Residential Life Coordinator

Description

The Residential Life Coordinator (RLC) at Hope College oversees one of our largest residential halls creating community by engaging students in a dynamic environment. We strive to create opportunities that develop, foster, and promote academic success, personal growth, intercultural competence, and exploration of faith. The RLC also serves on the Residential Life Leadership Team collaboratively developing and implementing the mission, objectives, and program for the Office of Residential Life and Education in alignment with the missions of Student Development and the college.  

Hope offers robust hall, house, and apartment living options and employs over 150 Resident Assistants (RAs) and nine part-time professional staff Resident Directors (RDs). RLCs provide leadership and oversight to a cluster of halls, supervising the RDs while also supervising their own building RA staff.  RLCs are provided with a competitive salary and benefits; spacious furnished apartment; academic year meal plan; and access to ongoing professional development opportunities. Specific responsibilities include:

Relationship-Building

• Develop relationships with students, colleagues, faculty, and staff that are based in belonging, growth, dignity, respect, and care
• Assess and respond to needs of Resident Directors, Student Leadership Team members, Resident Assistants, and the campus community

Student Development

• Present educational programs that respond to the developmental needs of residents
• Link theory and practice in interactions with students, parents, colleagues, and other constituencies
• Engage in developmental conversations with students and make referrals to other agencies as appropriate
• Oversee operation of residence hall including, but not limited to, supervision of RAs, student engagement, community development, and addressing facility needs
• Serve as Judicial Hearing Officer within an education-based campus judicial process
• Confront policy violations and take appropriate, timely, and developmental-based action 
• Actively seek ways to integrate in-classroom and out-of-classroom experiences within the context of a Christian, residential, liberal arts college

Community Development

• Create a community that fosters the development of relationships between members steeped in understanding and respect
• Teach students and colleagues in areas such as ethical decision-making, vocation and calling, conflict transformation, collaboration, intercultural competence, and faith exploration/formation/engagement
• Develop and implement specific programs and events to celebrate the richness of diversity and promote the active engagement of all students
• Meet regularly with individual staff members, groups of staff members, or entire staff to solve problems, implement programs, and address emergent issues
• Mediate conflicts within floors, neighbors, roommates; utilize a variety of approaches to effectively address emergent conflicts (e.g., roommate agreements, behavior contracts)
• Interpret policy and procedures for students, staff, parents, and others

Supervision 

• Supervise Resident Directors, Resident Assistants and Student Leadership Team members. Resident Directors are part-time bachelors level employees that assume responsibility for the day-to-day operation of smaller residence halls. Student Leadership Team members are RAs who oversee the work of other student staff members. Resident Assistants are students who work directly with residents of a particular living community.
• Oversee and support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs by RAs throughout the academic year
• Assist in the design and implementation of pre-service and on-the-job training covering a variety of topics pertinent to residential life and student development for RDs and RAs (e.g., policies and procedures, campus resources, leadership development)
• Manage programming budget for individual hall as well as budgets for residence halls within supervision area

Institutional Citizenship

• Serve on division-level and campus-wide committees
• Assist with and/or support divisional programs and events (e.g., Advising student groups, judging the Pull or Nykerk Cup competition, staffing Student Life events)
• Engage with the life of the College (e.g., attend institutional events such as speakers, performances, athletic contests, student programs and initiatives, and worship services)
• Be present in the College community allowing for the development of planned and unplanned relationships with students and colleagues

Qualifications

Master's Degree in College Student Personnel, Counseling, or a related field preferred. Residential life experience strongly preferred.

Application Instructions

As part of the online application, candidates will upload a cover letter and resume.