Visa Specialist

Cultural Vistas; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Cultural Vistas in Washington, DC seeks a Visa Specialist to manage the J-1 visa sponsorship process for roughly 3,000 participants annually across Intern/Trainee, Teach and Research Scholar programs. You will guide host companies and participants, ensure compliance with DHS SEVIS requirements, and maintain accurate records.

The role requires strong attention to detail, excellent communication with sponsors and attorneys, and the ability to prioritize in a fast-paced, client-focused environment.

Qualifications

• We’re looking for the right candidate with a Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• Minimum of 2-4 years of administrative support, customer service, or program management experience required.
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, analytical thinking and presentation skills.
• Ability to represent the organization professionally in meetings, events, calls with various stakeholders.
• Effective written and verbal communication with supervisors, colleagues, external stakeholders and people of diverse backgrounds.
• High level of customer service orientation.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, organize, and meet deadlines.
• Attention to detail for records and compliance with internal policies.
• Demonstrated proactive, flexible, inventive approach.
• Collaborative team player with a commitment to professional development.
• Interest in cultural exchange and mission of Cultural Vistas.

Responsibilities

• Manage the application process for host companies and participants.
• Evaluate visa sponsorship to ensure J-1 compliance and CV policies.
• Ensure robust training opportunities aligned with participants' experience.
• Develop training plans describing program goals and objectives.
• Monitor SEVIS deadlines and maintain accurate records.
• Serve as Alternate Responsible Officer for SEVIS visa sponsorship documents.
• Monitor SEVIS reports and participant arrival information.
• Prioritize tasks to meet deadlines in a high-volume, client-focused environment.
• Send invoices and track payments.
• Conduct local site visits to ensure program compliance and promote Cultural Vistas' services.

Skills

Administrative support

Customer service

Program management

Critical thinking

Problem solving

Analytical thinking

Presentation skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Multi-tasking

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Tools

Salesforce

CMS

SEVIS

Job description

The Visa Specialist supports professional exchanges between U.S. host companies and international students and young professionals for Train USA’s approximately 3000 Intern/Trainee, Teach and Research Scholar programs annually. The Visa Specialist evaluates exchange visitor applications for visa sponsorship; and provides hosts and participants support throughout their visa application process. The Visa Specialist serves as an Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) for DHS’s SEVIS database.

Duties and Responsibilities

Visa Processing

• Manages the application process and provides guidance and support for host companies and approximately 250-300 participants.
• Evaluates visa sponsorship applications to determine compliance with J-1 visa regulations, as well as internal CV policies.
• Ensures that the program provides robust and meaningful training opportunities that are in line with the participant’s educational and professional experience.
• Assists host companies in the development of training programs by synthesizing information and succinctly expressing the goals and objectives of the program in a training plan.
• Monitors SEVIS deadlines and collaborates with supervisor to ensure accurate records.
• Serves as an Alternate Responsible Officer for U.S. government database (SEVIS) to issue visa sponsorship documents and update and maintain participant records.
• Monitors SEVIS deadlines and reports, as well as participant arrival information.
• Prioritizes tasks with attention to deadlines and customer expectations in a high-volume, time sensitive and client-focused environment.
• Responsible for sending invoices and tracking payments.
• May periodically conduct local site visits to ensure companies meet program requirements, participants are having a positive experience and to promote Cultural Vistas’ services.

Customer Service

• Educates companies, partners, and attorneys on J-1 visa regulations and CV application process and sponsorship services.
• Maintains communication with host companies, participants, immigration attorneys and Cultural Vistas’ partners around visa processing services to ensure high quality and consistent customer service.

Professional Development

• Develops and maintains an advanced knowledge of J-1 visa regulations application requirements and Cultural Vistas policies in order to properly represent Cultural Vistas throughout the process and at events.
• Develops and maintains industry knowledge by seeking out educational workshops, classes and related publications.
• Takes pro-active approach to improve business functions and workflow within department.
• Work in accordance with the mission, goals, values and strategic direction of Cultural Vistas.

General Qualifications

We’re looking for the right candidate, not the perfect candidate. That’s why we encourage you to apply if you’re interested in the role and believe you’d be an asset to our team, even if you don’t check every box below:

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• Minimum of 2-4 years of administrative support, customer service, or program management experience required.
• Strong critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, analytical thinking and presentation skills
• Ability to comfortably and confidently represent organization in a professional manner in meetings, events, presentations and calls with various stakeholders;
• Effectively communicates, both verbally and in writing, with supervisors, colleagues, external stakeholders and people of diverse backgrounds
• High level of concern for providing exceptional customer service
• Ability to multi-task, to prioritize workload, to organize, and to make decisions in a deadline sensitive environment
• Must possess extraordinary attention to detail for records and compliance responsibilities including internal policies and standard operating procedures
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate outcomes and problem solve
• Demonstrated ability to maintain proactive, flexible, inventive approach
• Ability to exhibit a collegial attitude and excel within a collaborative team working environment
• Strong personal commitment to continual professional development
• Interest in and commitment to cultural exchange and the mission of Cultural Vistas.

Having one or more of the following will really catch our eye

• Proficiency in Salesforce or other CMS experience
• Experience with SEVIS and the J1 Intern/Trainee/Research Scholar/Specialist and Teacher Categories

For more information on our benefit offerings, please visit: https://culturalvistas.org/get-involved/work-with-us