Vancouver Island University (VIU) is seeking a highly organized, collaborative, and strategic professional to join our Vice President Students team as a Specialist, International Affairs. This position provides leadership and operational oversight to support the University's international education initiatives, strengthen VIU's global presence, and ensure compliance with federal, provincial, and institutional requirements related to international student recruitment, admissions, enrolment, and support.
The Specialist plays a critical role in advancing VIU's international service plan through planning, partnership management, compliance oversight, and international risk management. Working closely with stakeholders across the University, this role supports the development of a safe, supportive, and globally engaged learning environment for students, faculty, and staff.
Division
Vice-President Students
Department
Office of the Vice-President Students
Campus
Nanaimo campus *Successful candidates must be able to attend in person on campus as required.
Location
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Appointment Type
regular full-time
Workload
35 hours per week. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.
Pay Level
Excluded Pay Band 8: Minimum salary is $91,895 and maximum salary is $104,426.
Starting Salary
Normal salary placement at the time of hire is $91,895 (prorated if part-time). This position is eligible for annual performance-based salary increases.
Start:
As soon as possible.
Applicant Documents
CV/Resume, Cover Letter, Qualifications , Name and contact information of recent supervisors willing to provide a reference
Duties:
Planning
- Lead the implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of the VIU International Service Plan.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders to review, update, and renew the Service Plan, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and strategic goals.
- Provide recommendations to support continuous improvement of international education initiatives and services.
Compliance and Regulatory Oversight
- Ensure institutional compliance with federal, provincial, and regulatory requirements related to international student recruitment, admissions, enrolment, and support.
- Promote awareness and understanding of compliance obligations across the University.
- Support the achievement, maintenance, and continuous improvement of BC Education Quality Assurance (EQA) standards and related quality assurance frameworks.
- Monitor regulatory changes and recommend policy or procedural updates as required.
Recruitment Agent Management
- Manage VIU's network of international recruitment agents.
- Work collaboratively with the Manager, Student Recruitment to assess agent performance, market alignment, and recruitment effectiveness.
- Support the selection, evaluation, and ongoing management of recruitment agents to achieve international enrolment objectives.
- Ensure agent activities align with institutional policies, ethical standards, and regulatory requirements.
Global Partnerships
- Maintain and oversee VIU's portfolio of international partnerships and agreements.
- Track partnership activities, outcomes, and renewal requirements.
- Support student, faculty, and staff participation in partnership initiatives and international engagement opportunities.
- Facilitate collaboration with international partners to advance institutional objectives.
International Travel Risk Management
- Lead VIU's international travel risk management initiatives.
- Develop and implement processes to ensure faculty, staff, and students participating in university-sanctioned international activities are appropriately prepared and supported.
- Monitor travel risk factors and coordinate mitigation strategies in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
- Maintain travel risk management records, resources, and reporting processes.
Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration
- Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support international goals.
- Provide guidance and expertise on international education matters across the University.
- Facilitate communication and collaboration among departments involved in international student services, recruitment, partnerships, and mobility programs.
Required Qualifications:
Master's degree in Global Studies, International Relations, Public Administration, Business Administration, Education, or a related field. Minimum 6 years of progressively responsible experience in international education, compliance management, international partnerships, student mobility, or a related area. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
- Demonstrated knowledge of federal and provincial regulations affecting international students and post-secondary institutions.
- Experience managing projects, strategic plans, or institutional initiatives.
- Strong understanding of international education quality assurance standards and best practices.
- Demonstrated skill in managing sensitive situations and resolving conflicts with professionalism and diplomacy.
- Skill in analyzing information and translating insights into recommendations for planning, reporting, and continuous improvement.
- Demonstrated analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
- Excellent communication, facilitation and relationship-building skills across diverse stakeholders.
- Capacity to manage multiple priorities and complex projects simultaneously.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to compliance and quality assurance.
- Proficiency in working independently and collaboratively in a complex and evolving environment.
- Demonstrated intercultural competence and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Knowledge of international travel risk management principles and practices.
- Experience working with international recruitment agents and global partnerships
- Demonstrated ability to support or lead change initiatives in a complex organizational environment.
- Experience managing sensitive situations and resolving issues with professionalism, discretion, and diplomacy.
- Experience managing agreements, contracts, or partnership frameworks with external stakeholders.
- Experience working with information systems or databases to support tracking, reporting, and operational effectiveness.
VIU is pleased to offer eligible employees a comprehensive benefit plan; ample paid holiday time; professional development opportunities and a desirable pension plan. As part of the VIU campus community, our employees work with supportive colleagues within an encouraging environment and are provided with the tools and training that promote learning and development. The perks of VIU employment are multiple, and include well-being initiatives and services, strategic discounts, and flexible work opportunities.
Note:
- Short-listed candidates must provide original transcripts, or applicable original certifications at time of interview.
- All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
- Vancouver Island University (VIU) is collectively committed to building and sustaining a diverse and inclusive working and learning environment for faculty, staff, and students. In our journey towards greater diversity, we invite applications from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of all gender identities and sexual orientations who bring value to the VIU community through their lived experiences. We encourage members of all equity-seeking groups to self-identify within their application cover letter. When a candidate voluntarily discloses this information in their cover letter, the information will be used only for the fulfillment of the career opportunity. Disclosure and/or self-identification with an equity-seeking group will not lead to advantageous treatment of a candidate who is not qualified.
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