Executive Director of Housing & Residence Life & Associate Dean of Students in the University

Department
 

CSL Housing and Dining Leadership

About the Department
 

The University of Chicago is one of the nation’s leading institutions of higher education and research. Campus and Student Life (CSL) carries the core mission of the University to all aspects of life outside the classroom. It enriches the lives of its students, staff, and faculty and academic staff members and contributes to a vibrant, collaborative, and diverse campus community that inspires excellence and sustains the University’s culture of inquiry, innovation, and continuous learning. The unit also works to support the overall well-being of students, including their health and safety. This happens in the context of a campus located in a dynamic, thriving city, in which opportunities abound for students to learn from, contribute to, and engage with their urban environment. The University community includes approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 10,500 graduate, professional, and other students working together to create a vibrant and dynamic student life.

Job Summary
 

The University seeks an energetic, resourceful, and experienced student affairs professional to provide leadership and oversight of Housing & Residence Life. This position provides focused, dedicated leadership for the undergraduate residential life and housing operations, an auxiliary unit generating approximately $40 million in annual revenue.
The Executive Director for Housing & Residence Life provides leadership in the creation of and support of strong, highly engaged student communities for 4,500 students living in the College Houses. The position guides a wide variety of programs and services including community life, housing administration, operating and capital budget management, assignments and occupancy management, marketing, assessment, technology and residential computing, summer conferences, facilities management, and emergency/crisis management. Along with three (3) Senior Associate Director level direct reports, the Executive Director oversees 25 professional level staff, approximately 160 residential staff, and 100 bargaining unit staff. The position serves as a critical link to University offices and departments in addressing student and institutional needs, and the Executive Director develops key relationships with senior faculty members and their spouses/partners who live in the College Housing system and are appointed to serve as Resident Deans. Reporting to the AVP for Campus Life/Associate Dean, the Executive Director is a member of the AVP’s senior management team.
The University of Chicago has partnered with Isaacson, Miller, in this search process. In addition to applying here, you must submit materials to Isaacson, Miller. You may find information at https://www.imsearch.com/8562.
A confidential review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the appointment is made.

Responsibilities

Oversee Housing & Residence Life

• Supervise the senior associate directors (3) that provide leadership to the departmental units.
• Lead development and implementation of policies, procedures, programs, and services of Housing & Residence Life.
• Provide leadership in the creation of strong, highly engaged student communities for 4,500 students living in the College Houses.
• Oversee management of residential staff of 160; bargaining unit staff of 100, including desk clerks and office clerical staff; and Associate, Assistant, and Manager staff of 25.
• Work with Executive Director of UChicago Dining to ensure that Housing & Residence Life programs are successfully executed in close cooperation with UChicago Dining programs and services.
• Provide leadership in complex emergency and crisis situations, including communications to senior and executive level staff.

Major projects and strategic planning

• Set department goals and lead strategic planning efforts for Housing & Residence Life.
• Serve as a key member of project team for new residence hall and dining commons projects.
• Manage short and long-term occupancy strategy for College Houses.
• Work closely with Facilities Services and Campus & Student Life staff in development of residence hall capital investment plans and annual renewal and renovation projects.
• Work closely with the AVP and the senior leadership team of Campus and Student Life to collaborate on CSL priorities and initiatives.
• Direct the programmatic aspects of the UChicago Bookstore, which is currently contracted through Barnes & Noble.

Provide leadership for Resident Dean program in College Housing

• Manage key relationships with senior faculty members and their spouses/partners who live in the College Housing system serving as Resident Deans.
• Work closely with the AVP in the recruitment and appointment of faculty members and their spouses/partners to the Resident Dean role.
• Provide counsel and support for Resident Deans as needed, including their transition to and from living in the residence hall, their orientation to the role, and related to their ongoing efforts as leaders in the College Housing community.
• Ensure a high level of quality of life for Resident Deans during their time in residence.

Operating and Capital Budget Management

• Manage capital and operating budgets based on strategic direction from the AVP/Associate Dean.
• Assist with the development of capital project proposals in accordance with the Office of the Provost’s process for capital requests.

Other

• Serve as a critical link to University offices and departments in addressing student and institutional needs, including the College, Student Wellness, the Department of Safety and Security/University Police, Communications and News, Career Advancement, UChicago Dining, Facilities Services, International House, Admissions, and Alumni Relations and Development.
• Provide leadership on committees and work groups as directed and assigned by the AVP/Associate Dean, serving as a representative of Campus and Student Life and on behalf of the departments within the portfolio.
• Adhere to Campus and Student Life core values, including, but not limited to student development, customer service, collaboration, efficiency and effectiveness, credibility, responsiveness, quality, accountability, and mutual respect.
• Manages and evaluates the housing/dining system's professional and support staff. Develops and implements housing and dining assignment policies and procedures.
• Develops and monitors the undergraduate housing annual budget.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

---
Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

---
Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• A master’s degree in education or related field.

Experience:

• Experience in a college or university setting managing student affairs programs and operations.

• Experience, including training, evaluating, and working to improve the work of others.

• Successful candidates will also demonstrate experience in strategic planning, including capital investment and financial planning.

• An understanding of facilities master planning and renovation/construction projects.

• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.

• Knowledge of residential colleges with the ability to meld a robust academic intellectual focus and scholarship into engaging residential settings.

• Understanding of student development and student leadership development.

• An active commitment to diversity and inclusion.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, high emotional intelligence, and the ability to build collaborative relationships with a broad array of campus stakeholders.

• Strong oral and written communication skills.

• Experience with crisis/emergency management.

• Knowledge of administrative and communication technology applications.

• A work style that is well-organized, detail-oriented, focused, and efficient.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)

• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Student Affairs & Services

Role Impact
 

People Manager

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Requires Compliance with University Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward .
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.