues and competing priorities successfully
• Must be able to think creatively and solve problems effectively during periods of intense activity.
• Experience working successfully with international students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
• Technical experience with Student & Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and student information systems expected.
• Active involvement withNAFSAand/or other appropriate professional associations
• Must be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident per federal regulations governing who can serve as aSEVISPrimary Designated School Official (DSO) for the Department of Homeland Security’s F visa program and the Responsible Officer (RO) for the Department of State’s BridgeUSA Exchange Visitor Program.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity withUNL-specific software programs, including PeopleSoft and NUView.
• Experience withSUNAPSIS.
• Experience working within a large, decentralized university.
• Experience supporting and consulting on incidents or crises involving international students or scholars.

How to Apply/Application Requirements:
To apply, go tohttps://employment.unl.edu, requisition S_260708. Click on “Apply for this Job”. You will then either create an application or edit your current application that is on file. You will be required to attach your cover letter, resume, and list of references as three (3) separate documents in MS Word orPDFformat.

Direct interest and questions to:
Maegan Stevens-Liska
[e-mail]
402-472-0743

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its programs, activities, or employment. See https://equity.unl.edu/notice-nondiscrimination/.