Description

Position Overview

The Document Specialist / International Advisor is a key member of the International Support Services (ISS) staff, serving as a Designated School Official (DSO) for the federal F-1 student program and as an Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) for the federal J-1 exchange visitor program. This position reports directly to the Assistant Director for Advising and Compliance. This position is primarily responsible for initial immigration document production and immigration-related advising for newly admitted international students and scholars. This position may also provide some immigration-related counseling and advising support to all international students and scholars. This person will be a Designated School Official (DSO) with the Department of Homeland Security and an Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) with the Department of State. The U.S. government requires DSOs and AROs to have U.S. permanent residence or U.S. citizenship.

If you are looking for a rewarding and dynamic career, look no farther than the University of Kansas. In addition to a competitive salary, KU offers great benefits to employees with up to 176 hours of paid vacation per year, 96 hours of sick leave earned per year, 9 paid holidays plus one discretionary day, a great retirement program, medical and dental insurance, life and disability insurance, other benefit plan options and state of Kansas discounts offered by various vendors. KU also offers employees educational opportunities for employees. KU is a great place to work!

Job Description

The percentages listed below might change during critical times. Emphasis is on serving newly admitted international students as a priority; however, as demand fluctuates, duties may shift to serving all international students and scholars. The responsibilities of the advisor include but are not limited to:

40% Immigration Document Production & Processing

• Processes immigration documents such as I-20s, DS‑2019s, SSN requests, etc. for newly admitted and sometimes other international students. This includes but is not limited to document creation for sponsored students, Jayhawk Semester participants, short-programs, scholars, study abroad exchange visitors, and degree-seeking students.
• Reviews and when appropriate, verifies proof of finances required for immigration document preparation.
• Analyzes materials and data for compliance with regulations for immigration document production.
• Applies knowledge of complex regulations and systems governing immigration document production.
• Maintains and helps modify e-forms and checklists within the office's international student record management system (currently sunapsis) for immigration document production.
• Helps process awarding of ISS managed scholarships and tuition waivers.

40% Immigration Advising

• Counsels, advises, and consults with newly admitted and continuing international students on matters related to F-1, J-1 and occasionally other non-immigrant status regulations. Most communication with newly admitted students is done electronically through email and online systems.
• Reports data accurately and timely through the Department of Homeland Security's database, SEVIS, and in an international student record management system (currently sunapsis).
• Interprets non-immigrant status regulations, policies and practices.
• Assists with ISS check-ins for newly admitted students, including short-program attendees.
• Interacts with various government agencies, most commonly the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State.

10% Training and Education

• Develops, implements and presents workshops and online webinars about the process to request an initial immigration document for both incoming students, scholars and the university community. As needed, may assist with webinars for current students and scholars as well.
• Develops handouts and other training materials on how to request an immigration document or other immigration-related processes
• Explains interpretation of non-immigrant status regulations, policies and practices for students, faculty and staff of the university community.

10% Miscellaneous
Other duties as assigned to support the mission of International Support Services.

Position Requirements

U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident to comply with Federal regulation requirements to be a DSO and ARO (to issue and sign immigration documents).

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree plus one (1) year of relevant experience.
2. Attention to detail as evidenced by application materials.
3. Excellent written communication skills as evidenced by application materials.
4. One (1) year of experience with Microsoft Office Suite to include Outlook, Word, Powerpoint, and Excel.
5. One (1) year of experience working with data management systems.
6. U.S. Citizenship or U.S. Permanent Residence, to comply with federal regulations to be a Designated School Official and Alternate Responsible Officer.

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector, ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices, enhances collaboration with external partners, and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations.

Additional Candidate Instruction

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

1. Cover letter addressing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
2. Resume or curriculum vitae.
3. Contact information for three professional references (including at least one previous or current supervisor).

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application review begins Tuesday, January 6, 2026 and will continue until a qualified pool of candidates has been identified.

Disclaimer

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university's programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and procedures and is the Title IX Coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY. Reports can be submitted by contacting the Title IX Coordinator as provided herein or using the Title IX online report form and complaints can be submitted with the Title IX Coordinator or using the Title IX online complaint form.