Associate Director of Residential Engagement and Wellbeing

Associate Director of Residential Engagement and Wellbeing

Amherst Campus
Full Time
JR3807

Amherst has taken a leadership role among highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities in successfully diversifying the racial, socio-economic, and geographic profile of its student body. The College is similarly committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration and staff.

Job Description:

Amherst College invites applications for the Associate Director of Residential Engagement and Wellbeing position. The Associate Director of Residential Engagement and Wellbeing is a full-time, year-round position, starting at $70,000 per year - commensurate with experience. Given Amherst's distinction as one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the country, the successful candidate will demonstrate the ways in which they bring value to and will work towards supporting a broadly diverse community.

The Associate Director of Residential Engagement and Wellbeing reports directly to the Director of Residential Engagement and Wellbeing (REW). The AD will work as part of a multidisciplinary team to build on and advance the connection of our students to their environment and to each other. The AD will work to create a residential living and learning experience that enables our highly diverse students to grow their sense of self, improve their individual and collective wellbeing, challenge themselves to learn and grow holistically, and fully engage in the intellectual life of the college. REW is part of the larger structure in Student Affairs that is working to center wellbeing at Amherst College.

The Associate Director of Residential Engagement and Wellbeing is responsible for assisting in the development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive residential engagement and wellbeing program. Working together as part of a team the AD will supervise 6 Community Development Coordinators to ensure that both student and professional staff develop the skills needed to build and create a culture that centers equity, belonging, wellbeing, and respect. With the REW team the AD will oversee the implementation of programs and environmental strategies that promote and center holistic student development that is constructively challenging and supportive. The REW bases their work in theoretical frameworks and evidence-informed practices.

Together, with the Director of Residential Engagement and Wellbeing and the Associate Director of Health and Wellbeing, the Associate Director sets a strategic vision for the department. This position contributes to the creation of a campus community that centers wellbeing and promotes a culture of respect, self-awareness, and healthy decision making. We anticipate and are responsive to the needs of our student residential population and recognize the many factors that influence their ability to engage fully in their academic life, build social connection, and feel that they belong.

The Associate Director's work is central to the goals of the REW. Daytime, on-call, and non-traditional hours including nights and weekends are required. This position has the possibility for a live on or off appointment. In collaboration with other members of the REW and other campus partners, the CDCs will respond to emergent health concerns and crisis situations.

Amherst College has a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the AD must be able to take appropriate actions to support the College's efforts to create a respectful, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming learning environment for all. The AD takes appropriate actions to support a diverse workforce and participates in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.

Summary of Responsibilities:

Residential Education & Engagement Leadership

• Trains, manages, supervises, and evaluates professional staff including the 6 Community Development Coordinators (CDCs). These live-in staff are student-facing positions that provide support for students, manage the residence halls on campus and are responsible for the supervision and development of student staff.
  
• Oversees the recruitment, training, managing, supervision, and evaluation of paid and/or volunteer student staff including, but not limited to, community advisors, student resource and referral staff, programmatic assistants, interns, and/or volunteers.
  
• Provides leadership for educational efforts to support retention and student engagement in the residence halls. Works to provide opportunities for a diverse set of students to connect across differences, bring the intellectual life of the college into the residence halls, and support the development of individual and collective skills in wellbeing.
  
• Act as liaison with New Student Orientation. Coordinate activities, events, and procedures with appropriate campus partners to ensure healthy and balanced transition into College.
  
• Effectively coordinate, implement, and assess high quality residentially-based programmatic and environmental initiatives. Engage in individual-level and population-level interventions to address problematic behavior.
  
• In partnership with the Center for Restorative Practices and other campus partners oversee the implementation of restorative approaches to harm and opportunities to build connections, explore identity, build community and share perspectives.
  
• Train professional and student staff to meet the needs of the campus community, grow leadership skills, improve communication, and build skills to work with our diverse student body.
  
• Participate in and contribute to a wide range of discussions about strategic planning for the department and the Office of Student Affairs.
  
• Develop strategies for effective staff supervision and training for both professional and student staff. Lead the team in recruitment, hiring, training, supervision, leadership development, and evaluation of Residential Engagement & Wellbeing student staff.
  
• Facilitate professional training for all Residential Engagement & Wellbeing staff members ensuring they serve as effective role models, mentors, and leaders for residents/residential staff. Provide opportunities for staff to create meaningful connections and camaraderie.
  
• Work with the director to foster a thriving, healthy, inclusive work environment. Encourage meaningful opportunities to enhance professional competency related to diversity and inclusion.
  

Student Campus Care, Support and Accountability

• Participate in the Tier 2 Administrator On-Call rotation schedule and respond effectively to crisis situations by following appropriate policies and procedures.
  
• Work closely with the Directors of Case Management and Community Standards.
  
• Participate in Behavioral Intervention Team meetings as deemed appropriate.
  
• Actively participate in the Week in Review Meeting designed to review behaviors and responses to those behaviors from the previous week. Working with the REW team develop and implement strategies to respond to trends in student behavior.
  
• Work with student staff and the broader student community to set and enforce community standards as described in the Student Code of Conduct and other policy documents. Intervene or supervise staff in matters of student concern. Use trauma-informed techniques to engage in difficult conversations.
  
• Serve as a conduct officer.
  

Community Engagement & Culture Change

• Utilizing research, theory and current data, the AD creates targeted interventions that address Amherst College's specific needs and environment.
  
• Reviews education and intervention strategies and current status of climate on campus; proposes changes to educational strategies, intervention and policy and procedures in consultation with other relevant staff.
  
• Builds collaborative partnerships across campus to engage students, faculty, and staff in culture change in ongoing engagement, initiatives, and campaigns and measures trends in campus climate over periods of time
  
• Ensures that planning and programming is inclusive and effective for the diverse community and multiple identities represented within the Amherst College community and provides active outreach to students in need.
  
• Maintain clear and accurate records, and engage in individual-level and population-level interventions to address problematic behavior.
  
• In conjunction with other members of REW assist in the development and implementation of strategies to assess the quality of life and sense of community within the residence halls. Identify needs in the community and opportunities for improvement. Make recommendations for environmental changes to improve wellbeing.
  
• Work with theme communities to manage budgets, create equitable practices, revise constitutions. Manage theme community selection and placement.
  

Student Affairs Generalist

• Support and assist the Housing & Operations team in a variety of tasks including housing selection, theme community placement, maintaining inventory and compiling damage billing information and opening and closing of the halls. Supervise CDCs in their work mediating roommate conflicts and housing changes.
  
• Serves as an Administrator on Call in the Tier 2 rotation. Provides support and consultation to the AOC1. Completes appropriate documentation. Provides crisis support and response as needed.
  
• Serves on relevant Campus, Five College, and Community Committees. Participate in regularly scheduled divisional, departmental, and individual meetings.
  
• Develops and administers relevant portions of the REW website.
  
• Collaborates with the Assistant Dean to develop an end of the year report on accomplishments and recommendations for the program, and campus/community program stakeholders.
  
• Works to ensure that the college is in compliance with federal and state law with regard to first-year orientation, employee training, and reporting.
  
• Completes all administrative tasks related to supervision including required for payroll and supervision of staff, and performance reviews.
  
• Approves spending and manages budget.
  
• Contribute to the development and evaluation of policies and procedures to improve the residential experience.
  
• Serve as a liaison with Facilities to help maintain a safe and effective living environment for students. This includes taking steps to ensure that halls are safe and clean, referring students to community standards, and addressing root causes of issues related to student health and safety.
  

Qualifications:

Required

• Master's degree in Higher Education, Student Development, Counseling, or a related field.
  
• 3 years of experience in residence life.
  
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
  
• Working knowledge of student development theory, demonstrated experience in conflict resolution and learning outcomes.
  
• Prior experience with supervision and demonstrated experience with residential student conduct/community standards adjudications.
  
• Evidence-based commitment to supporting a diverse student community. Commitment to fostering inclusive communities through leadership and programming.
  
• An acceptable criminal offender records information (CORI) check.
  

Preferred

• Previous experience programming/promoting community living, wellbeing and or diversity initiatives.
  
• Previous experience working with theme communities.
  

Amherst College offers many opportunities for professional growth and development, continued learning, and career advancement.

Amherst College requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (medical and religious exemptions may apply).

Amherst College is pleased to provide a comprehensive, highly competitive benefits package that meets the needs of staff and faculty and their families. Benefits are an important part of our overall compensation, so it is critical that you review all of the options to ensure it meets your total compensation requirements. Click here for Benefits Information.

Interested candidates are asked to submit a resume and cover letter online at https://amherst.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/Amherst_Jobs. Please be sure to upload all requested documents prior to clicking Submit. Applications cannot be revised once submitted. (Current employees and students should apply by clicking on the Career icon from their Workday home screen) Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

To find information about job group and level (JGL) follow this link.


To apply, visit https://amherst.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Amherst_Jobs/job/Amherst-Campus/Associate-Director-of-Residential-Engagement-and-Wellbeing_JR3807


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