Operations and Communication Specialist, Immigration Services

Job Number

2024-14253

Position Summary

UAE Nationals are encouraged to apply

New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks to appoint an Operations and Communication Specialist, Immigration Services reporting to the Assistant Director, Immigration Services.

The incumbent oversees the operations and communication of all departmental services related to immigration processes for employees, their families, and students. This role is responsible for completing the UAE background checks, security clearance procedures, document legalization, and the full lifecycle of immigration services, including onboarding, renewals for all faculty, researchers, administrative, and contractual candidates. The position is also responsible for the operations of the functions in coordination with immigration team and other stakeholders, ensuring smooth execution of all immigration-related processes and procedures. The incumbent will act as the primary point of contact, to provide guidance and support to faculty, researchers, staff, and their families on government-related queries, ensuring accurate and timely communication. The role is pivotal in delivering a high level of stakeholder satisfaction by addressing requests efficiently and ensuring clarity in meeting regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Background check: Responsible for the complete process including communication with candidates on timely basis, to familiarize them with the process, collect necessary data and information, and answer questions and inquiries as they arise. Manage the data entry on the Itimad, Bayanati and/or any other government portal and maintain the trackers for all cases, attend meetings, prepare reports and ensure creating of employee folders and filing

• Legalization of documents: Responsible for the complete process which is a pre-requisite for the background check as well as residence visas such as academic degrees, marriage certificates, and birth certificates of children. Ensure timely communication with external service providers and internal stack-holders with all relevant updates. Managing the tracking sheets for legalization process - updated for each vendor, and ensure filing of electronic and hard copies to individual folders. Provide periodical reports on regular basis. Ensure safe keeping and delivery for original documents to the owners
• Service Center / Customer Service: The incumbent will be responsible to ensure the required staff coverage at the immigration desks at the Service Center and the key person for communication and correspondence from the Immigration Services to NYUAD Faculty, Researches, Staff, dependents, students, other NYUAD departments, and vendors. Attend all new joiner orientation for Faculty, researchers and staff. Ensure that all documents to be received from the employees and other HR team members are precise and complete. Provide the latest information and information gathered from the government offices/immigration team that might help complete the transactions fast and with ease and/or oversee new rules that must be observed
• Responsible of the onboarding of new hires, compile documents, and prepare documentation for application of work permit and entry permit for obtaining residence visas in coordination with immigration team members and/or vendors. Ensure all required documentation for post-arrival visa formalities for employees and their families are available on timely basis to complete the required immigration services requests. Oversee the operations in order to track the visa, labor card and Emirates ID card renewal dates, communication on timely manner and preparation of required documentation for visa renewals of employees, and their families. Ensure updating of Workday with work permit, visa and Emirates ID details, update dashboard data and prepare reports as needed
• Act as a cover to compile all the information related to students’ visas, new and renewal, in coordination with internal and external stakeholders and service providers. Prepare documentation for visa applications. Maintain all immigration related paper files and documentation for students, electronic and manual files. Answer any routine immigration related questions from students and provide satisfactory customer service
• Responsible for the process of visa cancellation documentation for departing employees, their families and students
• Point of contact to receive all visa requests for all candidate weekends, students and NYUAD visitors and guests. Compile the necessary documents for service providers to process STR/visit/tourist visas. Maintain tracking sheets and ensure ongoing communications with requestors, provide status updates, monitor troubleshooting and produce needed reports
• Responsible of managing all individual files for all new candidates to be transferred to new hire files as necessary. Maintaining individual archives for each candidate as electronic and manual files. Act as the primary administrator/officer for all government portals for NYUAD accounts; update the immigration systems, trackers, and spreadsheets
• Keep up-to-date with laws and regulations changes. Ensure the completion of all required changes and updates to all departmental manuals, and guides. Ensure accurate and timely update of Workday and all other trackers. Prepare Immigration Services related reports, as required. Work with all other Immigrations team members on any projects as required and other Immigrations administration needs and work requirements

Required Education:

• Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

• Master’s Degree in Business Administration or related field

Required Experience:

• 3 to 5 years of experience in the UAE in a similar role
• Bilingual (Arabic and English), excellent written and spoken communications skills in both English and Arabic
• Professional typing skill in Arabic and English with good skills in PC and MS Office
• Require good time management and interpersonal skills
• Organized, result oriented and ability to work under pressure
• Absolute discretion and respect for the confidentiality of all university, staff and dependents data of a business or personal nature is essential

Preferred Experience:

• 3 to 5 years of experience in the UAE in the same role
• Knowledge of the ICP, MoHRE, Itimad, Bayanati and other government application portals
• Familiarity with UAE MoHRE and immigration ministries’ rules and regulations
• Exposure to working with a very culturally diverse employee population strongly preferred