International Student Advising Lead

University of Texas at Austin

1d•$62,000•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) is one of the largest public universities in the United States and is the flagship of The University of Texas System. UT Austin enrolls more than 52,000 students studying in almost 120 bachelor’s degree programs and more than 220 graduate programs across 18 colleges and schools. UT Austin is steadfastly committed to global engagement and is home to more than 5,600 international students and 1,500 international scholars from more than 130 countries, with more than 530,000 living alumni in 176 counties around the world. Texas Global advances UT Austin’s academic mission by leading, supporting, and coordinating the university’s international engagement efforts, fostering strategic partnerships on campus and abroad, welcoming a cadre of impressive international students and scholars to campus, and creating opportunities for students and faculty to engage with peers and institutions around the world. Texas Global is comprised of nine units, home to over 140 staff members, and continued growth of the organization is expected. Serve as a critical component of our immigration advising operations, providing expert guidance on complex federal regulations to international students and the University community through holistic, individualized advising and consultation. This position reports to the assistant director for student advising services.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and five years of professional experience handling student immigration casework.
Demonstrated ability to implement creative solutions and take initiative while working as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
Strong skills in professional and intercultural communication and public speaking.
Proven capability to multi-task and keep projects well-organized and on deadline.
Strong computer and technological proficiency.
Commitment to high quality and efficient customer service.
Equivalent combination or substitution of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
Due to federal database access requirements, only U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents may apply for this position.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in international education, higher education administration, or other related field.
Experience supervising professional staff members.
Significant experience working with Sunapsis database.

Responsibilities

Lead and coordinate advising services as a DHS Designated School Official (DSO) and Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO), managing immigration advising consistency across the advising team; services include but are not limited to providing pre-arrival and arrival immigration information to prospective and admitted students; advising and processing of work authorizations, immigration document extensions, maintenance of status, visa applications and international travel
Supervise, mentor, and develop international student advisors, fostering team expertise in immigration regulations and compliance best practices
Supervise, mentor, and develop the senior program coordinator for sponsored and exchange programs, supporting the sponsored and exchange student experience
Ensure data integrity across multiple student information systems while maintaining strict adherence to University and federal regulations, including alert management and cross-system synchronization
Collaborate directly with federal agencies on immigration benefits and serve as institutional liaison for complex regulatory matters
Partner strategically with ISSS leadership to interpret and implement evolving immigration regulations and University policies
Navigate complex cases involving intricate U.S. Department of Homeland Security and State Department regulations, providing authoritative guidance on status maintenance
Empower student success through comprehensive counseling on university life, community integration, and the American educational experience
Process critical documentation, including immigration applications and status-related paperwork with precision and efficiency
Serve as go-to resource for challenging regulatory questions that require senior-level expertise
Build bridges with academic departments, proactively sharing expertise and resources to enhance support for international students across colleges and schools
Design and deliver impactful training workshops and informational sessions for both students and University stakeholders
Craft compelling content for websites, presentations, and publications that clearly communicate complex information while maintaining Texas Global branding standards
Advocate effectively for international student needs across the University community
Champion ISSS and Texas Global priorities through active participation in strategic initiatives and community-building events
Serve as backup to the Assistant Director during absences, ensuring continuity of critical operations
Drive innovation through collaborative participation in staff meetings and working groups focused on enhancing service delivery
Foster a sense of belonging by supporting and staffing programs that connect international students and scholars with each other and the greater University community