ISSO Adviser

Savannah College of Art and Design; Savannah (GA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

SCAD is seeking a dedicated ISSO team member to support international students across academics, employment, health care, housing, immigration and travel. You’ll guide students through visa rules as a Designated School Official and maintain SEVIS I-20 records.

Join a diverse campus community and help students thrive by coordinating workshops, advising on CPT/OPT, and collaborating with campus offices to ensure compliance and successful transitions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; relevant experience a plus.
• Minimum one year as a DSO or comparable international education knowledge.
• Experience with Banner, Terra Dotta, Salesforce and App Extender.
• Experience designing and running events/workshops.

Responsibilities

• Counsel F-1 students and dependents on immigration and visa maintenance.
• Serve as a Designated School Official (DSO) and manage SEVIS I-20s.
• Advise on CPT/OPT/STEM OPT and off-campus work authorization.
• Coordinate SEVIS transfers and data changes with other institutions.
• Support employment, housing, healthcare, safety, scholarships, taxes and travel.

Skills

Communication skills

Coordination

Diversity awareness

Deadline-oriented

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Banner

Terra Dotta

Salesforce

App Extender

Job description

As a member of the ISSO team, you will support international students across a range of categories throughout their time at SCAD, including academics, employment, health care, housing, immigration, safety, scholarships, taxes, and travel. Overall, you'll play a critical part in helping them not only adjust to university life but also thrive.

To support international students, you'll:

• Counsel F-1 students and dependents on U.S. immigration law, visa maintenance, and compliance statutes
• Serve as a Designated School Official (DSO)
• Manage SEVIS I-20 administration, tracking, and reporting (e.g., travel signatures, data changes, extensions, leaves of absence, reduced course loads, and data fixes)
• Process and advise on CPT, OPT, STEM OPT, and off-campus work authorization
• Manage SEVIS I-20 transfer releases and coordinate with other institutions

As an adviser, you'll:

• Review Form I-983 training plans for STEM-eligible alumni
• Maintain employment reporting data
• Assist with quarterly career-preparation workshops to support university employment goals
• Track alumni O-1 and H-1B visa approvals and provide reporting data to CAS
• Chaperone employment-related trips to Charleston, S.C., for biometric appointments

Additionally, you'll:

• Connect students with local resources (SSA, DDS, tax support) and advise on U.S. health insurance systems
• Support quarterly orientation programs
• Conduct attendance outreach for students with extensive absences or early withdrawals
• Act on student concern alerts to connect individuals with university resources

Candidates should have:

• Knowledge of F-1 student visa regulations
• Excellent communication and coordination skills
• An ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and meet deadlines
• Working knowledge of STEM-related career issues and other career needs

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree
• At least one year of experience as a Designated School Official (DSO) or comparable knowledge of international education
• Experience with Banner, Terra Dotta, Salesforce, and App Extender
• Experience designing and implementing events and workshops

Preferred qualifications:

• Master's degree
• Bilingual

Certificates, licenses, and registrations:

• U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency
• Valid driver's license

Travel required:

• Less than 10%

Work hours:

The university work week is Sunday through Saturday. Most offices are open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. To accommodate business needs, employees may be assigned to other workdays and/or hours, including weekends and evenings.

ADA tag:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements and minimum qualifications listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and/or meet the minimum qualifications.