Title: International Student Services Coordinator

Department/Location: Student Life Elsah Campus

Organizational Relationships: Reports to the Director of International Student Programs and Services Office

Summary: The International Student Services Coordinator provides administrative support to the Director of ISPaSO (International Student Programs and Services Office), including welcoming students to department offices and answering questions; facilitating student access to relevant resources and services; documenting and responding to student concerns and complaints; and providing logistical and substantive support for international student success programming. This position will also work directly with the Student Life Communications Manager on relevant communications projects, and serves as part of the Student Life administrative team, supporting general department work as needed. The International Student Services Coordinator may need to be available for occasional evening and weekend appointments, duties, and to attend events. The ideal candidate for this position is highly organized and is exceptionally attentive to detail; the candidate also values teamwork and demonstrates great interpersonal and intercultural skills.

Who We Are

At our award-winning pre-K–12 school in St. Louis, Missouri, and top-ranked Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, Principia faculty and staff make up a close-knit community of educators, coaches, and professionals taking a distinct approach to education—blending academic excellence with Christian Science-based character education. Principia’s team of over 500 employees supports not only Principia School and Principia College, but also a worldwide network of Alumni & Friends.

At Principia College, our globally-focused curriculum honors diverse perspectives and develops creative changemakers who use their academic skills for good in service to themselves, their communities, and the world. In-depth study meets real-world experience through study abroad programs, internships, capstone projects, and a robust slate of student activities, including a world-renowned mediation team, top-ranked solar car team, national champion rugby club, and the nation’s oldest student-run public affairs conference.

Principia employees are part of an engaging academic community preparing students to be tomorrow’s leaders, thinkers, and changemakers. We strive to create a collaborative and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong and are valued.

Work performed: Essential Duties*

• Provide an inclusive and welcoming environment to greet students, faculty, and staff and help them access the student life staff member, information, or resource that meets their needs.
• Document and respond to student concerns, needs, and complaints.
• Suggest and implement services and programming that promote student success and engagement.
• Perform administrative support tasks including maintaining administrative calendars, reserving meeting spaces, purchasing supplies, etc.
• Assists with planning and executing new international student orientation and onboarding.
• Assists international students with a wide range of issues related to their social, academic, and cultural adjustment.
• Coordinates banking, tax, and insurance training and support for international students.
• Provides or coordinates transportation as needed to support international student appointments.
• Assists with planning and executing ISPaSO events throughout the year.
• Assists with developing ISPaSO publications and maintenance of the department’s section of the college website and social media accounts.
• Performs special projects and committee work as assigned.
• Participates in professional development; attends training and conferences as needed to stay current with government regulations and best practices in supporting international students.

To perform this job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Intercultural communication skills – Demonstrates respect for and sensitivity to cultural differences
• Service orientation – demonstrates inclination towards being helpful, cooperative, and supportive
• Exceptional attention to detail – Easily identifies inconsistencies or missing information in documents; meticulously verifies accuracy and completeness of data before entering, sharing, or endorsing it
• Excellent interpersonal skills – Able to connect and relate with college students; Inspires trust and respect from colleagues and students
• Resourcefulness – Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Develops alternative solutions
• Professionalism – Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position
• Adaptability – Adapts to changes in the work environment; Is comfortable with ambiguity; Competently manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events
• Teamwork – Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion – Creates safe spaces for diverse students and advocates for inclusive policies and practices
• Oral and written communication – Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; responds well to questions; demonstrates group presentation skills; writes clearly and informatively; is a good listener
• Dependability – Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals
• Excellent Planning/Organizing skills – Prioritizes and plans work activities efficiently and effectively

Special Requirements:

• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends
• Current, valid driver’s license and ability to obtain Principia van certification

Minimum Qualifications:

• Student of Christian Science
• Supportive of Principia’s mission, vision, and values as articulated here https://www.principia.edu/about/mission
• Bachelor’s degree
• Computer literate: working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite
• Experience working with social media platforms, website development and maintenance, and design and written communications tools.
• International experience; second language proficiency and/or study abroad experience preferred

• The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed but are not to be seen as a complete list of responsibilities and are subject to change at the discretion

Equal Opportunity

Principia, a mission-driven institution, believes every person has the right to an equitable and respectful educational environment and workplace. Principia does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender (identity or expression), sexual orientation, family status, disability, age, or military or veteran status.

In hiring, admissions, and related decisions, Principia—as an institution with a religious mission—gives preference, where appropriate, to Christian Scientists.