Director of Residential Life

Maryville University

Position Announcement

Director of Residential Life



We will be recruiting and interviewing for this role at the Placement Exchange Virtual Career Fair March 7-9.

SUMMARY

Maryville University is seeking a Director of Residential Life to oversee a campus population of approximately 1,000 residents spread across 11 campus residential facilities. The Director serves as a member of the Division for Student Life (DSL) leadership team, reporting to the Dean of Students. This highly collaborative role requires a high level of discretion and initiative in order to accomplish goals established under the University and DSL missions. The Director is expected to be innovative and to anticipate needs, exercise urgency in the completion of responsibilities, and demonstrate excellent attention to detail. The successful candidate must be committed to fostering a culturally diverse atmosphere for students, faculty, and staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

University Housing Operations

• Leads the Residential Life team to develop and maintain the department’s strategic plan, ensuring alignment with the overall institutional strategic planning efforts in fulfillment of the University’s mission; implements and monitors ongoing benchmarking, assessment, and innovative improvements for all Residential Life areas to improve the residential student experience.
• Develop and monitor operational budgets and allocation of expenditures in Residential Life; prepares cost estimates and justifications for budget item recommendations; suggests necessary upgrades or improvements to residential facilities.
• Coordinate all University housing needs with campus partners such as Physical Plant and Public Safety to ensure smooth opening/closing activities and maintain a safe and productive living and learning environment.
• Oversee all aspects of the housing selection process, including but not limited to: contract and policy review, room assignments and changes, key distribution/electronic access, etc.
• Delivers a Residential Life communication strategy and projects associated with social media (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, blogs, video posting, etc.) and updates Residential Life content on the University website and internal portal.
• Remains current with trends in housing operations and facilities; liaisons with local, regional, and national housing program leads for knowledge sharing and emergency planning.

Residential Education

• Ensures department creates and delivers a robust series of ongoing programs for residential students that aligns with the educational mission and priorities of Maryville, with special emphasis on creating inclusive environments.
• Serve as a member of the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Committee, representing the needs and challenges of the residential population.
• Provide oversight related to Residential Life assessment efforts, such as collecting and maintaining statistics and data that will drive quality improvement and provide for program evaluation based on desired learning outcomes.
• Act as a liaison with other University and external groups; serve on university and departmental committees as assigned; and participate in activities and projects related to student life matters.

Crisis Management and Student Conduct

• Serve as on-call contact for campus emergencies; coordinates on-call rotation for professional staff and resident assistants within University housing.
• Assists with case management for the resolution of residential student issues and concerns; serves on the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT).
• Assists with the administration of student conduct with ability to serve as a conduct officer, which can include investigating student conduct reports; interviewing, reporting and responding to parties and witnesses; and presenting findings to the Dean of Students.
• Serve, as needed, on University-wide emergency response teams and participate in regular planning and training exercises.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of Residential Life will directly supervise two professional Residential Life Coordinators, two graduate assistants, and indirectly supervise 40+ student employees assigned to the Residential Life Office. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding accomplishments; addressing inappropriate behavior; and addressing complaints and resolving problems.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree required; a degree in higher education or a closely related area preferred.
• Minimum of five years prior experience managing residential facilities in an educational environment.
• Exceptional written and verbal interpersonal communication skills used to effectively communicate with students, faculty, staff, family members, and the general public.
• Appreciation for and ability to work effectively with a diverse student population.
• Strong organizational skills to prioritize and perform multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail, while also demonstrating the highest level of customer service.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals, be adaptable to various competing demands, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently and to demonstrate a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Knowledge and experience using integrated software systems and Microsoft applications (with proficiency in MS Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel) and the ability to quickly learn new software and databases.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL EFFORT

The Director of Residential Life is a full-time, 12-month live-off position with some evening and weekend work required. Job functions are primarily performed in a fast-paced, indoor environment frequently requiring multi-task functioning. Will work within standard office conditions. Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation. Lifting and moving items may be required. Required lifting may be broken down into less heavy, manageable components. Movement to and from other departments/buildings on campus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS

Please include a cover letter that addresses your residential life philosophy and commitment to creating inclusive living and learning environments.

An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background screening. Applicants requiring University sponsorship to obtain employment authorization will not be considered for this position.

Maryville University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race/color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. This extends to all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruiting, hiring, training, on-the-job treatment, promotion, layoff, and termination.

Advertised: February 15, 2023
Applications close: