International Student Advisor

**Classification & Regular Hours**: Hours per Week: 35 Salary Grade: 14 **About Western**: Since 1878, Western University has been committed to serving our communities through the pursuit of academic excellence and by providing students, faculty, and community members with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social, and cultural growth. We seek excellent students, faculty, and staff to join us in what has become known as the "Western Experience" - an opportunity to contribute to a better world through the development of new knowledge, new abilities, new connections, and new ways to make a difference. **About Us**: To provide support services to the growing international population at Western (i.e., undergraduate and graduate international students, exchange students, post-doctoral fellows, visiting scholars/professors, permanent residents and refugee/refugee claimants, recent graduates, spouses, and dependants of all IESC clients) in order to facilitate their academic and professional success and well-being during their time at Western. We also serve to broaden the university community’s cultural and global awareness, and provide advocacy to promote an educational environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of international students. In addition, the unit strives to foster international and domestic student connections, and facilitates and promotes intercultural exchange, learning, and skills development through programming and volunteer, experiential learning and leadership opportunities thus expanding the IESC client base to include domestic students, faculty and staff. **Responsibilities**: The International Student Advisor will function primarily in the areas of intentional support and transitions programming and advising, international student engagement, intercultural learning, and social media management/ outreach. The role will be accountable for working with the IESC Advising and Programming team to maintain and enhance services that support and meet the needs of Western’s growing international client population, with a particular focus on career supports for international students. The International Student Advisor will also support the transition and retention of international students through individual confidential appointments, group workshops, online communications, and will work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to offer services and advocacy. **Qualifications**: - Education: - University Degree in International Relations, Education, Global/Intercultural Studies, Linguistics, Anthropology, or related discipline - A member in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) as a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor (RISIA), or Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) - Master’s degree in related field preferred - Experience: - 3 years’ experience working with international students or newcomers, including experience in international advising, international education, and/or international student services programming - Demonstrated experience with program and event coordination, implementation, analysis and evaluation - Demonstrated experience and involvement in collaborative projects - Demonstrated experience successfully coordinating large-scale events including public speaking experience and presentations to large groups with the ability to creatively use and integrate technology - Preferred: - Previous experience working in a post-secondary student services environment providing support, guidance and advocacy for international students related to mediating institutional roadblocks and cultural unknowns, maintaining lawful immigration status in Canada, personal issues, and employment rights - Previous overseas/international work, study or volunteer experience - Prior experience as an International Student Advisor at a post-secondary institution - Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: - Thorough knowledge of Canadian immigration legislation, policies and regulations specifically related to international students, their family members and dependents - Expertise and practical experience in supporting and advocating on behalf of individuals working through forms of oppression, discrimination, and racism that is informed by both lived experience and practical experience working with international communities - Dedication to excellence in international students support services - Proven strong knowledge of provincial and federal government regulations affecting international students - Knowledge of general immigration regulations affecting international students (e.g., study permits, visas, etc.) and ability to navigate the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website - Demonstrated ability to manage social media platforms and tools, and communication and engagement strategies for culturally diverse student populations - Familiarity with universal design for learning (U