Institutional Relations Specialist, Gilman International Scholarship Program (Hybrid)

The Institutional Relations Specialist leads communications and engagement with higher education institutions throughout the U.S. for the Gilman International Scholarship Program and supervises one staff member who supports the program’s application and selection processes. The Institutional Relations Specialist will also oversee all aspects of the selection panel process, engaging thousands of campus advisors each year in the submission and review of Gilman Scholarship applications. The position also engages with the Gilman Alumni Ambassadors, attends all meetings, collects feedback, and supports the training of a cohort each year all in coordination with the Gilman Program outreach unit.

Essential Functions:

• Creates the communication strategy and leads engagement with the campus advisor community at higher education institutions across the U.S., creating virtual programming to meet the needs of advisors, regularly surveying the community and analyzing feedback for sponsor and higher education consideration.
• Develops training materials for new and continuing Gilman campus advisors and other institutional staff on campus to promote and support the Gilman Program on their campus. Implements best practices, policies and procedures, and topics for the education and training of the advisor community.
• Identifies ways to highlight successful campuses and advisors through events and campaigns coordinated with Outreach team colleagues. Develops deep connections with college and university staff in study abroad, TRIO offices, military-connected students, career services, diversity offices, among other key target stakeholder audiences across the United States.
• Manages all aspects of the Gilman Program selection panel process, including identifying potential reviewers, fielding questions, creating schedules for hundreds of selection panels to review thousands of applications.
• Trains selection committee members and IIE Gilman team member facilitators on the screening process, creates, refines, and provides review resources and guidelines and independently facilitates review/selection meetings which are all held virtually.
• Oversees the work of one Coordinator who supports with selection panel and advisor communication efforts.
• Participates and supports the team in the development and design of the Gilman application and advisor portal system, actively testing, identifying, and resolving technical issues becoming extremely familiar with navigating the systems and formats. Conducts the technical review of applications based on the specific program requirements and responds to advisor inquiries on the application certification process and recipient support process.
• Creates and maintains database to ensure that advisor data, participant data, and selection results are correctly entered to allow for accurate data reporting. Creates reports and data summaries for internal and external leadership as needed, along with recommendations.

The Institute of International Education (“IIE”) has a hybrid work environment that allows team members a combination of in-office work and telework at any of the locations listed above.

Education and Work Experience:

• Requires a Bachelor's degree and at least five years of related work experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Master’s degree and eight years professional work experienced required preferred.
• Must possess deep understanding of U.S. higher education.
• Must possess knowledge and understanding of the field of international higher education, including the U.S. higher education sector.
• Significant experience implementing a selection process and strong understanding of the complexities of different application and database systems.
• Experience with word processing, databases, spreadsheets, conducting surveys and analyzing results.
• Ability to manage a large volume of work under severe time constraints and pressures, be creative and flexible.
• Demonstrated excellent interpersonal communication skills; exhibits maturity and is confident with meeting facilitation and uses diplomacy in difficult situations.
• Ability to successfully implement simultaneous projects and competing demands in a fast-paced work environment and be able to switch gears easily when new directions are required.

Salary Range: $55,043 - $70,386. A candidate’s salary is determined by various factors including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, internal organizational equity, and geographic region.

IIE offers a robust suite of benefits to team members including medical, dental, and vision plans, paid time off and holidays, student loan and tuition reimbursement programs, professional development reimbursement program, retirement plans and a family medical leave benefits. Please visit our careers page for further details.