1695 Director, Office of Education Abroad

POSITION IDENTIFICATION

TITLE Director, Office of Education Abroad

CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1695

GRADE 45

CLASSIFICATION Exempt

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Associate Vice President, International Education and Training  

GENERAL FUNCTION

The Director, Office of Education Abroad administers and manages the Education Abroad program and develops, administers, and promotes study away opportunities for students through partnership programs, international exchanges, and faculty-led short-term programs.  The Director is responsible for all operations of the Office of Education Abroad to include financial, personnel, and risk management.  The Director, Office of Education Abroad collaborates with faculty, department heads, and deans to strengthen the international curriculum and related extra-curricular education experiences to aid students in achieving cultural competence as part of the Public Affairs mission. 

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A master’s degree is required; an earned doctorate is preferred.

Experience: Two years of leadership and/or management experience in an institution of higher education is required plus at least one year of experience working with international students and/or conducting international study programs, international faculty development or similar international programs is required.   Experience interacting with diverse groups of students, staff, faculty, and external constituencies is required.  Evidence of success in expanding a higher educational program is required.  A record of scholarship and/or teaching experience in higher education and fluency in at least one second language are preferred. Familiarity with college student life issues is preferred.

Skills: Effective interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills are required.  Skill in cultural diplomacy and cultural sensitivity are required.  Management and supervisory skills are required.  Organizational ability is required.  Research and analytical skills are required.  The ability to develop, implement, and interpret policies and procedures is required.                               

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Oversees all aspects of Education Abroad programs, including long-term and faculty-led short-term programs.

2. Assists in the development of new opportunities for students to study abroad, seeks outside funding to increase opportunities for students to study abroad, and recruits students to participate in Education Abroad programs.

3. Conducts orientation for faculty to ensure adherence to all University policies related to Education Abroad.

4. Conducts orientation and provides immigration advisement for outbound students, conducts pre-program and post-program cultural competence assessments, and assists with re-entry aspects of all Education Abroad programs.

5. Manages the Office of Education Abroad by administering  budgets, including program-specific budgets and ensuring that Education Abroad is a financially neutral operation.

6. Ensures compliance with University finance policies and maintains accurate recordkeeping relative to Education Abroad programs.

7. Provides leadership in assessing and managing safety, health, and financial risk associated with the Education Abroad program, to include serving as a representative on the University’s Enterprise Risk Management and Compliance Committee.  

8. Serves as first responder to events abroad that may affect Missouri State University’s travelers by monitoring world events, tracking Missouri State University travelers, taking emergency phone calls, sending alerts or emergency bulletins as needed, and communicating with a variety of stakeholders in the event of a crisis or emergency situation.

9. Leads the University’s health and safety team for international travel, oversees emergency response plans and protocols related to international travel, coordinates the execution of response plans, and liaises with various departments, such as Safety and Transportation, Student Conduct, Magers Health and Wellness Center, Counseling Center,  and General Counsel.

10. Provides training on health and safety issues related to international travel to various stakeholders, including students, faculty, and staff and develops materials regarding international travel, health, safety, and security.

11. Fosters an inviting atmosphere for students and faculty by administering the office in a customer-friendly, service-oriented manner.

12. Contributes to a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.

13. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses as directed by the Vice President, International Education and Training.

14.  Contributes to the overall success of the Office of Education Abroad and MSU International Programs by performing all other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISION

The Director Office of Education Abroad is supervised by the Associate Vice President, International Education and Training and supervises clerical and professional staff, graduate assistants, and student workers.

OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

REVISED JULY 2021

JOB FAMILY 4

Factor 1: Professional Knowledge, Skill, and Technical Mastery

Level 3.0 - 1500 Points: Entry-level knowledge of the principles, concepts, practices, and methods of an administrative, managerial, technical, or professional specialty. Knowledge permits employee to carry out basic recurring tasks and routine portions of assignments or to carry out less demanding professional elements of assignments in professional or technical areas including accounting or auditing, financial management, business administration, human resources, law, engineering, science, or medicine, while gaining familiarity with the University's policies and goals, business practices, and/or accounting systems. This level of knowledge permits the employee to schedule and carry out the steps of a limited operation or project, or to complete stages of a multi-phase project. Alternatively, knowledge at this level might also permit the employee to carry out recurring tasks and routine assignments requiring moderate experience in specific areas within higher education. Knowledge at this level is typically acquired through a combination of formal education and/or training and experience that includes a requirement for a college degree in a specific technical or professional specialty. Knowledge requirements may also include a limited amount of related work experience. Alternatively, equivalent knowledge requirements at this level include a non-technical or general Bachelor's degree requirement with a moderate level of additional related work experience or a non-specific Master's degree requirement with some related work experience.

Factor 2: Supervisory Responsibility

Level 3.0 - 270 Points: Supervision of a limited number of (a) operative, administrative support, or paraprofessional employees who do not exercise a full range of supervisory responsibilities over other full-time employees, (b) a very small number of professional employees, or an equivalent combination of (a) and (b). The incumbent performs a full range of supervisory responsibilities including performance reviews of subordinates. The incumbent is generally responsible for training, planning, and directing the work of permanent employees, and provides major input into hiring decisions. Supervisory responsibilities consume moderate amounts of work time and may include general work planning tasks.

Factor 3: Interactions with Others

Level 5.0 - 850 Points: Interactions are highly unstructured and incumbents are often required to resolve difficult and unstructured problems. Interactions are commonly with administrators, cost-center heads, high level committees, or external constituents in order to defend, negotiate, or resolve controversial and/or long-range issues and problems. Interactions occur in situations subject to divergent views, skepticism, resistance, uncooperative attitudes, and conflicting objectives. Interactions often require high levels of interpersonal skill and require the ability to influence, interrogate, or control others through debate, persuasion, or authoritative recognition and require strong analytical and decision-making skills.

Factor 4: Job Controls and Guidelines

Level 4.0 - 850 Points: The employee operates under administrative supervision and makes decisions based on broadly-stated University objectives and available resources. Administrative guidelines are expressed in terms of project or program outcomes and deadlines with few comprehensive guidelines. Decisions are based on inadequate guidelines that require considerable interpretation and force the employee to plan all phases of the assignment. Assignments may be unrelated in function and the work requires many different processes and methods and a great deal of analysis to identify the nature and extent of problems. The work may require the employee to develop new methods and to deal with many variables, including some that are unclear or conflicting. Characteristic jobs at this level may involve directing large and/or complex programs, projects, or departments in which the work cuts across functional lines or requires dealing with unprecedented issues.

Factor 5: Managerial Responsibility

Level 4.0 - 1500 Points: Work involves the primary accountability for a smaller department, program, or process. Work activities involve managerial decisions that directly affect the efficiency, costs, reputation, and service quality of the department, program, or process. Work affects a limited range of professional projects or administrative activities of the University. Work activities have a direct and substantial impact on the department. While work activities do have some effect on the efficiency and reputation of the cost center, departments, programs, or processes at this level represent a relatively minor function within the cost center. Employees in jobs at this level may have responsibility for developing budgets, distributing budgeted funds, and exercising the primary control over a relatively small budget.