Team Lead, International Student Immigration Advising

Date Posted: 06/06/2025
Req ID: 43340
Faculty/Division: Vice-Provost, Students
Department: Centre for International Experience
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: 00048979

Description:

About us:

The University is a global leader in research and teaching. We provide diverse and extensive areas of study organized around intimate learning communities. That is what creates an exceptional learning environment for our students. The University is committed to providing an enriching student experience to all its students.

Student Life strives to provide all students to actively participate in learning; effectively manage their experience and wellbeing, find connections, community, and friendship; encounter new ways of thinking, learning, and being in the world; and experience leadership, independence, and success.

The Centre for International Experience (CIE), within the Division of Student Life and the Office of Vice President International, provides students opportunities so they can expand their learning into the global arena. CIE enables students to expand their world to gain a global advantage. We work with students, academic units, local and global community to create sustainable and diverse learning abroad experiences that incorporate study, research and professional opportunities. We work in partnership with faculties and services to enable students new to Canada to maximize their time at U of T to meet their goals and aspirations on graduation. Finally, we work to build global learning opportunities on campus curricular, co-curricular and experiential.

Your opportunity:

The Team Lead, International Student Immigration Advising, oversees the International Student Immigration Advising (ISIA) team’s day-to-day operations. Reporting to the Associate Director, International Student Services, the Team Lead serves as a first-level agent for case escalations and provides direction to the team in its delivery, practice and interpretation of immigration and other related government policies. The Team Lead provides feedback on work performance to the ISIA team and directs the activities of the team by planning and overseeing the operational workflow of program administration activities. The Team Lead also provides training to regulated international student immigration advisors, student life staff and student leaders.

The Team Lead keeps the Associate Director informed of ISIA team activities and advises the Associate Director on the interpretation of immigration and other related government policies. In consultation with the Associate Director, the Team Lead analyzes amendmentsto legislative and regulatory requirements, disseminates developments in regulatory requirements, and recommends changes to current practices to ensure ongoing compliance. The Team Lead assists with building partner networks with external agencies whose cooperation is important to the University. The Team Lead leads the ISIA team on suggesting recommendations to the Associate Director for changes in current practices of student immigration advising including suggested updates and maintains procedures andprotocols to comply with Federal Government legislation. The Team Lead assists with providing annual and periodic reports on trends, performance and statistics and managing some expenditures pertaining to the ISIA portfolio.

The Team Lead works with the Associate Director and tri-campus International Student Centres to ensure that developments in regulatory requirements are disseminated, interpreted and applied. The Team Lead leads the ISIA team on daily communication, coordination and delivery of activities related to the delivery of informative workshops, training and information sessions. In collaboration with the Associate Director, coordinates key messaging and updates related to international student immigration advising, develops and maintains informational print and digital content, works with partners to resolve and support individual and collective student situations.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Directing the activities of agroup of staff-appointed employees all performing a similar function. Planning and overseeing operational workflow of program administration activities. Providing orientation to new employees and/or students. Training and coaching student life staff and student leaders.
• Fostering cooperative working relationships with a wide variety of internal and external contacts. Assists with building partner networks with external agencies whose cooperation is important to the University.
• Advising on the interpretation of immigration and other related government policies within the scope of certification through the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council.
• Exchanging information at formal department and/or program committee meetings.
• Disseminating developments in regulatory requirements. Disseminating up-to-date citizenship and immigration regulations. Facilitating educational workshops and seminars.
• Resolving issues within the scope of the role and escalating problems as required. Providing basic support and general referrals to individuals in distress.
• Keeping well-informed on industry best practices and trends. Keeping well-informed on University programs, policies and procedures.
• Conducting detailed analysis of service usage statistics and feedback to inform program planning activities. Verifying that information is kept according to file retention procedures. Handling expenses for events. Making minor purchases.

Essential Qualifications:

• Master's degree or MBA in a relevant discipline or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or Regulated International Student Immigration Adviser (RISIA) certification is required.
• Minimum of five years experience in providing international student immigration advising in Canada is required.
• Of the five years experience, minimum three years experience in managing and/or directing the activities of a team of staff, preferably regulated international student immigration advisors; advising management on the interpretation of immigration and other related government policies within the scope of certification through the Immigration Consultation of Canada Regulatory Council; representing and exchanging information at formal department and/or program committee meetings; providing international student immigration advising.
• Demonstrated experience providing orientation, training and coaching to staff and students is required.
• Demonstrated experience resolving issues within the scope of the role and escalating problems to management is required.
• Demonstrated experience drafting University responses to assessments made by external regulatory agencies is required.
• Demonstrated experience with file retention procedures is required.
• Demonstrated experience generating annual and periodic reports on trends, performance and statistics is required.
• Demonstrated experience conducting detailed analysis of service usage statistics and feedback to inform planning activities is required.
• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering international student immigration advising programs to international students is required.
• Demonstrated ability to provide inclusive, collegial and intercultural leadership is required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Canadian international student support services and international student experience from the Student Life lens is required.
• Excellent computer skills e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet, email, data management system.
• Must be able to communicate clearly and professionally (both orally and in writing).
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize knowledge and display sound judgment, problem solving skills, attention to detail and a high degree of accuracy.
• Must demonstrate superior organizational skills, and a proven ability to multi-task and work well under pressure in a fast paced environment with strict deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and within a team environment.

Assets (Nonessential):

• Bilingualism/knowledge of a second language.

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Approachable
• Communicator
• Diplomatic
• Proactive
• Problem solver
• Team player

Closing Date: 06/17/2025, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW 
Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing 
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:  
USW Pay Band 14 -- $90,056. with an annual step progression to a maximum of $115,169. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol. 
Job Category: Student Services
Recruiter: Blythe Campbell

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.