Director of Residence Life

About the role

The Director of Residence Life provides strategic leadership and administrative oversight for all aspects of the residential experience for students in University housing. This position is responsible for fostering developmentally focused residential communities that support student success, retention, belonging, and well-being while furthering the Christian mission, culture, and heritage of the University through general leadership of the department, supervision of professional Residence Life staff, and close collaboration with Housing Services.

Responsibilities

• Establish goals and learning outcomes as well as periodic evaluative and assessment processes and strategies for Residence Life that measure and respond to student satisfaction, engagement, and development trends.
• Oversee the recruitment, supervision, training, and evaluation of Residence Directors, Paraprofessional staff, and Student staff.
• Provide leadership development and promote a culture of professional development, accountability, and excellence that exemplifies the Christian culture, values, and heritage of the University.
• Manage the overall experience of students living in University housing including community development, educational and social programming, and student conduct.
• Oversee the design and implementation of residential communities that utilize best practices in student development and research to create engaging, learning community environments that promote belonging for residents.
• Partner with Housing Services in application and occupancy processes, room assignments, and the seamless integration of pertinent practices to support a high quality student experience.
• Ensure the management of residential conduct processes according the standards set by the Student Conduct office in collaboration with the Director of Student Conduct.
• Maintain knowledge of current laws and regulations related to Residence Life and trends in the field of higher education and present recommendations to senior leadership.
• Collaborate with other University departments, including but not limited to Safety Services, Student Mental Health, Spiritual Life, Community Life, Student Conduct, Facilities, Disability Services, and the Counseling Center in order to ensure the highest quality living experience for students.
• Oversee the emergency on-call process for Residence Life and provide immediate support for Residence Directors to equip them to respond with professionalism and sound judgment in maintenance, physical, and psychological emergencies.
• Manage escalated student/parent concerns related to Residence Life.
• Serve as a representative on divisional and University committees and participate in University events as assigned.
• Recommend and participate in the development of and ensure staff and student compliance with appropriate University policies and procedures.
• Develop and manage Residence Life budgets, as assigned, and participate in strategic planning.
• Abide by, understand, uphold, exemplify, defend, and enforce University and Residence Life/Housing Services policies.

Qualifications

• A Master’s degree (M. A.) or equivalent in a related field.
• A minimum of five years progressive experience in Residence Life or student development leadership and administration.

Skills

• A growing and dynamic Christian faith, which is naturally communicated with words and actions that reflects the Baptist theology, philosophy, and heritage of the University.
• A sense of mission and commitment to the personal development of college students.
• The ability to recognize and identify the talents of individuals and relate to others with a sense of caring.
• Strong oral and written communication skills with the ability to build effective interpersonal relationships and work collaboratively with a culturally diverse student body, faculty, and staff.
• Demonstrated organizational competence and attention to detail, including supervision, programming, delegation, and the coordination of meetings and special events.
• Ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment in administrative and procedural decision-making, including handling sensitive and confidential matters and interpreting, adapting, and applying policies and procedures.
• Proven capacity to address inappropriate behavior, resolve student or customer concerns, and manage conflict with professionalism and care.
• Proficiency in the use of personal computers and related software applications, with the resilience to successfully navigate the unique demands and intrusions inherent in a residential college environment.