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Position: University Relations Director

Organization: CIS Abroad

Location: Remote position based in the contiguous US, based west of the Mississippi or in the Southeast, preferred

Number of Weekly Hours: Full-Time (exempt), 40 hours/week, Some Evenings & Weekends

Anticipated Start Date: July 5, 2022

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 Curiosity, 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 IIE’s Generation Study Abroad initiative.

JOB DESCRIPTION

As part of a national University Relations Team, this position manages university relationships across the country. Reporting to the Vice President of University Relations, the University Relations Director (URD) has the primary responsibility of serving CIS Abroad’s institutional partnerships, generating interest in programs offered by CIS Abroad, and increasing enrollment across partners, prioritizing Key institutional partners. You will work collaboratively and cross-departmentally to meet the needs of schools by way of CIS Abroad’s portfolio of programs, including study, intern and service learning, and consulting services.

URDs visit universities both virtually and in person year-round, to attend study abroad fairs and other campus events, and to cultivate CIS Abroad’s institutional relationships. They meet with study abroad offices, faculty members, career services staff and other administrators, in addition to recruiting and marketing to students in collaboration with the Outreach and Advising team. Hours during the recruitment season often require travel and events during the evening and weekends. URDs collaborate with the UR team to strategize on relationship building and cultivation efforts and meeting partners needs.

SPECIFIC DUTIES

Relationship Building & Management

• Maintain relationships with higher education institutional partners and meet with potential new partners. During the heavy travel season (specifically the month of September) this looks like: Approximately five institutions per week if meeting face to face; or ten institutions per week if meeting virtually. 
• Function as primary CIS Abroad contact for assigned relationships, using in-person, phone, and email interaction
• Conduct meetings with and present to study abroad offices, faculty members, and career services staff, academic departments, etc.
• Strategize with the UR team to plan and implement an annual strategy for achieving goals 
• Develop university specific strategies to meet school needs and grow enrollments (curriculum mapping, custom program development, etc.), prioritizing specific key partnerships assigned to you
• Call upon Executive Team leadership to leverage their expertise for visits to or conversations with key institutions
• Maintain up-to-date CRM database of institutional contacts and all activities related to institutions 

Student Recruitment

• Represent CIS Abroad strategically at study abroad fairs, career services fairs, and other student-facing campus events at institutions
• Maintain visit calendar and track student interactions and recruitment success at each event, turn over student leads to the Outreach and Advising team
• Follow up with and nurture high potential leads in collaboration with the Outreach and Advising team
• Organize and participate in other on-campus/virtual promotional efforts and applicant nurturing, including presenting to classes and student organizations and hosting advising sessions with students

Cross-Team Duties

• Work with UR Directors to ensure strategic use of UR and other support staff traveling in territory, including serving as point person for fair logistics and institutional projects

• Communicate with the Outreach and Advising team to ensure proper support to students at your institutions, highlighting any special institutional processes, deadlines, program approvals, etc.
• Collaborate with the director of custom programs on campus strategy, marketing, and recruitment of faculty-led and customized programs
• Provide input on marketing strategies and materials for programs and conduct market research as necessary

Administrative

• Manage travel expenses and budget according to policy; reconcile expenses monthly
• Coordinate travel logistics in a timely and cost-effective manner; including airfare, lodging, and ground transportation
• Continuously assess progress towards meeting individual, team, and organizational goals; adjust strategy as needed
• Respond thoroughly and in a timely manner to all questions, issues, problems, and/or needs of advisors, faculty, and colleagues
• Represent CIS Abroad honestly, accurately, and in the spirit of its values
• Other duties as assigned, often with interest and expertise in mind

Professional Development

• Attend and fully participate in all organization and team-wide trainings (typically 2-3 times per year)
• Represent CIS Abroad at a combination of state, regional, and national professional conferences (NAFSA, Forum, Diversity Abroad)
• Work with colleagues and partner institution peers to propose and present sessions and/or posters
• Receive internal safety and risk management training, Ally Training, among others
• Opportunity to lead an international faculty-led program or visit overseas sites during the summer

SALARY AND BENEFITS

• $60,000 - $80,000, commensurate with experience
• 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
• Long-term disability insurance, fully paid
• Parental leave - 8 paid weeks of time off for newborn/newly adopted children
• Company-matched 401(k) retirement plan
• Travel Agent Certification through IATAN:  Provides discounts for travel, including accommodations and excursions, for company and personal use
• Meals, accommodations, and rental car while traveling on business
• Earn and keep frequent flier miles, hotel, and car rental points
• Paid vacation time which increases with your tenure
• Paid sick time: 1 hour earned per 30 hours worked
• Paid holidays: 13+ CIS Abroad holidays - including the week between Christmas and New Year’s
• Company-provided laptop, and corporate credit card
• Flexible work culture
• Extensive training and professional development, including overseas opportunities

COMPANY & UR TEAM CULTURE: Who are we looking for?  

CIS Abroad, and particularly the University Relations Team, moves fast! We are looking for someone who is passionate about international education, not intimidated by change, and who will speak up when they have a good idea (and run with it!). As a successful member of the team you are an excellent listener who loves to build relationships and work with people, and also values efficiency and moving forward strategically. We are looking for a self-starter who is skilled at identifying strategic growth opportunities, handling objections, and creatively solving problems. You’re tremendously curious, comfortable with change, and adept at working within ambiguity in a fast-paced environment. You have experience managing key relationships and projects with a demonstrated ability to strategically prioritize your approach in order to successfully steward the relationships assigned to you. You are not just a people-person, but also someone who excels at keeping your relationship development progress and growth opportunities recorded and accurate within a CRM. You are passionate about education abroad and even more passionate about being part of the team who supports professionals across campuses who get students abroad (read: this role is B2B focused, with less B2C interaction). You have experience managing key relationships with a demonstrated ability to identify and action the priorities that align most strategically, first. As a URD you will manage a suite of relationships within CIS Abroad’s Cooperating Partner Alliance membership portfolio, prioritizing a smaller portfolio of CIS Abroad’s key partnerships. You will do all of this (and more), while representing the helpful, fun, value-added, partner that is CIS Abroad. In addition to being based remotely, the position requires visiting key partners annually plus additional domestic travel, and comes with opportunities for international travel, so an independent self-starter and problem-solver will be the most likely to succeed in this role. And remember, this is a remote position, so you have to enjoy and be efficient working alone, as much as working with a team.

SOUNDS GREAT! How do I apply?   

• Submit your application and answer a few questions
• If you are unable to complete our online application due to a disability, contact our Assistant VP of People & Culture to ask for an accommodation
• Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview 
• No phone calls, please 
• Not quite you?  We have other positions are open, too

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. By submitting your application materials to us you are also providing explicit consent for our People & Culture department to process that data within reasonable limitations under the scope of consideration for your employment. For details on how we handle sensitive data please view our Privacy Policy: https://www.CISAbroad.com/privacy-policy/