International Student Advisor (International Services Advisor)
Job Summary
As a Designated School Official (DSO) authorized by the Department of Homeland Security, interprets U.S. immigration laws, regulations, policies, and procedures as they apply to international students, scholars, and/or staff. Advises and counsels students on maintaining their status in the United States and at the university while ensuring institutional compliance with federal monitoring and reporting requirements. Provides operational and team support to the International Student and Scholar Advising unit.
Department-Specific Responsibilities
- Supports advising operations through monitoring and resolving SEVIS alerts and e-forms within the sunapsis system, ensuring timely and accurate federal reporting.
- Provides operational and cross-functional support to the advising team, including scheduling coordination, backup coverage, and onboarding/training assistance for new team members.
- Contributes to process consistency and knowledge sharing by developing and maintaining documentation and supporting defined knowledge areas (e.g., health insurance, taxes, Social Security).
- Assists with usability testing and improvement of e-forms and system processes, helping enhance efficiency and compliance workflows.
- Supports workload distribution and case management within a high-volume advising environment, ensuring timely service delivery and adherence to compliance requirements.
- Completes assigned projects and administrative tasks that support advising operations and student service delivery.
- Provides direct cross-functional support for the ISS SR team in collaboration with the ISSS leadership. This includes, but is not limited to, weekly schedule creation, support and training for new team members, back-up coverage and knowledge base specialization (i.e. health insurance, taxes, Social Security, etc.).
General Responsibilities
- Monitors international student records in IU systems and the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) via IU's SUNAPSIS application to ensure accurate and timely reporting of international student immigration data to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Assists with SEVIS alerts and processes assigned e-forms and alerts within sunapsis. Supports the International Student and Scholar advising team with limited process and procedure documentation.
- Develops and maintains personal knowledge of U.S. immigration regulations as they relate to international students, scholars and/or staff and their dependents, in the limited capacity necessary to fulfill these duties. Be thoroughly familiar with the information necessary to fulfill recurring DSO duties, while exercising professional judgment to determine whether individual student issues need to be elevated to a senior advisor.
- Monitors international student records in IU systems and the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) via IU's sunapsis application to ensure accurate and timely reporting of international student immigration data to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Assists with system alerts as assigned. Processes assigned alerts within sunapsis.
- Provides select administrative support for the advising teams, including but not limited to, administrative support for the advising team, assigned projects, usability testing of e-forms, and other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
EDUCATION
Required: Bachelor's degree (preferably in related field).
Preferred: Bachelor's degree in international affairs, higher education administration, public administration, or a related field.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Preferred: Experience advising international students or working in an international services, higher education, or compliance-focused environment. Experience interpreting and applying policies, regulations, or complex procedural guidelines. Experience working with SEVIS, sunapsis, or similar case management or regulatory systems. Experience supporting high-volume, detail-oriented work in a fast-paced environment.
SKILLS
Required: Proficient communication skills. Maintains a high degree of professionalism. Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills. Demonstrates a high commitment to quality. Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment. Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty.
Preferred: Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply complex regulations or policies in a customer-facing environment. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to assess risk and determine appropriate actions. Experience balancing competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and compliance. Ability to collaborate effectively in a team-based environment and contribute to operational workflows. Experience supporting process improvements, documentation, or workflow coordination. Intercultural competence and experience working with international populations.
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