International Student Arrival Project Assistant

The Student Success Office (SSO) facilitates various student-focused programs and initiatives which promote student success. The SSO, along with Campus Wellness and Conference Services, is supporting international students with their travels to Canada, helping students navigate current government travel regulations and quarantine requirements. The International Student Arrival Project Assistants (2) will work closely with the International Student Arrival Project planning team to assist with the implementation of the University’s COVID-19 Readiness Plan and provide front-line support to international students.

Key Accountabilities

• Assists with the virtual delivery and facilitation of pre-departure drop-in information sessions and quarantine warrior’s support group events.
• Participates in a rotating on-call schedule to provide support to international students via email and phone during evenings and weekends.
• Responsible for listening and providing appropriate resources to students and escalating student concerns as necessary.
• Stays up-to-date and knowledgeable of current travel and quarantine procedures and all available resources to effectively triage student inquiries.
• Manages difficult conversations with students in high-stress situations, applying active-listening skills to provide a compassionate and empathetic response.
• Participates in weekly International Student Arrival Project Working Group meetings.
• Provides input to help enhance the support available to our international students returning to Canada.

Required Qualifications

• Current graduate student at the University of Waterloo.
• Graduate studies in social work, psychology, or disciplines of a similar nature considered an asset.
• Eligible to work in Canada.

• Available to work a total of 10 hours per week (mostly during evenings and weekends with some daytime availability).

Required Skills and Experience

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledgeable about the international student experience and awareness of the unique needs of international students.
• Self-motivated and high level of autonomy.
• Demonstrates a compassionate attitude and genuine interest in helping students.
• Demonstrates a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism.
• Experience and comfort with being in front of the camera and public speaking.
• Ability to problem solve and remain calm in stressful situations.
• Familiarity with productivity software (Microsoft Office) and teleconferencing technology (Microsoft Teams, Zoom).
• Adaptability and resilience to deal with volatility and uncertainty.
• Experience with travel in quarantine (preferred).

This position requires you to work remotely from your home location. To be eligible for this job, you must have access to a private working area, a computer and reliable internet.

Interested applicants can submit a resume, cover letter and interview time preference to cbratan@uwaterloo.ca by Sunday, August 8, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Interviews for this role will take place Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at 9 a.m., 12:45 pm., and 1:30 p.m.    

Note: We place great emphasis on respecting graduate student schedules and are understanding of the priorities and deadlines within their work. The International Student Experience, Special Projects Coordinator will work closely with the International Student Arrivals Project Assistant to ensure that both the needs of the graduate student in this role and the SSO are met. There will be varying workloads throughout the duration of this role and on average this position will work ~10 hours per week. It is the responsibility of the International Student Arrivals Project Assistant to ensure their Supervisor and Associate Chair, Graduate Studies (where applicable) are supportive of them applying for this position.