FLSA STATUS: Exempt

SUMMARY:

Funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), the Regional Flagship Language Initiatives provide intensive, immersion-based language instruction to graduate and undergraduate students who have been awarded Boren fellowships and wish to study Hindi, Indonesian, Thai, Turkish, or Vietnamese. Each program begins with an intensive, eight-week summer session conducted at the University of Wisconsin, Madison followed by a fifteen-week overseas semester, administered by American Councils in collaboration its overseas partners and UWM. The overseas locations and partners are:

Hindi: The American Institute of Indian Studies; Jaipur, India

Indonesian: Malang University; Malang, Indonesia

Thai: Chiang Mai University; Chaing Mai, Thailand

Turkish: Azerbaijan University of Languages; Baku, Azerbaijan

Vietnamese: University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), Vietnam National University; Ha Noi, Vietnam

Enrollments in each overseas program range from 6 to 15. Each program provides intensive language instruction, weekly cultural activities, service learning, and language tutoring. Students live with host families vetted by American Councils and its overseas partners. A full time U.S. Resident Director (RD) serves as American Councils' chief representative on site and provides ongoing support to students, including 24-emergency aid, for the duration of the program.

The RFLI Program Manager directs and guides the day-to-day operation of the RFLI programs. The Program Manager maintains relations with overseas partners, negotiates agreements, monitors finances, and ensures program quality. The Program Manager hires and trains both U.S and overseas staff, leads pre-departure orientation programs, and directs the preparation of student handbooks and acceptance materials. In direct, close (daily) communication with the onsite Resident Director, the Program Manager oversees student housing, cultural programming, and extra-curricular activities, including service learning. With the Managing Director and Resident Director, the Program Manager responds to student issues, program concerns, policy questions, and emergencies.

Together with the Managing Director, the Program Manager maintains ongoing communication with UWM staff to apprise them of program concerns and to consult with them on appropriate responses to emerging issues, including interventions to support students or to address student-life issues. The Program Manager is available 24-hours per day to respond to emergencies. He/she plays a key role in a key role in developing support for students facing adjustment issues and expanding student-centered programming.

The Program Manager develops the annual budget, monitors expenses, and directs the administration and completion of program evaluations. He/she compiles reports on program finances and activities for partners and funders. The Program Manager supervises the Resident Directors in the field and the RFLI Program Officer. The position reports to the Managing Director of Higher Education.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Negotiate agreements with international partners to ensure the delivery of all overseas program components, including student housing, quality instruction, onsite academic coordination, cultural activities, transportation, and access to classrooms and university facilities;
• Lead and direct the preparation of program materials, including websites, acceptance materials, handbooks, orientation presentations, and "Day-in-the-Life" seminars for prospective participants;
• Oversee key pre-departure logistical planning for students, including visa applications, insurance enrollments, orientation schedules, and travel arrangements;
• Liaise with students, family members, UWM staff, and other program stakeholders, including IIE and NSEP;
• Maintain daily communication with RDs in the field to keep abreast of program developments, alert the Managing Director and UWM to emerging issues, and develop strategies to address potential problems and ensure program quality;
• In collaboration with the Managing Director, respond to student emergencies (24-hours);
• In consultation with the Managing Director, develop, update and revise program policies on student life and health and safety protocols;
• Conduct overseas site reviews, including individual meetings with students, university partners, and staff; provide written reports and recommendations for program adjustments based on reviews;
• Supervise the RFLI Program Officer;
• Hire, train, and supervise Resident Directors (RDs) during the fall semester (approximately Sept 1 - December 15) at 5 RFLI locations (Baku, Chiang Mia, Hanoi, Malang, and Jaipur);
• Develop program budgets, oversee program finances, and prepare financial reports;
• Participate in the design and administration of program evaluations; review student evaluations and make program adjustments to continually improve program quality;
• In collaboration with Managing Director and RFLI Program Officer, review final grades before they are submitted to UWM;
• Participate in grant proposal writing and reporting in collaboration with American Councils Bids and Proposals department as requested;
• Other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree (MA preferred) in Asian or Southeast Asian studies or related/equivalent field;
• Experience living, working, or studying abroad in Asia or Southeast Asia;
• At least two years professional experience managing international programs;
• Demonstrated effective planning and organizational skills;
• Experience communicating, negotiating, and/or liaising with overseas universities;
• Experience supervising full time professional staff;
• Experience responding to student-life issues on study abroad and developing student-centered overseas programming;
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills;
• Experience developing and managing program budgets and monitoring program finances;
• Demonstrated knowledge of best practices in study abroad;
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple, competing deadlines under pressure;
• Demonstrated close attention to detail;
• Public speaking experience;
• Proficiency in Hindi, Indonesian, Thai, Turkish or Vietnamese (highly preferred).

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

American Councils is committed to taking affirmative steps to enhance employment opportunities for minorities, women, veterans, and people with disabilities, and strives to ensure that meaningful employment and promotional opportunities are maintained for everyone. American Councils' commitment to equal employment opportunity is based not only on federal requirements, but also on a longstanding commitment to maintaining a diverse workforce reflective of the communities in which we operate.

PAY TRANSPARENCY NONDISCRIMINATION PROVISION

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.