Director of International Student and Scholar Services

Montclair State University; Montclair (NJ); On-site; USD 98,000 - 108,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Montclair State University seeks a Director of International Student and Scholars Services to provide strategic leadership and oversight for international student and scholar services.

The role guides immigration compliance, student success and retention, and cross-functional collaboration while advancing the university’s global engagement goals. Strong leadership and multilingual abilities are essential.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
• Master’s degree in higher education, international education or related field.
• Minimum of five years of experience in a U.S. higher education setting.
• Five years of experience as a P/DSO for F-1 and A/RO for J-1.
• Experience supervising professional staff and managing high-volume international student services.
• Fluency in two or more languages.

Responsibilities

• Lead immigration compliance operations including risk assessment, audits and staff training.
• Coordinate with University Counsel on complex immigration and compliance matters.
• Establish KPIs to evaluate the effectiveness of services (processing times, outcomes, retention).
• Develop international student success initiatives for transition, achievement, engagement and graduation.
• Collaborate with Academic Advising, Student Affairs, Career Services and departments to support international students.
• Serve as PDSO and RO for F-1 and J-1 students and scholars.
• Provide advisement on immigration matters and related document processing.
• Oversee orientation programs and office-sponsored events; manage digital channels and workflows.

Skills

Staff leadership

Strategic planning

Immigration compliance

Data-driven decision making

Communication

Bilingual

Education

Master’s degree in higher education or related field

Tools

Banner

Workday

Slate

Terra Dotta

Job description

Job Description SUMMARY:

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Global Engagement, the Director of International Student and Scholars Services provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for international student and scholar services at Montclair State University. The Director serves as a member of the Vice Provost for International Academic Initiatives and Chief Global Engagement Officer’s leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, institutional decision-making, and the advancement of the University’s global engagement priorities. The Director is responsible for immigration compliance, international student success and retention, staff leadership, service innovation, and institutional collaboration. The Director plays a key role in creating a welcoming, supportive, and compliant environment that promotes the academic and personal success of international students and scholars while advancing the University’s internationalization goals.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead and oversee institutional immigration compliance operations, including risk assessment, internal audits, regulatory monitoring, staff training, and the development of procedures to ensure compliance with applicable federal immigration regulations.
• Coordinate with University Counsel and other campus stakeholders on complex immigration and compliance matters.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of international student and scholar services, including immigration processing times, compliance outcomes, student satisfaction, and retention.
• Use data to identify service gaps, recommend improvements, and provide regular reports to Montclair Global leadership.
• Develop and implement comprehensive international student success initiatives that support student transition, academic achievement, engagement, retention, and timely graduation.
• Collaborate with Academic Advising, Student Affairs, Career Services, and academic departments to identify challenges and strengthen institutional support for international students.
• Serve as PDSO and RO for F-1 and J-1 students and scholars.
• Provide advisement and counsel on immigration matters.
• Process any documentation related to students’ and scholars’ immigration records, including but not limited to extension, full-time enrollment verification, change of level, SEVIS registration, OPT/CPT request, academic training request, record validation, etc.
• In the absence of the Assistant Vice President, serve as the primary contact for crisis responses related to international students and scholars.
• Lead the development and day‑to‑day operation of short‑term programs (high school summer program, English as a second language, etc.).
• Lead the review of existing office processes and procedures; develop new processes and procedures when appropriate, to ensure that the University remains in compliance at all times.
• Conduct workshops and/or webinars for current students and scholars on topics related to their immigration status.
• Lead the planning and execution of the international student orientation program and any other office‑sponsored events.
• Oversee the department’s social media channels and website to support the promotion of cultural events sponsored by the office or other units on campus.
• Provide leadership and supervision of professional staff and student employees, including workload management, performance evaluation, professional development, and operational planning.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and student‑centered team culture while strengthening partnerships across academic and administrative units.
• Lead the modernization and continuous improvement of student service operations through effective use of technology, including Terra Dotta and other university systems.
• Develop streamlined workflows, improve digital service delivery, reduce unnecessary administrative processes, and enhance the overall student and scholar experience.
• Perform other duties as assigned. Management retains the right to add or change job duties at any time.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
• Master’s degree in higher education, international education or related field.
• Minimum of five years of experience in a U.S. higher education setting.
• Minimum of five years of experience working as a P/DSO for F-1 and as A/RO for J-1 students and scholars.
• Must be very familiar with all SEVIS functions for both F and J visas (processing of CPT/OPT/STEM OPT applications, registration, validation, academic training, change of status, matriculation, corrections, reinstatement, extension, etc.).
• Demonstrated experience supervising professional staff and managing high‑volume international student and scholar services.
• Ability to work on weekends and evenings to fulfill the principal job duties.
• Prior experience with Banner, Workday, Slate, and Terra Dotta.
• Ability to analyze and interpret the needs of students and offer appropriate solutions.
• Fluency in two or more languages.

Salary Range

$98,000.00-$108,150.00 Annually The position may also be eligible for comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and tuition assistance. For further details, please visit: https://www.montclair.edu/human-resources/benefits/ Montclair State University considers factors such as, but not limited to, scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s relevant work experience, education, skills, and internal equity, when extending an offer. Salary offers for internal employees who are part of a collective bargaining unit (CBU) and are applying to a position that is within a CBU will be determined in accordance with contractual provisions.

Department Office of Global Engagement Position Type Administrative

Contact Information: For questions or concerns, please contact Human Resources' Workday Recruiting Support at 973-655-5000 (Option 2), or email [e-mail].

Inclusion Statement

Montclair State University values access and educational excellence. We are committed to an environment of diverse perspectives which ensures that graduates will be civically engaged, committed to democracy, and prepared to thrive as global citizens. We foster a community that promotes varied experiences and voices. We seek applicants who will contribute diverse ideas and perspectives and who value an environment that promotes educational growth and advancement for all.

EEO/AA Statement

Montclair State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution with a strong commitment to diversity. Additional information can be found on the website at www.montclair.edu/human-resources/about-us/eo-aa-and-diversity/

Title IX and 34 C.F.R. 106 Policy

Montclair State is required by Title IX and 34 C.F.R. 106 not to discriminate on the basis of sex or gender, and does not discriminate on the basis of sex or gender in the operation of education programs and activities. The requirement to not discriminate on the basis of sex or gender in the operation of education programs and activities extends to admission and employment. For further details, please visit: https://www.montclair.edu/human-resources/job-seekers/.

About Us

Building on a distinguished history dating back to 1908, Montclair State University has evolved from an institution that was a recognized leader in teacher education to an R2 research institution ranked as one of the 100 best public doctoral universities in the nation. The University serves 22,000 undergraduate and graduate students with more than 300 doctoral, master's and baccalaureate programs provided by 13 colleges and schools. Situated on a beautiful 252‑acre campus just 12 miles from New York City, Montclair delivers the instructional and research resources of a large public university while retaining the supportive and personalized academic environment that provides a feeling of community more typical of smaller institutions. Montclair State University is proud to be committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate in its recruitment and employment practices. The University is an inclusive, richly diverse community that fosters mutual respect, tolerance and understanding among all students and employees.