Assistant International Student & Scholar Advisor

About the Opportunity

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

JOB SUMMARY

The Assistant International Student Advisor will support a range of customer service, operational, and advising functions in the Office of Global Services (OGS), bolstering the international student experience at Northeastern University. Reporting to an Assistant Director of Comprehensive Advising, the Assistant Advisor will serve as a Designated School Official (DSO) within the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), utilize the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), and will participate in the support of international students’ immigration advising and support.

This role serves as the frontline of contact for students, scholars, and others who seek the services from OGS. The person in this role will provide front desk coverage, answer phone calls, schedule advising appointments, and screen/process immigration-based inquiries.

The general duties of the Assistant Advisor are as follows: 1) Provide front-line student support through email and document processing; 2) Monitor the workflow and timeliness of processing in the office, including attentive review and support of the OGS case management systems and emails, 3) Assist with the mandatory federal reporting of certain SEVIS events either by batching or SEVIS RTI direct entry; 4) Support data auditing by reviewing Sunapsis alerts and, consequently, flagging situations requiring immediate immigration compliance analysis from an International Student & Scholar Advisor for case specific situations or leadership for systematic issues; and 5) Advise and assist students on matters related to personal, academic, and social adjustment as they study in the U.S.

Specifically, the Assistant International Student Advisor will contribute to the processing of Certificates of Eligibility (Forms I-20 for students in F-1 nonimmigrant student status. They will also be responsible for processing requests from F-1 students for updated documentation, including but not limited to program extensions, updated I-20s, temporary work authorization, travel signatures, etc. The Assistant Advisor will be provided with comprehensive training related to all F-1-related job duties and will be expected to maintain knowledge of all operational functions to support the advising team.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Some knowledge of and/or training in international student advising (F-1 visa classifications) plus a strong customer service background is preferred. Must be detail-oriented, have excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize and multi-task in a demanding work environment. Should possess thorough knowledge of office procedures, good judgment, discretion, and patience. Must be comfortable working independently as well as on a team. Familiar with and comfortable working with computer database systems and PC-based network environment. Bachelor’s degree required with a minimum of one year of professional work experience. US citizenship or lawful permanent residency are required to be a Designated School Official (DSO).

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

1) Student Services

• Assist F-1 students to support the maintenance of their non-immigrant status, employment authorization, acculturation, academic, social, personal adjustment, etc.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of federal regulations, SEVIS procedures, Northeastern academic policies, and OGS policy and procedures
• Screen immigration-based questions and respond to students, scholars, and visitors who enter and call the office.
• Support advising schedules as needed.
• Provide excellent customer service by taking messages for advisors and making referrals to appropriate advisor or other offices on campus.
• Manage workflow to OGS advisors and escalating cases/inquiries to leadership as needed.
• Prescreen submitted requests for any that require immediate attention; communicating with students if any required documents are missing, etc.
• Work with OGS staff as well as other university partners to help students complete their requests.
• Advise students on logistical matters including obtaining a social security number and applying for a U.S. driver’s license/state ID
• Collaborate with OGS academic services and programming support team on orientation programming as it pertains to immigration compliance and the initial review of F-1 regulations with new students

2) Required Federal Compliance Reporting

• Create, update, and maintain student records in SEVIS (Form I-20) to include reportable events as required by federal regulations
• Enter information into OGS Batching system that will be uploaded into SEVIS
• Maintain accurate records of student customer service interactions with OGS via Sunapsis and ServiceNow

Position Type

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.  

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type:

Expected Hiring Range:

With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.