International Student Transition Coordinator

University of Waterloo•Waterloo, ON

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The International Student Transition Coordinator is accountable to the Specialist, International Student Programs and is responsible for the overall development, coordination, implementation and evaluation of comprehensive and intentional pre-arrival and transition programming targeted to incoming international student population. The Coordinator will have three primary areas of focus: 1) the development and management of international student transition programming; 2) researching, implementing, and maintaining best practices in transition support for international students, and; 3) the training, development, retention, and appreciation of student leaders. Alongside these responsibilities, all Student Success Office staff champion and work with an equity, inclusion and anti-racist framework.

Requirements

University degree or equivalent experience required.
Solid/strong understanding of the international student experience and/or working with international student populations is required.
Demonstrated ability to work individually and collaboratively as part of a dynamic team.
Strong critical thinking, judgement, and decision-making skills.
Outstanding interpersonal communication skills, including written, spoken, one on one, and group.
Proven ability to take initiative and be both creative and flexible.
Intermediate proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Nice To Haves

A specialization or focus in International Student Development, Student Affairs, or supporting newcomers would be an asset.
Experience working/studying internationally is a strong asset
Experience in leading racialized and equity-deserving student groups and supporting student staff.
Experience developing and executing programming for newcomers or international students in a post-secondary or community setting.
Demonstrated knowledge of best practices in student development theory and success is an asset.
Experience coordinating or leading in a student service preferred.
Experience coordinating multiple projects at once with demonstrated ability to research, summarize, and report information; excellent administrative, organizational, and time management skills.
Second language abilities are an asset, particularly in Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Punjabi, Arabic and Farsi.

Responsibilities

Responsible for the overall coordination, development and delivery of International Student Experience programs that meet the sociocultural, demographic, and informational needs of international students.
Responsible for the development of new and the expansion/revision of current programs that support the successful transition and ongoing engagement of international students.
Oversees the development and delivery of successful international student transition programs, this includes but is not limited to pre-arrival programming, a multi-day international student orientation program, and airport pickup service; these programs are resource intensive and require exceptional organizational skills as well as the ability to multi-task, manage and forecast required resources as well as build consensus with key partners.
Develops and coordinates the recruitment, hiring, selection, ongoing training, appreciation, and recognition of student staff for all International Student Experience programs.
Develops and maintains program documentation outlining program goals, outcomes, and ongoing progress.
Coordinates the evaluation of programs through data collection methods (staff and participant feedback, attendance numbers, etc.) to provide recommendations for future program adjustments and considerations.
Monitors programs through session feedback forms. Responds to feedback in a timely and effective manner.
Provide clear and consistent documentation and communication related to assigned programs termly, annually, and as required.
Outlines clear expectations and responsibilities for staff and volunteers.
Responsible for the recognition and appreciation of staff and volunteers.
Provide excellent leadership to all volunteers and student staff. This includes creating and maintaining positive working relationships by establishing a clear set of reasonable and mutually agreed upon expectations, effectively measuring, and evaluating performance, and providing feedback.
Responsible for the selection, training, supervision, and evaluation of all student staff, creating and managing action plans, overseeing program evaluation and assessment, and anticipating future programming needs and requirements.
Facilitates a strong working relationship with campus partners and collaborates/partners when appropriate on strategies that will support the mandate of the SSO in supporting the International Student Experience, Key working relationships include but are not limited to Housing and Residences, Waterloo International, WUSA services that support International Students, Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment, Graduate Students Postdoctoral Affairs and all faculties and affiliated University Colleges.
Works closely with campus and Faculty partners to ensure the continual relevance, timeliness, and effectiveness of programs in supporting international students.
Works closely with other staff in the SSO to ensure a coordinated and integrated approach to program development, delivery, and communications.
Participate in the administration of certain department-wide responsibilities including special events and special projects.
Participates in and contributes to regular team and department wide meetings as required.