Director of International Student and Scholar Services

Montclair State University•Montclair, NJ

About The Position

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Global Engagement, the Director of International Student and Scholar Services provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for international student and scholar services at Montclair State University. The Director serves on the leadership team of the Vice Provost for International Academic Initiatives and Chief Global Engagement Officer, contributing to strategic planning, institutional decision-making, and the advancement of the University’s global engagement priorities. The Director oversees immigration compliance, international student success and retention, staff leadership, service innovation, and institutional collaboration. The role helps create 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. The Director leads compliance operations and student-success initiatives, serves as PDSO and RO for F-1 and J-1 students and scholars, supervises staff, and modernizes service operations through technology.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
Master’s degree in higher education, international education, or a 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.
Very familiar with SEVIS functions for F and J visas, including CPT/OPT/STEM OPT processing, registration, validation, academic training, change of status, matriculation, corrections, reinstatement, and extensions.
Demonstrated experience supervising professional staff and managing high-volume international student and scholar services.
Ability to work weekends and evenings to fulfill the principal job duties.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience with Banner, Workday, Slate, and Terra Dotta.
Ability to analyze and interpret students’ needs and offer appropriate solutions.
Fluency in two or more languages.

Responsibilities

Lead and oversee institutional immigration compliance operations, including risk assessment, internal audits, regulatory monitoring, staff training, and procedures for compliance with applicable federal immigration regulations.
Coordinate with University Counsel and campus stakeholders on complex immigration and compliance matters.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators for international student and scholar services, use data to identify service gaps and recommend improvements, and provide regular reports to Montclair Global leadership.
Develop and implement initiatives supporting international students’ transition, academic achievement, engagement, retention, and timely graduation.
Collaborate with Academic Advising, Student Affairs, Career Services, and academic departments to identify challenges and strengthen support for international students.
Serve as PDSO and RO for F-1 and J-1 students and scholars and provide immigration advisement and counsel.
Process immigration documentation and records for students and scholars, including extensions, enrollment verification, changes of level, SEVIS registration, OPT/CPT requests, academic training requests, and record validation.
In the Assistant Vice President’s absence, 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, including high school summer and English as a second language programs.
Review office processes and procedures and develop new ones as appropriate to maintain University compliance.
Conduct workshops and webinars for current students and scholars on immigration-status topics.
Lead planning and execution of international student orientation and other office-sponsored events.
Oversee department social media channels and website to promote cultural events sponsored by the office or other campus units.
Lead and supervise professional staff and student employees, including workload management, performance evaluation, professional development, and operational planning.
Foster a collaborative, accountable, and student-centered team culture and strengthen partnerships across academic and administrative units.
Modernize and continuously improve student service operations through technology, including Terra Dotta and other university systems; streamline workflows, improve digital service delivery, reduce unnecessary administrative processes, and enhance the student and scholar experience.
Perform other duties as assigned; management may add or change job duties.