About the Job

This International Counselor is a member of the International Student and Scholar Services Counseling and Advising team and provides expert advice, counseling, documents, and support to international students with regard to governmental laws and immigration, counseling and crisis management, and programming.

Responsibilities:

Advising and Documents (80 - 90%):

• Serve as a Designated School Official (DSO) for the University of Minnesota’s F-1 visa program. As needed, serve as an Alternate Responsible Officer for the J-1 visa program. These are government mandated and approved roles representing UMN.
• Provide expert advice to international students on F-1 visas in the area of immigration regulations and documentation, consular processing, social security, and other statutory and regulatory rules to ensure compliance and avoid serious consequences for the individual.
• Utilize the Sunapsis system to produce I-20s and perform other SEVIS processes which help ensure that F-1 students maintain their immigration status.
• Provide resources related to financial, health insurance, housing and employment issues.
• Stay current on immigration regulations through government and professional association resources and updates.
• Maintain a high level of working knowledge and understanding regarding University policies, resources and student services.
• Offer new, creative approaches and practices to accomplish advising goals and improve procedures and systems.

Counseling, Crisis Management, Triage, and Consultation (5-10%)

• Counsel international students and their families on intercultural, adjustment, personal, family, academic and work difficulties. Partner with clients to address barriers to meeting their academic and career goals. Apply counseling, student development, intercultural communication and career development theories in counseling work with international clients. Coach students on making academic and immigration-related choices that promote timely and realistic degree progress while also meeting their unique needs.
• Provide crisis management to students. Assess the severity of the client’s situation, consult with the ISSS crisis team and relevant University offices to determine if collaboration and/or referral is needed. Provide ongoing support and consultation to the client through the duration of the crisis.
• Provide consultation to University counseling, disability, police and other services on cross-cultural issues in mental health. Provide one-to-one consultation and training to offices and departments about the mental health needs of international students.
• Interpret and uphold the integrity of the University's academic and curricular policies and communicate these broadly to students.
• Use expert judgment and problem solving skills with individual students.

Committees, Liaison, and/or Projects, and other duties as assigned (5-10%):

• Serve as ISSS liaison to two or more UMN colleges or campus offices.
• Serve on ISSS, GPS and campus committees.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident – due to U.S. government requirements for DSO’s and SEVIS access.
• BA/BS degree + at least 4 years of relevant experience or a master’s degree + at least two years of relevant experience. Degrees are preferably in counseling, social work, intercultural communication, international education, or related fields.
• One year or more of full-time or equivalent F-1 visa advising on regulations and immigration matters.
• Strong interpersonal/intercultural communication skills.
• Effective written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work and communicate effectively with a diverse team of people.
• Excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills.
• Work, study, travel abroad or relevant domestic multicultural experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Sunapsis and PeopleSoft.
• Two years or more of full-time or equivalent F-1 visa advising on regulations and immigration matters.
• One or more years of personal and academic counseling and/or crisis counseling/management experience.
• Knowledge of basic J and/or H visa requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and coordinate programs.