International Partnership Specialist - University of North Alabama : Job Details

Salary : $38,940.72 - $52,127.92 Annually Location : Florence, Alabama Job Type: Staff Division: Academic Affairs Department: International Partnerships Opening Date: 01/16/2025 FLSA: Exempt Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended. The posted salary and/or position title may be adjusted dependent on the successful candidate's education, experience, and unique qualifications as they relate to the position. Description This position is led by the Vice Provost for International Affairs. In consultation with the Vice Provost and the supervisor, this position is responsible for developing and implementing results-driven strategic international partnerships. This position assists in developing strategic partnerships with Foreign Educational Institutions (FEI) and managing ongoing partnerships with international universities. This position performs essential international partnership duties, including communicating with partners, managing student registration, scheduling faculty teaching assignments, arranging travel logistics, International College programming, and responding to relevant faculty and student issues. The position prepares and conducts foreign language-based communication to promote UNA's academic programs to prospective international partners and students. The selected candidate must have strong interpersonal, communication, and collaborative skills, knowledge of cross-cultural differences, and experience with academic support in higher education. Essential Job Duties

• Work to develop and implement strategic partnerships with Foreign Educational Institutions (FEI);
• Perform higher education market research, international education cooperation, and management;
• Facilitate communications and program implementation strategies to partner universities;
• Collect and integrate information from UNA in accordance with the requirements of cooperative education to meet regulatory compliance;
• Manage partnership data, researching innovative ways to organize and share partnership information with internal and external parties;
• Work with OIA staff, university colleges, and departments to manage International College (Guizhou and Huizhou Universities) and other international partners' student registration, schedule faculty teaching schedules, and materials;
• Provide training to partner universities, students, and coordinators on university application, registration, and graduation process;
• Develop and implement quality assurance measures to evaluate and report on the strength of potential and existing partner relationships;
• Provide input into the development and implementation of institutional policies and procedures related to articulation agreements and credit evaluation.
• Plan necessary international trips and delegations for the University to visit FEI, including arranging courtesy visits and meetings as reasonably required.
• Work with OIA staff to manage university faculty and staff travels and logistics related to International College and partner universities.
• Represent the University both in person and through social media to prospective students, parents, UNA partner school representatives, international recruiting agents, and other individuals or organizations involved in the college selection process in international countries;
• Collaborate with department chairs/program coordinators to conduct program-specific webinars and virtual information fairs;
• Counsel prospective applicants on the UNA admissions process and distinctive academic program offerings;
• Review and evaluate application materials and determine the eligibility of applicants for conditional or full admissions at UNA;
• Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by law and university policies and procedures;
• Conduct post-admission follow-ups to increase conversation rate from admitted to enrolled students;
• Review international student transcripts, bank statements, and other credentials;
  • As needed, assist responsible staff members in:
  • Providing culturally-sensitive counseling to international students to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral issues affecting their educational progress.
  • Providing crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur which may or may not be due to cultural misunderstanding
  • Serving as university liaison with student parents, recruiting agents, and partner schools regarding the well-being and academic progress of international students by following the privacy law and university regulations;
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES:

• Assist in corresponding with international partner university officials regarding MOU development and implementations;
• Provide administrative assistance in developing and coordinating the 1+2+1, 4+0, and 2+0 programs;
• Assist with international student orientation;
• Counsel students regarding cultural know-hows and issues related to such.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, required;
• Master' s degree, preferred;
• Minimum one year of experience in a higher education setting, required;
• Fluency in Mandarin Chinese, preferred;

• International travel, study, and living experience is preferred;
• Experience working with international partnership programs in higher education settings, such as 4+0, 1+2+1, 2+0, and 2+2 programs, preferred.

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, OR REGISTRATIONS: None KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of university international admissions policies and procedures;
• Knowledge of and familiarity with UNA degree programs and their specific requirements;
• Knowledge of documents such as English proficiency scores (TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC, PTE), international diplomas, degree sheets, transcripts, and other international documentation needed in order to admit international students;
• Knowledge and understanding of the SAT, ACT, MAT, GRE, GMAT, and other tests required to admit international students;
• Computer skills including Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Banner system, and web research;
• Effective oral and written communication skills with appropriate cultural sensitivity;
• Strong cross-cultural interpersonal skills including public speaking skills and the ability to present the University in a positive way to diverse populations;
• Work well and at ease with students, parents, agents, university representatives and government officials;
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively both independently and as a member of a team.

Special Instructions to Applicants Applicants must upload a cover letter and resume at the time of application as well as provide contact information for at least three professional references. For questions, please email [email protected] or call 256.###.#### and select option #2. Selecting an option other than #2 will result in a delayed response. UNA is an equal opportunity employer committed to achieving excellence and strength through diversity. UNA seeks a wide range of applicants for this position so that one of our core values, ethnic and cultural diversity, will be affirmed. UNA is a smoke-free campus. Staff Benefit Summary - For more details regarding each benefit listed below, please visit the HR website at or click on the links below. The benefits premiums listed below are effective March 1, 2025. UNA has a fully-insured group health insurance program with , which includes medical, prescription drug, vision, psychiatric, and substance abuse benefits for full-time university employees, and their eligible dependents. The University covers the full individual premium for eligible employees. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Health/Vision/RX - Monthly Premiums Tier Employee Cost UNA Cost Total Premium Employee $0.00 $649.45 $649.45 +Child(ren) $422.13 $649.45 $1,071.58 +Spouse $649.45 $649.45 $1,298.90 +Spouse & Child(ren) $746.22 $649.45 $1,395.67 UNA also provides dental coverage through The University covers the full individual premium for eligible employees. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Dental - Monthly Premiums Tier Employee Cost UNA Cost Total Premium Employee $0.00 $27.54 $27.54 Family $36.34 $27.54 $63.88 UNA provides all eligible employees with basic life insurance at no cost to the employee. The basic life coverage level is 1.5 times the covered employee's annual base salary with a maximum benefit of $400,000. Included with your basic life coverage is Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage at 3 times the covered employee's annual salary. The provider for this coverage is As a member of the , eligible employees have life benefits available through the TRS. Also, for eligible active employees, a death benefit of the payment of accrued sick leave is paid to the employee's beneficiary by the University. This coverage provides benefits after a 90-day period of disability. The monthly benefit is 60% of the covered employee's monthly base salary not to exceed $10,000 per month. The cost for this benefit is paid in full by the University for eligible employees and the provider for this coverage is Retirement Plans The is a defined benefit plan in which participation is mandatory for eligible employees. Eligible employees are categorized by the TRS as Tier I or Tier II members. Rates below are effective as of October 1, 2024

• Tier I - Employee contribution rate is 7.5% for regular employees and 8.5% for law enforcement employees.
• Tier II - Employee contribution rate is 6.2% for regular employees and 7.0% for law enforcement employees.

- this retirement plan is a voluntary, supplemental, deferred compensation plan. - this plan is a voluntary, supplemental, deferred compensation plan offered by the Retirement Systems of Alabama. The University provide a $6.00 per month credit to eligible employees to offset the cost(s) for supplemental, voluntary benefits. All full-time regular employees are eligible for this benefit on the first day of the month following the completion of 90 days of employment.

• Flexible Spending Accounts - HealthEquity
• Cancer Insurance - Allstate
• Short-Term Disability Insurance - Fort Dearborn Life
• Life Insurance - Symetra
• Accident Coverage - Symetra
• Critical Illness Insurance - Symetra
• Hospital Indemnity Coverage - Symetra
• Vision Insurance - VSP
• Air Evac Lifeteam
• Long-Term Care Insurance - LTCi Plans

UNA provides remission of tuition to eligible employees and to their spouses and qualified dependent children. Paid Time Off - Annual leave is accrued for each hour worked. During the first 2 years of employment, the accrual is 10 workdays. After completion of 2 years of continuous service, eligible employees are entitled to 12 days of annual leave and, for each additional year of service, annual leave is increased by one day per year to a maximum of 20 days after 10 years. - Full-time regular staff members are entitled to 96 work hours (12 workdays) of sick leave each year at the employee's regular rate of pay regardless of length of service. - Full-time, regular staff employees are eligible for paid holidays. Miscellaneous Benefits 01 Do you have a bachelor's degree?

• No
• Yes

02 Do you have a master's degree?

• No
• Yes

03 Do you have higher education work experience?

• No, none.
• Yes, less than one year.
• Yes, more than one year.

04 Do you have international living/working experience?

• No, I have neither international living nor international working experience.
• Yes, I have international living experience.
• Yes, I have international working experience.
• Yes, I have both international living and working experience.

05 Do you have international travel and study experience?

• Yes
• No

06 Do you have experience working with international partnership programs in higher education settings, such as 4+0, 1+2+1, 2+0, and 2+2 programs?

• No
• Yes

07 Are you fluent in Mandarin/Southwest Mandarin?

• No, neither.
• Yes, both.
• Yes, Mandarin.
• Yes, Southwest Mandarin.

Required Question