Position:
International Operations Assistant Director - UK, Ireland, Greece
Organization:
CIS Abroad
Location:
Anywhere in the US (except California), UK, Ireland or Greece, working an Eastern Time Zone schedule
Number of Weekly Hours:
Full-Time (exempt), 40 hours/week
Start Date: November 25, 2024 or as soon as the right person is found
ABOUT US: Who is CIS Abroad, and why do you want to work with us?
At CIS Abroad, we believe that education abroad offers students the best chance to realize their potential and change their world. We’re a nationally recognized organization that offers transformative study, intern, short-term, and custom programs across the globe. Our shared values--Passion, Fun, Cultural Competence, Trust, Change & Growth--form the foundation for all we do, and we look for employees who embody these values in their personal and professional lives. We are innovative and fast-moving, and have a fantastic home office (complete with friendly office dogs!) located in a renovated mill building in Easthampton MA.
We are proud members of The Forum on Education Abroad, NAFSA, Diversity Abroad, and advocate member of The Global Leadership League.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The International Operations Assistant Director will be responsible for managing a portfolio of CIS Abroad study programs. They will supervise on-site staff, and ensure high quality program delivery in their region. The successful candidate will be able to work effectively as a member of a team, provide direction, delegate, and will possess strong organizational skills. This position reports to the Vice President of Program Operations.
SPECIFIC DUTIES
Pre-departure
- Participant information
- Create and maintain online student guides for programs in region
- Create and maintain financial aid & extra expense budgets for each program
- Organize and conduct pre-program ‘live’ advising sessions for each program
- Ensure that participant flight, health, and emergency contact info is stored appropriately for the Emergency Response Team
- Ensure that visa instructions for countries in the region are accurate
- Participant communication
- Work with participants and parents on elevated issues of concern related to health & safety, programming, courses, on their program
- Collaborate with Enrollment Management team to ensure that participants make connections with each other and with on-site staff prior to arrival
- Overseas Partner (OSP) / Vendor communication
- Manage enrollment in the housing preferred by CIS Abroad
- Manage housing vendor contracts and agreements on programs where CIS Abroad partners directly with housing vendors
- Assist the Program Enrollment Coordinators with course registration or course availability on programs requiring elevated levels of customer service
- Ensure that participants have been enrolled in health insurance
- Arrange airport pickup for all participants on programs and work with students who will be arriving outside of the set arrival window to ensure that they have instructions on how to check into housing
Program Management & Development
- Program Costs:
- Compile preterm program cost information for budgeting and program price setting, submit program updates when program details change, and determine dates for each program by the internal deadline
- Ensure that each program in region stays within the pre-set budget
- Ensure that the best interests of CIS Abroad, its partners, and the participants involved are being looked after when refunds are requested
- Ensure that OSP payments are in line with contractual agreements
- Plan in advance for future program changes and improvements so that program delivery stays within budget
- OSP Relations
- Communicate changes in OSP offerings to marketing team / review CIS Abroad materials as needed for accuracy
- Keep contracts with OSPs in region up to date, keep their policy information on file, make sure that CIS Abroad’s policies are complementary
- Maintain credit transfer information for all OSP credit systems within region
- Program Development
- Liaise with the Executive Team on program development in region; ensure new program launch SOPs are followed when programs are developed
- Collaborate with the Custom Programs Team as needed
Program Quality and Improvement
- Collaborate with OSPs and CIS Abroad Site Directors (SDs) to plan/improve on site delivery of programs
- Continuously work on program quality improvement initiatives for all programs in region
- At end of term, oversee the wrap-up of each program by collecting information from participants, staff, and partners to thoroughly evaluate program and create action plans designed to increase program quality and NPS scores
- Ensure we receive evaluations - goal is 70%+
- Ensure that pre-determined marketing goals are met while the students are on-site
- Continuously seek to aid in the growth of numbers on programs by working collaboratively with all teams at CIS Abroad to promote, sell, and to increase knowledge of programs in region.
Customer Service & Incident Response
- Work with on-site staff and OSPs to resolve participant issues as quickly as possible
- Serve as primary CIS Abroad staff member responsible for communication with parents and US universities when on-site participant issues are being worked through
- Carefully oversee the on-site response to emergencies and ensure that protocol is being followed, including documentation and communication procedures
- Participate in our phone rotation to receive and handle on-site emergencies
Management of Site Directors (SDs) in the Region
- Money and contracts
- Keep SD contracts up to date
- Track SD payments and compensation
- Request SD payments when necessary
- Set a budget for cultural activities, events, excursions, and meals in collaboration with SDs
- Ensure that SDs deliver the program within the pre-set budget
- On-site Oversight
- Make sure that the on-site events delivery calendar is available 6-9 months before the program start date, and that the SD is delivering as planned
- Ensure that the ‘On-Site Delivery Checklist’ for each program is planned for and executed
- Ensure our brand is represented on-site through updated brand materials, presentations, etc.
- Ensure The Local Life Cultural Curriculum or other high impact practices are 100% implemented
- Review the on-site delivery plan of SDs and ensure best practices are followed
- Training and Supervision
- Conduct periodic training for SDs in region
- Conduct check-ins with all SDs in region every other week and as needs arise
- Steward a cohesive, high-performing, kind team where continuous development, collaboration, and inclusivity are key attributes
SUCCESS TARGETS
- Consistently high, or steadily improving, NPS score on programs in region
- Attendance and active participation at all team huddles and meetings
- Timely response to all questions from internal staff about programs in region
- 100% accurate information about all programs in the region on the CIS Abroad website
- Programs fall within 2.5% of the projected budget
- At least one testimonial collected from each program each term
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS
- Bachelor’s degree and minimum of three years of professional experience
- Previous international experience and demonstrated passion for international education
- Excellent leadership drive, skills and experience
- Proven customer service skills
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
- Demonstrated success in a fast-paced environment
- Excellent organizational skills
- Team player with a rockin’ sense of humor
- Functional knowledge of Google Suite, Microsoft Suite, CRM. Salesforce, a plus
- Moderate to extensive experience in regions - UK, Ireland, Greece
- Experience creating and maintaining mid-level budgets
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s degree
- Desire to grow within the organization
- Experience on an emergency phone rotation
- De-escalation skills and an understanding of providing mental health first aid
- Previous experience leading projects
- A strong understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
- Annual salary of $65,000-$70,000, W-2 US employee
- Participation in our company-sponsored health insurance plan; 70% coverage for individuals and 63% coverage for families
- Medical and dependent care flex-spending account offered
- Up to $1,000 of out-of-pocket expenses if you need to go out of state to obtain essential healthcare including travel expenses and necessary childcare to receive reproductive and gender-affirming care, and abortion
- Parental leave - 8 paid weeks of time off for bonding after birth or adoption for all parents
- Company-matched 401(k) retirement plan after 1 year of service
- Travel Agent Certification through IATAN: Provides discounts for travel, including accommodations and excursions, for company and personal use
- Going aka Scott's Cheap Flights Premium membership
- Global Leadership League membership
- Annual work-from-home expense stipend
- Wellness bonus - $200 per year to spend on massage, gym membership, skiing, etc.
- Paid vacation time: 3 weeks per year, increasing with longevity
- Paid sick time: 1 hour earned per 30 hours worked
- Paid holiday time: 13+ CIS Abroad US holidays which include a week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
- Paid sabbatical time: 4 weeks after 10 years
- Paid bereavement time: for loved ones, including pets
- Employee Assistance Program
- DiSC personality assessment and training
- Company-provided laptop, and corporate credit card
- Flexible work culture
- Extensive training and professional development, including overseas opportunities
- Attendance at our 25th anniversary celebration in Barcelona, Spain: CelebrateInSpain2025 (all expenses included)
COMPANY & TEAM CULTURE: Who are we looking for?
First of all, we are looking for someone who shares our passion for learning about different cultures through study abroad. We balance a hard working nature with a healthy dose of fun. The organization moves fast, and we are looking for someone who is adaptable, eager to learn, and brave enough to dive right in. Because our students and partners are located across the US and the world, we need someone willing to roll with the challenge of working with people in multiple time zones. Our team structure favors people interested in teamwork and a people-centered approach to advising, but also demands someone who will be able to work independently on projects.
Sound like you?CIS Abroad provides equal opportunity to all people regardless of age, race, religion, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or physical or mental disability. Equal opportunity applies to hiring, placement, promotion, salary determination, and all other conditions of employment. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document upon hire.
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