Director of International Student Workforce Compliance & University Partnerships (OPT/CPT) (Volunteer)

Mentor A Promise is a New York City–based nonprofit serving children and youth (ages 5–18) experiencing housing instability, grounded in the belief that every child is a Promise—full of potential, dignity, and possibility. We deliver consistent, high-quality programming across mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, and creative expression in shelters, schools, and community spaces, creating structured environments where students can grow, be seen, and build lasting skills. Through signature experiences like The Imagination Studio, The Kitchen Table, The Sound Lab, and The Story Space, we nurture academic development, emotional well-being, and creative voice, all within a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and accessibility-centered framework. Our work prioritizes dignity-protective storytelling, consent-driven engagement, and deep community partnership, ensuring that how we serve is as intentional as whom we serve. We are not only addressing immediate needs - we are building pathways to confidence, belonging, and long-term opportunity, so every child has the support and foundation to carry their promise forward. , Director of International Student Workforce Compliance & University Partnerships (OPT/CPT) (Volunteer) Mentor A Promise Remote Available Times Weekdays (daytime, evenings), Weekends (daytime, evenings) Time Commitment A few hours per week Commitment Details 5–10 hours per week Recurrence Recurring Volunteers Needed 1 Cause Areas Children & Youth, Community Development, Education, Housing & Homelessness, Immigrants or Refugees, Volunteering Benefits Training Provided Description Director of International Student Workforce Compliance & University Partnerships (OPT/CPT) (Volunteer) PromisePeople | Global Academic Workforce Strategy, Compliance Governance & Institutional Partnerships Organization Mentor A Promise (MAP) Location Remote with NYC-based collaboration as needed Type Volunteer Executive Leadership Role Reports To Chief of Human Resources & Operations Works Closely With PromiseShield, Legal & Governance, University Relations, Recruitment & Talent Operations, Department Directors, Executive Leadership About Mentor A Promise Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children and youth experiencing housing instability through mentorship, education, literacy, workforce development, technology, and community care. Our work is rooted in dignity, institutional accountability, ethical leadership, safeguarding, and long-term systems building. As MAP continues expanding its educational workforce infrastructure and university partnership ecosystem, we are building institutionally credible systems supporting CPT (Curricular Practical Training)OPT (Optional Practical Training)international student workforce participationacademic internships and fellowshipsexperiential learning partnershipseducational placement systemsuniversity engagement pipelinesworkforce compliance operationsparticipation verification protocolsinstitutional onboarding standards We believe educational opportunity must be supported by operational integrity, defensible systems, and responsible governance. This role exists to help ensure all three. Role Overview Mentor A Promise is seeking a Director of International Student Workforce Compliance & University Partnerships to help architect, oversee, and strengthen all organizational systems related to OPT/CPT participationeducational workforce engagementuniversity partnershipsinstitutional verification systemsworkforce documentation standardscompliance operationsacademic relationship managementparticipation governance infrastructure This is a high-trust leadership role requiring exceptional operational judgment, systems thinking, institutional professionalism, and compliance-oriented leadership. The Director will help ensure MAP’s international student engagement systems are ethicaloperationally soundeducationally legitimateprofessionally supervisedproperly documentedscalableaudit-consciousinstitutionally defensible The ideal candidate understands that organizations engaging international students must operate with extraordinary care, accuracy, consistency, and accountability. This is not an administrative coordination role. It is a strategic governance and institutional infrastructure leadership position. Key Responsibilities International Student Workforce Compliance & Governance Lead organizational systems supporting OPT/CPT participation and educational workforce engagementHelp establish institutionally defensible operational standards governing internships, fellowships, volunteer pathways, and educational placementsEnsure alignment between workforce roles, educational objectives, supervision structures, and participation expectationsReview workforce systems for operational integrity, educational legitimacy, and documentation consistencyDevelop safeguards surrounding onboarding, attendance tracking, participation verification, supervision standards, and role accountabilitySupport implementation of scalable quality assurance and workforce oversight systemsIdentify organizational compliance vulnerabilities and recommend mitigation strategiesStrengthen cross-functional coordination between HR, legal, safeguarding, recruitment, and departmental leadership University Partnerships & Institutional Strategy Develop relationships with universities, international student offices, career centers, and academic departmentsServe as a strategic liaison supporting institutional workforce partnerships and educational collaboration initiativesHelp expand MAP’s long-term academic partnership ecosystem through trusted university engagementSupport development of internship pipelines, fellowship pathways, capstone collaborations, and experiential learning initiativesRepresent MAP in institution-facing conversations with professionalism, maturity, and operational credibilityHelp position MAP as a trusted nonprofit educational workforce partner Workforce Documentation, Verification & Reporting Systems Oversee development of rigorous workforce documentation and participation verification standardsStandardize internal practices related toverification lettersattendance documentationsupervisor accountabilityeducational alignment reportingparticipation recordsworkforce tracking systemsinstitutional correspondenceHelp build defensible reporting systems supporting operational transparency and audit readinessSupport implementation of documentation retention and confidentiality best practicesStrengthen organizational consistency surrounding workforce verification procedures and institutional communicationsAssist in developing escalation and review protocols for compliance-sensitive matters Risk Management, Operational Integrity & Ethical Oversight Partner closely with HR, Legal, safeguarding, and operational leadership to strengthen institutional compliance systemsSupport ethical workforce engagement practices rooted in transparency, accountability, educational legitimacy, and documentation integrityHelp prevent unsupported verification requests, inaccurate workforce representations, or operational inconsistenciesEscalate and appropriately document compliance-related concernsContribute to development of best-in-class governance systems supporting long-term institutional trustSupport supervisor education and operational accountability practices across departments engaging international students Systems Architecture & Operational Infrastructure Assist in designing scalable systems capable of supporting long-term organizational growth and university partnershipsHelp develop SOPs, onboarding systems, operational manuals, training materials, and compliance frameworksBuild operational structures supporting consistency, accountability, and institutional professionalismSupport creation of workforce review mechanisms and quality assurance workflowsTrain department leaders and supervisors on proper educational workforce engagement standardsIntroduce operational best practices modeled after leading higher education and institutional compliance systems Qualifications Required Significant experience supporting or overseeing OPT/CPT systems, international student workforce engagement, higher education operations, or compliance-related functionsStrong understanding of F-1 student employment structures and educational workforce partnership dynamicsExcellent written communication, documentation, and operational organization skillsStrong professionalism, discretion, and institutional judgmentAbility to translate regulatory expectations into practical operational systems and workflowsExperience building or improving administrative, compliance, or governance systemsStrong systems-thinking and process-development capabilityAlignment with MAP’s mission, safeguarding standards, and ethical leadership principles Preferred Background or experience in Higher Education AdministrationHuman ResourcesWorkforce ComplianceImmigration OperationsAcademic AffairsLegal OperationsNonprofit GovernanceUniversity Partnership Development Direct experience working with university career centersinternational student officesinternship and fellowship programseducational placement systemsworkforce compliance documentationparticipation verification systems Additional Preferred Experience developing SOPs and compliance frameworksbuilding scalable operational systemsinstitutional reporting workflowsworkforce governance standardsaudit preparation practicesnonprofit labor and volunteer engagement considerations Commitment Volunteer executive leadership roleApproximately 5–10 hours per weekMinimum 6-month commitment preferredFully remote with optional NYC-based collaboration Why This Role Matters Educational opportunity without operational integrity creates institutional risk. Operational systems without humanity create unnecessary barriers. MAP believes organizations serving students must operate with both compassion and accountability. This role will help ensure our educational workforce systems are ethical, professionally structured, operationally defensible, and worthy of long-term institutional trust. The systems built through this role will directly strengthen organizational credibility, university confidence, workforce integrity, and student protection. What You’ll Gain Opportunity to help build institutionally credible educational workforce systems for a growing nonprofit organizationExecutive-level collaboration with HR, legal, safeguarding, operations, and university partnership leadershipProfessional references and letters of recommendationMeaningful governance and systems leadership experienceOpportunity to shape long-term compliance infrastructure and institutional workforce strategyExperience contributing to mission-driven operational systems with real organizational impact Important Compliance Note This role supports operational compliance, workforce governance, documentation integrity, and university partnership coordination. This position does not provide legal representation or immigration legal advice. How to Apply Interested candidates must apply directly through Idealist Please submit Resume or CV (required)Cover letter (required) describing relevant experience supportingOPT/CPT systemsuniversity partnershipseducational workforce operationscompliance infrastructureacademic engagement systemsinstitutional governance or operational leadership Optional supporting materials may include SOPscompliance frameworksworkforce systemsdocumentation standardsoperational manualsinstitutional partnership initiativesaudit or reporting systems Thank you for your interest in volunteering with our organization. At this time, volunteer opportunities are limited to individuals based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, and programmatic requirements. We appreciate your interest in our mission and your understanding of these constraints. Source reference