Position: International Student Support Officer
School/Department: Academic and Student Affairs
Reference: 12/102070
Closing Date: Friday 25 May 2012
Salary: £25,251 to £31,948 per annum (including contribution points)
Duration: Three years

JOB PURPOSE:
Responsible for delivering a comprehensive and professional support service to international students as part of the International Student Support team with specific responsibility for work on Federal Student Aid.

MAJOR DUTIES:
1. Oversee the management of the Federal Student Aid requirement at the University. Develop and maintain effective and efficient processes to manage the service.
2. Responsible for the analysis and management of confidential information in relation to complex Loan situations, using US software
and Microsoft Office products. Maintain manual and electronic databases relating to US Loans.
3. Perform detailed manipulation, analysis and evaluation of specialised processes and information, highlighting any issues for further
investigation and preparing management reports to support high level decision making and where required by US government and
Queen's relating to US Loans.
4. Deliver and oversee activities and processes in relation to the administration of US Loans and advise and assist colleagues, staff
and students on related processes to ensure service quality and efficiency.
5. Organise and resolve most queries autonomously providing advice on specialised matters to staff on all levels, students and US
government colleagues. Be primary point of contact for US students seeking/receiving Federal loans. Communicate and liaise with
US applicants and students in a timely and professional manner.
6. Apply a detailed understanding of specialised US government processes and systems to make assessments on students' eligibility
for US Loans and amount of funding they are eligible to receive. Work professionally within strict standards expected by US Federal
authorities and ensuring compliance at all times.
7. Oversee the effective maintenance of information and documentation for the Federal Student Aid requirement at the University
ensuring systems, websites and reports are updated as required. Monitor systems, procedures and customer feedback to ensure
effectiveness of provision and take necessary steps to update.
8. Responsible for organising annual audit of US Loans provision and administration to meet annual US government compliance
targets. Understanding high risk nature of this audit; non-compliance would have significant consequences on the University's ability
to recruit US students.
9. Develop project plans for the management of the International Student Barometer (ISB) surveys. Carry out analysis of information
and data received, identifying issues which need to be addressed and presenting results accurately and appropriately. Produce
confidential documents such as strategic results analysis and presentation overheads
10. Organising a series of events to disseminate the results and related findings of ISB surveys to Queen's students and staff.
11. Develop and maintain good relationships with the ISB providers to professionally represent the University. Communicate with
students in order to receive good response rates to the surveys.
12. Undertake short-term projects and contribute when required to projects within International Student Support team to support the
achievement of project objectives. Deal with queries referred on from more junior members of staff, providing immediate support and
problem resolution.
13. Support the work of the Head of International Student Support and other members of the team by assisting with general
administrative tasks, organising and servicing meetings and other tasks relating to the general provision of support to international
students and the running of the office including in the area of general immigration queries.
14. Develop and maintain effective and efficient departmental databases and maximise the use of relevant University databases,
generating management reports as required, e.g. student enrolment records, etc. Set up and maintain electronic and manual filing
systems in accordance with the University's responsibility to employment legislation, e.g. Data Protection Act, Freedom of Information
Act.
15. Carry out any other duties which are appropriate to the post as may be reasonably requested by Head of International Student
Support.
16. Review and monitor service objectives and standards within own area of work. Build conclusions into future improvements to
ensure service quality and efficiency.

Planning and Organising:
1. Prioritise and allocate work and responsibilities over short/medium term with an awareness of longer term issues in response to line
manager's general instructions.
2. Use initiative and discretion based on knowledge and experience to determine priorities and resolve conflicts to meet targets and
deadlines.
3. Carry out planning for own short term projects and contribute to planning for wider Directorate activities.

Resource Management Responsibilities:
1. Assign tasks to others and be responsible for ensuring work is completed to the required timescales and standards.
2. Organise and plan own work activities and those of others in order to contribute to the achievement of the team's objectives and
improve efficiency.

Internal and External Relationships:
1. Daily contact with line manager, work colleagues and University staff.
2. Extensive liaison with external US federal funding providers.
3. Extensive liaison with prospective and current US students.
4. Liaison with other University offices, students and external bodies.
5. Attend internal and external meetings as requested by manager or to represent the department at the appropriate level.
6. Be recognised as the main point of contact for the Federal Loans provision at the University.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:
1. Educated to degree level or equivalent with 2 years administrative or management experience OR 5 years of administrative or
management experience in a customer focussed role.
2. Comprehensive knowledge and experience of client management information systems.
3. Experience of delivering comprehensive customer care to a range of stakeholders.
4. Experience of analysing and manipulating complex data and presenting relevant management information using relational
databases and spreadsheets.
5. Experience of autonomous decision- making based on application of complex criteria and non-standard policy and regulation.
6. Experience of budget/financial management.
7. Excellent organisational and time management skills and ability to plan and organise short term activities and events.
8. Experience of evaluating, developing, and delivering work processes and standards, identifying gaps in service provision and
proposing and implementing changes to enhance levels of service.
9. Experience of dealing with e-mail and internet.
10. High-level numeracy skills.
11. Ability to use initiative and judgement to resolve issues independently.
12. Excellent oral communication skills, experience of making presentations and experience of communicating with people from a
wide range of cultures.
13. Excellent written communication skills demonstrated through experience of report writing, preparing presentations, developing
training information and documentation for publication online.
14. Ability to work as part of a team.
15. Excellent attention to detail and ability to learn new information quickly.
16. Ability to assign tasks to others and be responsible for ensuring work is completed to the required timescales and standards.
17. Flexible, willing to adapt to new tasks and duties.
18. Exemplary customer service skills.
19. Calm, good under pressure.
20. Analytical, problem solving capability.
21. Ability to understand/interpret the requirements of others, present information to others, conduct effective internal and external
relations and deal with confidential/sensitive issues.
22. A willingness to work out of hours from time to time.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA:
1. Demonstrable experience in Higher Education sector.
2. Demonstrable experience of US Federal Loans processes, procedures and software.
3. Experience of working directly with students in a strictly confidential environment.
4. Knowledge of key issues facing international students.
RecruitNI.com - 13 months ago