International Student Advisor

Job Posting Title:

International Student Advisor

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Hiring Department:

Global Engagement

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt

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Earliest Start Date:

Immediately

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

General Notes

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 51,000 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.

Your skills will make a difference. You’ll be working for a university that is internationally recognized for our academic programs and research. Your work will make a difference in the lives of faculty and staff, thereby enhancing the student experience. If you’re the type of person that wants to know your work has meaning and impact, you’ll like working in our department and for UT Austin.

UT Austin provides an outstanding benefits package including but not limited to:

• Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)
• Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
• Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
• Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with 7.75% employer matching funds
• Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
• Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional conference opportunities
• Tuition assistance
• Expansive employee discount program including athletic tickets
• Free access to UT Austin’s libraries and museums with staff ID card
• Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID card

Purpose

Advise international students on matters including, yet not limited to, immigration. Work closely with academic departments to support international students. Ensure university’s compliance with federal regulations and keep detailed records of all processes. Work as a highly functioning, collaborative member of the Student Immigration Advising (SIA) team, as well as International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) as a whole. 

Responsibilities

• Serve as DHS Designated School Official (DSO) and Alternate responsible Officer ARO) for routine SEVIS records maintenance and record updates to ensure federal compliance for both the university and student population. Advise and assist prospective and admitted international students on pre-arrival immigration-related issues. Advise international students on complex U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Department of State regulations. Counsel and assist international students on matters related to university life and the U.S. study experience, including finances, transportation, employment, health insurance, adjustment to the campus, and maintenance of student status. Process immigration documents and immigration applications for international students. Communicate with federal agencies regarding immigration benefits for international students.
• Serve as a resource to academic departments to support international students admitted and enrolled in their degree programs. Serve as liaison to select university offices and departments to inform on and advocate for the needs of international students. Participate in the implementation and delivery of various programming activities including new student check-in and orientation; intercultural programing; special topic workshops and joint programming with other campus or community entities.
• Actively participate in the development and growth of team expertise in the laws and regulations governing international students and in informing university administrators about university policies and procedures that ensure ongoing compliance. Work closely with ISSS leadership, as needed, to ensure proper understanding and application of immigration regulations and university policies, taking appropriate initiative and exercising discretion within the scope of assigned duties.
• Provide support to overall functions of office where needed; actively support the critical priorities of ISSS and Texas Global; serve on internal committees and participate in work groups to support the mission of the unit.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and three years of related international experience.  Effective problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to take initiative. Ability to work independently and as a team member. Evidence of strong organizational skills and the ability to effectively prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced, high-volume, environment. Possess excellent written communication skills with attention to detail. Commitment to high quality and efficient customer service. Ability to be professional, diplomatic, composed, and proactive in varied interactions. Excellent cross-cultural communication skills with documented experience in public speaking and delivering presentations. 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.

Preferred Qualifications

Significant experience advising students on F-1 and J-1 regulations in a university context. Significant experience as a Designated School Official (DSO).

Salary Range

$51,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

Work in a shared office environment. Work around standard office conditions. This position is located in Austin, Texas. This position is eligible for a hybrid working arrangement.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV

• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer , complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English) [PDF]
• E-Verify Poster (Spanish) [PDF]
• Right To Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right To Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031 .

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the 2021 report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe, Suite UTA 2.206, Austin, TX 78701.