Senior International Student and Scholar Advisor

Tufts University•Somerville, MA

About The Position

The International Center supports all Tufts’ 3000+ international students, scholars, and employees. The International Center provides immigration advising and visa document services aimed at keeping the university and students, scholars, employees, and dependents in compliance with U.S. visa regulation. The department also provides individual advising and mentorship to meet individuals’ immigration, academic, personal, and other needs while also providing cross-cultural programs and campuses advocacy directed at reinforcing and strengthening Tufts’ commitment to international engagement, global awareness, inclusion, and cross-cultural understanding.

Requirements

Master's degree in related field OR Bachelor's degree or equivalent plus 2-4 years of related experience in international student and scholar advising or immigration law
Prior experience as a Designated School Official and/or Alternate Responsible Officer in higher education or similar educational organization
Intermediate to advanced proficiency in F-1 and J-1 regulations and generalized understanding of immigration law
Demonstrated computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office, Zoom, immigration system applications such as SEVIS, Terra Dotta, Sunapsis, ISSM, Scholar Module, or other batching software
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Experience working effectively with culturally diverse populations
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills
Ability to manage multiple tasks and project assignments simultaneously and remain flexible to adapt to changing Center priorities and ever-shifting governmental landscape
US citizenship or permanent residence as required to serve as F-1 Designated School Official (DSO) and J-1 Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO)

Nice To Haves

Prior international living or work experience
Fluency or working proficiency in non-English language

Responsibilities

Responsible for intake and issuance of visa documents (I-20 & DS-2019) for incoming international students and scholars and for tracking and processing documents for arrival, delays and deferrals in assigned school or area
Advises and counsels undergraduate and graduate students in F-1 & J-1 status, providing advanced immigration advice (travel, work authorization and visa benefits, visa renewal, etc.) throughout the year
Advises Tufts international alumni on sponsored visas for post-graduation benefits including Optional Practical Training (OPT), STEM OPT, J-1 Academic Training, , and other visa issues, ensuring status compliance and proper reporting
Tracks and updates data in various systems (including DHS Student & Exchange Visitor Information System), to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. Compiles relevant data and statistics for assigned population and provides reports and insights to senior management
Provides expertise, consultation and advice to department staff, faculty, deans, admission offices and academic advisors for assigned population on issues related to academic success and legal status of international students and scholars
Designs and facilitates assigned programs and workshops related to U.S. work options, immigration, intercultural and/or practical skills. Responsible for facilitating semi-annual orientation program and co-creating events to facilitate student and scholar engagement and inclusion. Serves as a liaison to schools and assigned populations for varied intercultural programming offered by the Center and collaborators
Provides support to entry-level International Student & Scholar Advisors through leading Advisors meetings to discuss case-specific issues and ensure policy consistency and serving as resource for troubleshooting and complex cases
In collaboration with Assistant Directors, assist in systems maintenance, data clean-up and reporting. This includes overseeing bi-annual immigration registration process for international students and scholars through SIS, Terra Dotta, and SEVIS, and monitoring alerts related to F-1 registrations, J-1 validations, terminations, and practical training reporting requirements. This also includes supporting entry-level staff onboarding and training on reporting and functionality of systems
Create and disseminate immigration newsletter and facilitate website updates in collaboration with International Center Team
Facilitate work authorization related and J-1 scholar workshops