Senior Advisor, International Students Services

International Student Services Coordinator

Identifies, designs, and implements services to ensure the optimal integration of international students in order to maximize their academic success and enrich their university experience.

Stays informed about best practices in welcoming and integrating international students and acts as a subject-matter expert and advisor to the university community.

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

1. Oversees all programs and services offered to international students by the International Office, from the time they submit their admission application until they receive their degree, to ensure the highest quality experience at the University of Ottawa. This includes:
• The mandatory orientation program for undergraduate and graduate international students
• Management of the International Student Success Centre
• Development of communication campaigns targeting international students
• Design and delivery of year-round workshops focused on academic and cultural integration
• Development and implementation of screening tools to identify students at risk of academic failure
2. Responsible for the design, implementation, delivery, and evaluation of the mandatory orientation program for undergraduate and graduate international students, aiming to facilitate their integration into the University of Ottawa and increase their chances of academic success. Continuously improves the program based on best practices and student feedback.
3. In collaboration with faculties and university services, responsible for the design, implementation, and evaluation of workshops offered to international students throughout the academic year. These workshops aim to enhance academic success and the overall university experience, covering topics such as academic achievement, professional networking, and intercultural communication.
4. Manages and supervises international student mentors and oversees all operations of the International Student Success Centre. Activities include:
• Support services offered to applicants from the time they apply until their arrival on campus
• Airport welcome services for international students
• Participation in the mandatory orientation program
• Ongoing academic and personal support services throughout the year
• Continuously evaluates and improves the services of the Student Success Centre.
5. In collaboration with the Web Content, Communications and Delegations Coordinator, develops and implements a communication plan, including social media, to promote the support services offered to international students by the International Office and the university as a whole.
6. In collaboration with faculties, International Student Advisors (ISAs), and SASS, develops tools to better identify international students at risk and proposes strategies to improve their academic outcomes.
7. Acts as a subject-matter expert for the Director of the International Office, faculties, and university services regarding intercultural communication and related issues. Recommends strategies to facilitate integration, promote academic success, and improve the overall university experience for international students at the University of Ottawa.

What you will bring:

• A university degree
• In-depth knowledge of all aspects of the academic environment, including administrative processes, academic programs, admission regulations, registration procedures, and the range of student services
• Knowledge of international education systems
• Advanced oral and written communication skills in both French and English
• Proficiency with various software applications
• Experience in communications (including public speaking), interpersonal relations, and problem-solving
• Minimum of 2 years of team supervision experience
• Experience in reviewing academic records and interpreting and applying academic regulations and procedures
• Strong teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Project management experience, including planning and coordinating projects, analyzing administrative files, and developing and implementing rules and procedures
• Strong intercultural communication skills and a high degree of diplomacy
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Knowledge of languages other than French and English is considered an asset
• Flexible schedule to allow for international travel and participation in evening and weekend activities

Key Competencies at uOttawa:

Planning: Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities.

Initiative: Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self-starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible.

Client Service Orientation: Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them.

Teamwork and Cooperation: Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team.

The University of Ottawa embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We are passionate about our people and committed to employment equity. We foster a culture of respect, teamwork and inclusion, where collaboration, innovation, and creativity fuel our quest for research and teaching excellence. While all qualified persons are invited to apply, we welcome applications from qualified Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQIA2S+ persons. The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible, barrier-free work environment. The University is also committed to working with applicants with disabilities requesting accommodation during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes. Applicants with disabilities may contact hrtalentmanagement@uottawa.ca to communicate the accommodation need. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Note: If this is a union position: The hiring process will be governed by the current collective agreement related to the union affiliation noted above; you can click here to find out more. If this is a front-line position with responsibilities to interact with students, selected candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.