Description
The Institute of International Education (IIE) is hiring a Scholar Support Specialist for our Scholar Rescue Fund team. We invite you to join a team united by a single goal: to transform our interconnected world into a network of more peaceful and equitable societies. IIE’s team members share a belief that when education transcends borders, it opens minds, enabling people to go beyond building connections to solving problems together.
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Job Summary
The IIE Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) is the only global program that arranges, funds and supports fellowships for threatened and displaced scholars at partnering higher education institutions worldwide. IIE-SRF’s Scholar Support Specialist leads and coordinates the program’s personal, academic, and professional development offerings to IIE-SRF fellows and alumni, a diverse population of scholars around the world with unique needs. The Scholar Support Specialist develops and executes a strategy for creating and enhancing programmatic offerings; helps build a network of institutions and individuals that can offer support and other opportunities; and directly advises individual fellows and alumni as needed. The individual in this role will have a documented history working in academia and higher education and across different cultures.
Essential Functions:
• Working with IIE-SRF’s leadership, creates and executes a strategy to enhance IIE-SRF’s programming and resources for fellows and alumni in the areas of academic, professional, and personal support.
• Identifies and builds partnerships with individuals, higher education institutions, academic associations, and other organizations that can offer professional development opportunities, other academic support, and tailored assistance to fellows and alumni, including identifying post-fellowship employment.
• Manages and builds a network of organizations that can offer personal and health-related resources and services, including psychosocial offerings and support for fellows, alumni, and dependents with disabilities.
• Creates and maintains a system for tracking individual and organizational partners and their work with IIE-SRF.
• Launches and manages the program’s fellow-to-fellow peer support system. Conceives and implements opportunities for fellows and alumni to interact and collaborate with each other through social media or other platforms.
• Participates in the design and implementation of a professional mentorship program with an international science organization.
• Develops simple introductory videos, webinars, and resource guides related to fellows’ fellowship experiences, including 1) practical concerns, such as housing, travel, and finances; 2) professional resources and development; and 3) family, health, and wellness (including cultural adjustment and psychosocial well-being).
• Advises select fellows and alumni on personal and professional transitions on and off the IIE-SRF fellowship. Gathers feedback to gain a deep understanding of fellows’ academic, personal, legal, and other needs and IIE-SRF’s capacity to assist; identifies appropriate resources or opportunities that can benefit and meet individual needs; coaches fellows and alumni on career trajectories.
• In coordination with the IIE-SRF Director, supports the creation and management of an IIE-SRF alumni council to advise on programmatic policies and issues.
• Contributes to internal and external communications: assists with reporting on data for U.S. Government and private sponsors; assists in creating content for external communications, including The Beacon newsletter; reports to IIE-SRF and IIE leadership on scholar support trends and complex and sensitive situations.
• Represents IIE-SRF at meetings and events: visits fellows and host institutions and speaks about IIE-SRF at conference and industry events, when appropriate.
• Assists in program development, fundraising, and special initiatives, as required.
Requirements
Education and Work Experience:
• Requires a Bachelor's degree and at least five years of related work experience, or combination education and experience.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Experience working within U.S. or international higher education required.
• Advanced Degree strongly preferred.
• Excellent communication skills, including superior writing and ability to communicate with internal and external stakeholders. Demonstrated interpersonal and cross-cultural skills, including emotional intelligence and sensitivity for working with individuals from vulnerable groups.
• Ability and initiative to innovate and execute new programming.
• Demonstrated ability to create and maintain relationships and partnerships with individuals and organizations in diverse sectors.
Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Knowledge of academic publishing, academic job markets, non-academic career pathways, etc. preferred.
• Experience working with displaced and refugee populations preferred.
Salary and Benefits:
Salary Range:$85,385 - $101,244. A candidate’s salary is determined by various factors including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, internal organizational equity, and geographic region.
IIE offers a robust suite of benefits to team members including medical, dental, and vision plans, paid time off and holidays, student loan and tuition reimbursement programs, professional development reimbursement program, retirement plans and a family medical leave benefits. Please visit our careers page for further details.
The Institute of International Education (“IIE”) has a hybrid work environment that allows team members a combination of in-office work and telework at any of the locations listed above.
