Director of International Government Relations

　　Reporting to, the Vice President (VP) International Student Recruitment and Admissions, the Director of International Government Relations will have experience with international governments, ministries of education (and of health) and government scholarship bodies globally, with a specific focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia Pacific (APAC) region, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries.

　　The primary objectives of this role involve securing approval for government-sponsored students to pursue studies at St. George’s University (SGU), advancing the acknowledgment and accreditation of SGU programs within specified countries and regions, and the continuous oversight of all operational facets related to SGU's governmental affiliations. This position will also champion and facilitate discussions on health education policy.

　　A successful candidate will have proven strengths in government affairs, managing relationships with scholarship bodies, media relations, and partnerships, with a passion for promoting international education and an appreciation of sustainable solutions to address the global shortage of qualified healthcare professionals.

　　Essential Functions

　　Direct communication, coordination, and response to governments, ministries of health and education, scholarship bodies, regional international offices, and embassies.

　　Develop and implement a road map to gain approval for government-sponsored students to study at SGU across the targeted countries.

　　Develop and implement processes and procedures for effective management of government scholarship bodies.

　　Develop and deliver training to ensure SGU employees understand and are proficient with relevant rules and regulations.

　　Work with SGU’s Visa and Immigration and Compliance teams to develop and issue policies establishing SGU’s organizational process and procedures to maintain adherence with global laws and regulations.

　　Provide input on international trends in the School of Medicine and general university environment for strategic planning.

　　Develop and manage a network of high-profile international contacts and develop familiar relations with elected representatives and government officials, including facilitating introductions and meetings and organizing onsite visits.

　　Be the central point of contact for incoming and outgoing communications related to international government relations and government scholarship bodies; updating relevant internal teams and coordinating responses appropriately.

　　Drive market access and conducive legislative environments for sustainable return pathways for international medical graduates, including ensuring SGU’s information on country licensure is current.

　　Analyze regulatory and legislative proposals to determine how policymakers’ actions may impact SGU’s operations and keep leadership informed on major updates on government actions.

　　Develop strategies to mitigate risks from potential policies and political developments in target market countries.

　　Guides advocacy efforts to either prevent potential negative outcomes from legislation or regulation or to actively support measures that will support SGU interests.

　　Work with the International recruitment team to ensure SGU’s interests are represented in the home countries of the student population and in countries with active or anticipated recruitment activity.

　　Monitor and update country licensure and Statement of Need policies and procedures, while advocating for policy and procedure clarity and enhancement to support student’s chosen career pathways.

　　Support Visa and Immigration, Compliance, and Legal teams to monitor country-specific laws to promote compliance in areas such as immigration, including faculty, student, and SO visas, labor practices, and third-party service contracts.

　　Support data gathering regarding country-specific and international laws and regulations regarding physician licensure and graduate medical education opportunities.

　　Provide guidance related to immigration, regulation, licensure, and country accreditation as an active member of the Visa Task Force and Government Relations teams.

　　Qualifications

　　Minimum education level master’s degree or international equivalent.

　　Experience with diplomatic and licensure accreditation processes is required.

　　Proven network of business and government connections.

　　Ability to maintain and develop successful partnerships.

　　The ability to proactively identify and respond to global trends in an innovative way.

　　Expert knowledge of business, education, healthcare, and management development issues. Experience in the international healthcare education industry is desirable.

　　Dealing with issues at a strategic level with ease.

　　Track record of success in the implementation of strategy and projects.

　　Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.

　　Strong project management experience and skills required with the ability to attend to details and meet deadlines.

　　Demonstrated ability to absorb new information quickly.

　　Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well in matrix, fast-paced organization.

　　Fluency in English and Arabic and knowledge of the targeted countries and regions is desired.

　　Work Environment/Physical Demands

　　This job is performed at a workstation in a positive, creative, and collaborative environment that may sometimes become noisy.

　　This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.

　　The job may occasionally require working from home in a dedicated and quiet environment.

　　The ability to maintain focused while dealing with interruptions.

　　Hours and Travel

　　This position will be based in UAE, on a hybrid model working both from the HESSS Dubai office and from home in line with HESSS Dubai policies.

　　Ability and eligibility to travel internationally, including but not limited to USA, Grenada, Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

　　A typical work week is 40 hours, Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm. Due to the international nature of this job, the Director, International Relations will be required to be available for calls and meetings outside of normal work hours, and occasional weekends as required.

　　Travel up to 50% per year, if required

　　We Are

　　· Student Centric: We approach every task with a focus on supporting our students to achieve their lifelong learning goals in a safe, vibrant and welcoming environment.

　　· A Global Community: We are one team with an international outlook welcoming the strength in our diversity and the value each of us brings to what we do.

　　· Accountable: We take responsibility for our actions by being responsive, resourceful and respectful in delivering on our commitments with integrity and the highest ethical standards.

　　· Collaborative: We support and empower one another through open communications, cooperation, sharing knowledge and taking time to always listen and show we care.

　　· Committed to Excellence: We take pride in our ongoing pursuit for continuous improvement through creativity, rigor and best practices to produce meaningful outcomes.

　　About University Support Services, LLC

　　University Support Services LLC (USS) is an affiliate of St. George's University (SGU), a leading provider of international medical education. SGU students and faculty come from 151 countries to the island of Grenada, located in the West Indies. Our purpose is to support SGU to deliver best in class education for all SGU students. We put a special focus on the growing global need for diverse high-quality medical and healthcare professionals. USS is pivotal in positioning SGU as a premiere medical degree institute through its student-facing as well as functional support teams.

　　USS is an equal opportunity employer. As such, it is company policy to fill positions with qualified candidates regardless of race, color, sex (including sexual orientation and gender presentation), age, religion, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, pregnancy, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, disability, status in the Uniformed Services of the United States (including veteran status) or status as a victim of domestic violence, except where there is a bona fide occupational qualification. This policy protects applicants and employees from discrimination in the hiring process.