International Employment Specialist
Apply now (https://secure.dc4.pageuppeople.com/apply/1021/gateway/default.aspx?c=apply&lJobID=494051&lJobSourceTypeID=796&sLanguage=en-us) Job No: 25261
Department: International Programs and Services
Work Type: Staff - Full Time
Location: Main Campus (Houghton, MI)
Full Time / Part Time: Full Time
Categories: Administrative/Business/Professional
Department: International Programs & Services
Summary
Michigan Technological University is seeking an International Employment Specialist, that will develop and coordinate immigration services and related employment processes. They will ensure that immigration and employment services comply with University policies, state, and federal laws, and regulations relating to immigration and employment status. The position will provide information to departments and foreign national visitors, researchers, faculty, and staff on aspects of their immigration status.
Responsibilities and Essential Duties
Facilitate the faculty and staff employment-based immigration petitions, I-140 Immigrant Petitions, permanent residency, J-1 to H1B visa process.
Develop personalized interactions with customers and strengthen customer relations through proactive and regular customer engagement.
Establish and accurately maintain documents and files for all work visas, permanent residency cases, and other immigration matters and act as a resource to all personnel and outside counsel for general information and workflow process.
Assist foreign nationals and the University in complying with U.S. Government regulations related to immigration and employment status.
Provide hiring departments with information about immigration and employment regulations affecting foreign nations, and file relevant immigration petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services as appropriate.
Operate as a liaison between the University, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of State (DOS), and Department of Labor and the university-retained immigration attorney, with respect to foreign nationals.
Manage confidential paper and electronic files in accordance with university, FERPA, USCIS, DHS, and DOS regulations.
Stay current on emerging legislation, requirements, and forms and assess the impact on policies, procedures, and employees and enforce those policies.
Monitor the status of pending cases.
Post, track, and follow up on Labor Condition Applications.
Commit to learning about continuous improvement strategies and applying them to everyday work. Actively engage in university continuous improvement initiatives.
Collaborate closely with Human Resources on obtaining relevant information needed to provide essential duties to staff and faculty. Maintain contact between departments in order to relay information to staff and faculty about their petitions.
Contribute to the development of IPS information sessions, literature, website content, outgoing messages, reports, etc.
Participate and actively engage in University continuous improvement initiatives and strategies and apply knowledge to everyday work.
Actively engage in creating a welcoming, and professional work environment for staff, students, and visitors.
Apply safety-related knowledge, skills, and practices to everyday work.
Additional duties and responsibilities for all Student Affairs non-union staff:
Collaborate with appropriate stakeholders to ensure that services delivered to faculty/staff are audience-specific, timely, culturally-relevant, needs-based, aligned with leadership's priorities and student learning outcomes, and can be evaluated.
Identify and propose appropriate professional development opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills.
Collaborate with supervisor and division leadership to enhance the visibility of Student Affairs achievements by, for example, exploring and submitting
proposals to conferences to showcase effective programs that may be replicated within the profession.
Recruit, hire, supervise, and evaluate approved and assigned student employees.
Assist with collecting program data and other evidence to better understand faculty/staff needs.
Ensure that record-keeping systems are updated, accurate, and audit-ready.
Submit monthly, annual, and ad hoc productivity reports.
Perform other mission-critical and position-specific duties as requested based on operational needs (e.g., all-hands-on-deck events such as orientation, welcome week, homecoming, commencement, and other university traditions).
Required Education, Certifications, Licensures
Bachelor's degree or equivalent education, training, and experience from which comparable skills can be acquired.
Required Experience
Minimum of 1 year of employment experience in immigration services.
Desirable Education and/or Experience
- Immigration experience in an academic setting with H-1B and PERM visa/immigration processes.
Demonstrated ability to give presentations to audiences of all levels.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries and work harmoniously with all groups of students, faculty, and staff.
Demonstrated commitment to contribute to a safe work environment.
Communication skills: Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
Self-management skills: ability to manage time effectively, learn and contribute to overall departmental tasks and goals.
Project coordination skills: ability to lead or contribute to planning or organizing projects, programs, services, etc.
Conflict resolution skills: ability to use interpersonal skills to develop and maintain positive professional relationships and resolve conflict in a team environment and with individuals from various backgrounds and experiences.
Analytical skills: ability to analyze information and offer sound recommendations. .
Computer skills: proficiency with word processing and spreadsheet software, preferably Microsoft Office or Google Suite.
Demonstrated ability to make administrative and procedural decisions and judgments on sensitive, complex, and confidential issues.
Ability to work independently under limited supervision and in teams.
Ability to make reasoned administrative and procedural decisions and judgments on sensitive and confidential issues.
Ability to work evening and weekend hours based on operational need.
Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities
- Preparatory knowledge: work-based knowledge on immigration policy and procedure.
Reporting experience: experience with program databases or software programs used to track, monitor, and report services to faculty and staff.
Work Environment and/or Physical Demands
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Moving small- to medium-sized boxes of materials in and out office during special events
Driving personal or university vehicles or golf-cart during special events to transport materials and supplies to events
The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate
Fast-paced
Results-oriented
Accountability-driven
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Personal Protective Equipment: None Required
Required Training and Other Conditions of Employment
Every employee at Michigan Technological University will receive the following required training. Additional training may be required by the department (e.g., FERPA):
Required University Training:
Employee Safety Overview
Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Training
Annual Data Security Training
Annual Title IX Training
Required Departmental Training: *
Ongoing professional development to be determined.
If applicable, insert required departmental training here...
Background Check:
Offers of employment are
