International Student Advising Supervisor

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Day of the Week Mondays to Fridays

Shift 830am to 430pm

Work Arrangements

This is a regular, full-time, Monday to Friday 830am to 430pm position effective September 20, 2021.

What Douglas Offers

DO what you love. Be good at it. That’s how Douglas College defines a great career. It’s a philosophy that resonates through our classrooms, our offices and our boardrooms. It inspires our students and drives us to make Douglas College one of BC’s Top Employers. We love what we do. And we’re looking for passionate, motivated people to join us in making one of Canada’s best colleges even better.

The Role

The International Student Advising Supervisor leads the International Student Advising ( ISA ) Specialist team. The ISA Supervisor divides their time between supervision; operations; progressing department service standards, policies and procedures; and providing ISA Specialist services to students, faculty, and staff. The ISA Supervisor provides leadership on complex cases, plans, develops and implements action to prevent student conflicts in immigration matters and procedures to solve them, and supports professional development needs of the ISA Specialist team. The position involves the professional and competent application of advising procedures in a confidential and ethical manner in accordance with standards set by the Canadian Bureau of International Education ( CBIE ), the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council ( ICCRC ) and applicable professional associations. As the lead of a team of College experts on immigration, study and work in Canada, the ISA Supervisor is expected to provide expert advice to the VP Academic and Provost, VP International and Strategic Partnerships, Director of Business Development, Deans, and Chairs to support strategic and operational decision making.

The ISA Supervisor assigns and supports articulation and credit transfer reviews to ISA Specialists for collaborations and partnerships with international institutions. The ISA Supervisor must stay up-to-date on all Douglas International existing pathway and articulation agreements and is the primary contact for external requests related to articulation and transfer credit in order to equitably assign workload and assess workflow. The ISA Supervisor works internally with the Global Engagement Office, Faculties and the Enrollment Services Office at Douglas College to support “pathway” and articulation agreements with external institutions. As an active member in the network of Canadian post-secondary immigration/academic advisors, the ISA Supervisor represents Douglas College on committees, list-serves, at workshops and conferences to share and gather best practices in immigration/academic advising and international articulation. Internally, the ISA Supervisor is responsible for coordinating updates for international students, as well as academic and student service partners on new policies and issues of relevance to international students

Responsibilities

• Supervision
• Supervises the work of staff reporting to the ISA Supervisor.
• Applies the BCGEU collective agreement to daily decision-making related to assignment of work, supervision and other administrative functions.
• Facilitates and fosters a team environment and works to resolve conflict and maintain a positive morale.
• Interviews potential staff and makes hiring recommendations.
• Provides orientation, coaching/instruction, evaluation, training and development relating to Douglas College International ( DCI ) operations.
• Arranges for training required by staff outside the division (Centre for Educational Technology; Safety, security and risk management ( SSRM ); Student Affairs and Services ( SAS ); and Enrolment Services (ES))
• Oversees daily operations of staff work to meet Douglas College International ( DCI ) service standards.
• Assigns work to ISA Specialists, oversees work, and maintains advising schedule.
• Provides input into staff evaluations and job descriptions.
• Student Service Leadership
• Coordinates staff input into the development, evaluation and revision of DCI procedures and service standards in order to maintain positive service reviews from students, faculty, external staff and administrators who rely on ISA Specialist advising and consultation.
• Annually, or as needed, updates training manuals, policy and onboarding guides for reporting positions.
• Through consultation, conflict resolution techniques, and detailed analysis, resolves complex student, employee or public concerns referred from ISA Specialists, staff, faculty or administrators.
• Provides coaching to ISA Specialists solving complex problems resulting in resolution.
• Coordinates professional development opportunities for staff related to international student advising.
• Uses knowledge of systems, policies, procedures and exercises professional judgement to solve unusual, complex overlapping immigration, academic, mobility, and work-related cases.
• Designs and implements student feedback on services; interprets results and determines implications; communicates relevant information, and recommends improvements to advising services and practice for the ISA Specialists.
• Coordinates advising staff reports for management on service levels, advising issue frequency and distribution, and makes recommendations for service improvement, staffing levels, and policy changes where appropriate.
• Coordinates and presents reports to management and external stakeholders, such as Deans and Associate Deans that are specific to international student success, retention, and immigration/academic issues of relevance to the audience.
• Operations
• Maintains and updates student records according to Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada ( IRCC ), BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act ( FIPPA ), and Douglas College policies to ensure accurate record keeping and ensure Douglas College student service partners such as Enrollment Services, SSRM and Counselling have access to necessary information through centralizes Student
  

Information System, or upon request from DCI specific systems.

• Represents Douglas College as an international student expert from time-to-time to government and professional organizations such as; IRCC , Canadian Border Services Agency , British Columbia International Education ( BCIE ), Services Canada, Health Insurance BC, and the local MP’s office
• Interprets and complies with IRCC Operation Manuals, Operational Bulletins, Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council ( ICCRC ) policies and codes of ethics, FIPPA , BC Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training international student policies and request.
• Plans and implements on-campus immigration-related communications through the College intranet, email, newsletters or presentations for staff, faculty and administration that are accurate, consistent and in line with immigration legislation, regulations and policies.
• Expert Consultation
• Provides in person or written consultation upon request to Senior Management Team members, Deans and Faculty Members relating to international student considerations, such as duration of a program in relation to work-permits, predicted demand for a program, student academic readiness, and where work-integrated-learning is involved, the IRCC rules for study and student work permits.
• Designs and conducts research on international student pathway options and articulation agreements in order to support international partnership agreement development initiated by faculty members, Deans, Global Engagement or the V.P. International and Strategic Partnerships.
• Ensures public information distributed by Douglas International ISA Specialists related to immigration, academic and work is clear and up-to-date with regulations and legal requirements in order to reduce the risk of misinformation being in the public domain for students, faculty, and administration.
• Provides analysis on high-stakes externally sensitive cases involving international students and prepares in-person or written consultation for other Douglas College student service divisions (ES, SSRM , SAS ), faculty members, and Deans, such as:
• Consultation with SSRM and SAS on implications of non-academic sanctions on a student case.
  

ii) Consultation with Finance and ES on the implications of changes to payment process, dates and deadlines for international students.

iii) Consultation with Deans on study or work permit implications of academic integrity violations and punishments.

• International Student Immigration/Academic Advising (1:1)
• The ISA Supervisor handles the complex advising cases referred from ISA Specialists; is responsible for exercising decision-making authority amongst the ISA team; and follows up with ISA Specialists to ensure continuous learning related to complex case resolution.
• Advises students in academic difficulty, and students on academic probation regarding college regulations on academic standing and continuance, appeal, and readmission procedures, and recommends appropriate alternatives to students in academic difficulty, including transfer courses and programs available at other post-secondary institutions; identifies methods for improvement, refers to services and courses to develop study skills, and explains and assists with withdrawals and appeals.
• In addition to being to the ISA team leader, the ISA must be prepared to cover the ISA Specialist role when required due to short staffing or excess demand. ISA Specialist 1:1 advising duties follow:
• Establishes a professional, welcoming and coaching-style relational rapport with international students by engaging in active and empathetic listening and appreciative inquiry techniques to support a positive advising experience for the student.
  

ii) Diffuses emotionally charged or hostile advising situations by providing guidance to both staff and students involved, including referral when appropriate.

Iii) Uses Interviews, Student Questionnaires, Student Records, Knowledge Of College Programs, And Knowledge Of Immigration Law To Support Student Alignment Of Their Academic, Immigration, Work And Personal Goals And Circumstances By Providing Case Specific Advising On

• program choice, change, course selection, course load
• work/study program options and limitations of study and work visas
• post-graduate work permit ( PGWP ) eligibility and application
• whether or not taking academic breaks will impact ( PGWP ) eligibility and academic program
  

progress

• non-academic questions, such as international student athlete eligibility
• impacts of study abroad for international students on PGWP and academic program progress
  

iv) Supports student post-graduate work and immigration plans by providing case specific immigration that is compliant with immigration law and IRCC rules related to study and work permits, visas, medical insurance, employment, dependents and related issues.

• Uses student service expertise to assess non-academic student support needs related to mental health, financial concerns, or health and safety related issues and refers students to both internal and external student services and resources and follows-up as appropriate.
  

vi) Writes professional communications to visa offices and immigration programs regarding student cases and intervenes where mistakes occurred or cases require special attention to ensure students are represented fairly.

vii) Manages complex cases involving student immigration, wellbeing and other matters by liaising with, and providing leadership to, other staff on campus to provide seamless support and services for international students (e.g. Enrollment Services, Student Affairs and Services, Faculty Members, and Career Centre).

• International Student Success Programming
• Liaises with the International Student Life Supervisor to design the orientation program for each semester intake and makes final recommendations regarding the academic success content of orientation.
• Along with the International Student Life Coordinator represents DCI on college-wide student-success working groups with representatives from across the College, including, the Marketing and Communications Office ( MCO ), SAS , ES, Counselling, and Library Services,
• Coordinates the regular updating, content structure and final approval of student-facing support documents; such as orientation information booklets, manuals and other publications for
  

international students on academic & immigration success-related topics.

• Determines the annual and semester schedule of student success programming including topic selection, sequencing, and presentation formats (workshops and co-curricular courses).
• Schedules, designs and oversees semesterly student success programming reviews with input from participants, organizers, and external contributors.
• Leads the development and delivery of awareness and education programs to faculty and staff related to international student success and immigration related topics; such as, common questions received by faculty from international students, international student patterns for program and course preference, and intercultural communication tips and tricks for front line staff working with international students.
• Oversees the content choice, release scheduling, accuracy, and presentation of immigration and international student success updates for international student communications (e.g. email, social media, posters) and student success programming.
• International Program Articulation
• Develops and conducts training sessions for faculty and staff on international articulation and credit evaluation systems to support new program development at Douglas College.
• Creates and updates program pathways information and student planning templates for use in
  

international marketing and promotion materials to support ongoing international enrollments.

• Provides advice to faculty and administrators regarding the creation of articulation guides, use of assessments for admissions for international students, and new program pathways supporting upgrading and academic program progression.
• Assigns articulation project work to ISA Specialists and reviews results: ISA Specialist articulation duties follow:
• Analyzes international programs, courses and international exchange standards to prepare reports for the Director of Global Engagement and International Student Services on program course/credit alignment for new and existing international articulation arrangements.
  

ii) Maintains and updates existing course/credit reports with international colleges and universities to reflect any additions or removal of course and program options.

iii) Utilizes the BC Transfer guide and the Douglas College transfer database to analyze case specific issues related to course and program transfer in order to ensure accurate recognition for prior academic work.

• Continuous Improvement and Networking
• Engages in ongoing supervisor/management/leadership related training provided by the College.
• Maintains certification as a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant ( RCIC ) or Regulated
  

International Student Immigration Advisor ( RISIA ) by completing required annual professional

development requirements.

• Stays current on IRCC policy changes and assesses changes in relation to student study, work, and immigration case-specific advising. Assesses IRCC rule changes to inform academic program coordinators and College-wide policy when relevant.
• Stays current on all programs offered by the College available to international students in order to ensure academic-related information for case-specific immigration/academic advising is accurate.
• Stays current on BC Transfer Guide and popular sending and receiving programs relevant to
  

international students at Douglas College in order to ensure academic-related information for

case specific advising and pathway (assessment and upgrading) options are available to students.

• Stays current on industry-standard international transfer credit guides, resources and related news in order to facilitate exchange credit analysis and articulation and pathway articulation development.
• Represent Douglas International as a contributing member to cross-functional teams and
  

learning communities of practice within Douglas College related to student services.

• Participates as an active member in provincial and national associations such as the Canadian Bureau of International Education, British Columbia International Education Association, and the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services to stay current in the fields of immigration and academic advising and annually reflect on current best practices in the field.
• Stays current of trends in international student employment opportunities through regular
  

collaboration with the Douglas College Career Centre in order to provide relevant work-integrated learning

• Participates in ongoing training to ensure current functional knowledge of College service areas, technologies, and policies.
• Performs other duties as required, such as:
• Exercises independent judgement on emergent cases.
• Analyzes a variety of correspondence, reports, and other documents for implications to ISS and international students.
• Leads or contributes to Douglas international and College-wide projects.
  

To Be Successful in this Role You Will Need

• Successful completion of a bachelor degree in a related discipline from a recognized post-secondary institution and a minimum of 3 years related work experience in a related field and union environment, or a combination of credentials and experience considered equivalent including 2 or more years leading a team.
• Certification as a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant ( RCIC ) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor ( RISIA ); and be in good standing with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council ( ICCRC ).
• Ability to provide leadership to staff in the forms of recruiting, hiring, training, coaching and direct instruction.
• Ability to make difficult decisions that impact others within policy and practice guidelines.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with administrators, faculty, staff and students.
• Proven supervisory, administrative and organization abilities.
• Working experience and demonstrated skill conducting interviews with adults and students.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise high levels of emotional self-management and conflict resolution abilities.
• Good working knowledge of routine office systems and procedures such as filing systems, administrative control systems, and standard forms of business communication.
• Excellent working knowledge of Douglas College programs including admission requirements, programs of study and Douglas College program offerings, admissions criteria and learner pathways.
• Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills including written and verbal fluency in the English language.
• Highly knowledgeable about Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Immigration and Refugee Protection Act/Regulations, and policies and procedures pertaining to international students
• A good understanding of the post-secondary system in BC, including course and program transfer amongst BC institutions, and Douglas College programs of study, admission criteria and learner pathways.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in credential evaluation, and in program articulation and transfer credit processes at Douglas College pertaining to international partners.
• Comprehensive understanding of Douglas College policy and procedures as they relate to students in general and international students in particular.
• Knowledge of international student concerns related to study, work, immigration and well-being.
• Knowledge of post-secondary student lifecycle and service needs from ‘new student to alumni.’
• Demonstrated ability:
• to interact effectively and tactfully with people of various backgrounds and cultures
• to motivate employees in a union environment
• to gather, organize, and report on program and event feedback
• to communicate persuasively, assertively, diplomatically and tactfully verbally and in writing
• to collaborate and seek help when faced with complex or challenging situations
• to critically analyze, reason, problem solve and exercise sound judgment
• to ensure accuracy of information and enter data accurately
• to maintain a high degree of confidentiality
• to effectively use time management to prioritize tasks for self and groups
• to effectively lead and support project-based work using planning tools
• to research complex topic and synthesize information into briefs or succinct communications
• to create and deliver engaging presentations for large groups in formal and informal settings
• to adapt speaking style and register for audiences of different cultural backgrounds and positions
• to effectively engage with large groups of people in workshop or educational formats
• to work as a team or independently, with a minimum of supervision
• to maintain high levels of customer service while under task, time or interpersonal pressure
• to work within an environment where there is a constant flow of enquiries, requiring attention to detail, endurance and stamina and the need to stay focused over prolonged periods of time
• to advocate on behalf of others for correction of an error or change in procedure
• to retain, organize, utilize and communicate a vast range of information to support others
• to provide exceptional client-centered service on a consistent basis to multiple stakeholder groups
• to create and maintain a professional network
• International experiences and second language skills are assets.
• A working knowledge of student information database systems such as Banner is an asset.
• Knowledge of adult educational design and co-curricular learning principles is an asset.
• A working knowledge of learning management systems such as Blackboard is an asset.
• A working knowledge of social medial platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Face Book, etc. is an asset.
• Technical skills: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, MS Teams, MS Planer, Zoom, all at an intermediate or higher level
  

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Diversity Statement

Douglas College is committed to being a workplace that is free of discrimination, that values diversity and is representative, at all job levels, of the communities we serve.

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