Description

AFS-USA is part of a worldwide network of AFS partner organizations that work together to advance global education and foster meaningful connections across cultures. As the network’s largest partner, AFS-USA works to increase the global competency of U.S. citizens by providing a variety of international and intercultural learning experiences to individuals, families, schools, and communities. We are proud of our Staff from our national office in New York City as well as home offices across the county, who collaborate with our more than 2,000 AFS-USA Volunteers to deliver high quality programs and global education resources. These include immersion-based study abroad experiences in over 40 countries worldwide; opportunities to host foreign AFS exchange students; and global learning workshops and curricula for educators, schools and businesses.

The Participant Support and Learning Team’s primary role is maintaining the safety and wellbeing of all participants, while facilitating intercultural learning. The Participant Support and Learning Specialist works closely with the Senior Participant Support and Learning Specialist and the Participant Support Manager in developing and implementing quality support for our hosting and sending programs. The Support and Learning Specialist also works to advise, train, and strengthen their volunteer area teams’ capacity to support participants, host families, sending families, schools, and partners during the intercultural living experience.

DUTIES/RESONSIBILITIES:

Crisis, Risk, and Conflict Management Functions

• During political, natural, safety, or personal crises, work closely with the Senior Participant Support and Learning Specialist, Participant Support and Learning Manager, AFS International, and partner country staff to monitor and manage the situation, and keep all impacted parties informed and updated.
• Serve as first point of contact for AFS’ Emergency Line, manage emotional and/or difficult conversations with stakeholders.
• Act as AFS-USA primary on-call Duty Officer during evenings (6pm to 9am the next day), weekends (from Friday 6pm to Monday 9am), and holidays (as assigned) on a rotating schedule to respond to emergencies to manage participants’ safety and well-being as well as to respond to other matters that require immediate action.
• Effectively facilitate conflict resolution strategies by transforming conflicts into learning opportunities and driving them towards resolution.
• Assist the Participant Support and Learning Manager and Government and Legal Affairs Manager in reviewing cases and drafting responses to complaints or letters received regarding participant/stakeholder dissatisfaction with the AFS program.

Case Management Functions

• Assist volunteers in hosting support situations to ensure that appropriate steps are taken with participants, host families, schools and/or any other parties as necessary to resolve issues, that all parties are heard and that all sides of the issue are addressed.

• Keep partner offices well informed from the beginning on any support cases involving participants from their countries hosted in the U.S. and provide all necessary documentation to ensure that partners can effectively manage the expectations of the sending families.

• Work closely with partner offices to obtain information on support cases affecting Americans abroad and maintain clear and regular contact with sending families, (and volunteers when applicable) to inform them about the support issues facing their child and the steps AFS is taking to resolve the issues, as well as to enlist their support in the process.

• Work with volunteers to obtain medical or legal services in cases that so warrant, and work closely with the Senior Participant Support and Learning Specialist and the Participant Support Manager in serious medical, psychological or legal cases.

• Keep the Participant Support and Learning Manager informed of all support cases, especially those which involve situations of high levels of risk including but not limited to:
  • participants’ personal safety
  • potential legal action against a participant or AFS
  • potential negative media exposure to the organization
  • non-adherence to AFS, Department of State, and/or CSIET standards or regulations

• Ensure that all hosted participants are assigned a registered, trained, and compliant local volunteer prior to their arrival. Coordinate updating and managing the liaison database in collaborating with volunteers, and other staff.

• Keep all support cases as well as other relevant participant data (i.e. moves narratives and placement updates, assignment/change of liaisons, Early Return information, etc.) up to date in AFS-USA's recordkeeping platforms.

Training

• Work with various stakeholders in designing and delivering appropriate support training for volunteer teams online and in-person.

• Lead and contribute to specified student trainings (i.e. Sponsored Programs, country-specific cultural orientation sessions, LGBTQ participants).

• Design and deliver conflict resolution/managing difficult conversations trainings to other departments in the organization.

• Participate in National, Regional, and local training events as requested by the Participant Support and Learning Manager.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS:

• Bachelor’s degree required. M.S. or M.A. Degree and / or 3-5 years’ experience in cross-cultural conflict management/resolution, mediation, and / or mental health related field (counseling, psychology, social work, etc.) with an ability to diagnose and experience in effective crisis intervention.
• Prior supervisory experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication and strong analytical problem solving skills required
• Ability to handle emotionally intense situations and remain calm under pressure, and ability to manage these situations remotely
• Experience living abroad and knowledge of/interest in intercultural communication styles preferred
• Able to keep accurate, up-to-date files
• Customer service experience preferred
• Experience as a volunteer or working with volunteers preferred
• Experience leading and supervising others
• Experience with leading group training sessions or the willingness to do so; comfortable in front of a group
• Able to work effectively independently and as a member of a team
• Ability to build relationships across geographic distances
• Intercultural Learning, Conflict Resolution/Transformation, Social Work, Advising/Counseling, Child Protective Services, Psychology, Adolescent Mental Health, Alcohol/Tobacco Prevention, Anti-Discrimination/Diversity and Inclusion experience highly desired
• A valid driver’s license and passport.

WORK EXPECTATIONS:

• AFS USA work hours are generally from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday EST; however, given the nature of this position and the necessity to work closely with volunteers, the specific schedule of this role will be discussed with the hiring manager.
• Travel is expected in this position (30%).
• U.S. candidates considered.

**Applications submitted without a resume and cover letter will not be considered.

SALARY:

• $61,500/Annually plus benefits including: medical, dental, vision, and PTO

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY:

AFS-USA is committed to maintaining a culture of diversity, inclusion, and equity. We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure that we have the best, most creative talent on our team.

NON-DISCRIMINATION:

AFS-USA is committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. AFS-USA prohibits all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation, including behavior which targets an individual or group based on perceived or actual characteristics, such as but not limited to: race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), national origin, age, disability, military service, veteran status, marital status, partnership status, sexual orientation, familial status, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, alienage, citizenship status, caregiver status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sex offense or stalking, unemployment status, status as a certified medical marijuana patient or any other legally protected classification.

Qualifications