Senior Assistant Director of Residence Life

Department
 

CSL Housing and Residence Life: Community Life

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) is a division comprised of 20 departments that serve the University’s 16,000 college, graduate, and professional school students, as well as the campus community more broadly. CSL is importantly charged with the dual task of supporting all students in the University, graduate and undergraduate, and managing multiple campus departments and services that serve the entire campus community. CSL’s programs and services focus on supporting student academic success, providing opportunities for personal growth and leadership development, developing community and engagement through the residential housing and dining program, and in areas such as artistic expression, community service, spiritual exploration, and athletic competition. The University of Chicago community includes approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 11,000 graduate, professional, and other students and there are over 300 recognized student organizations working together to create a vibrant and dynamic student life. The University of Chicago is located in the Hyde Park/South Kenwood neighborhood, a racially and economically diverse residential community of 43,000 people on the shores of Lake Michigan, about fifteen minutes south of downtown Chicago. The core mission of Housing & Residence Life is to help develop and support inclusive communities that engage residents in exceptional living experiences within secure and well-maintained environments that foster a sense of belonging and support the academic initiatives of the University. The primary strategy for the delivery of such an environment is through a residence life program that which aims to develop strong residential communities that are self-regulating, supportive of academic success; provide a strong sense of belonging, and rich opportunities for personal, cultural, social and intellectual development. The leadership of residential faculty and adult staff in fostering these experiences is key to the success of the mission.

Job Summary
 

Reporting to the Senior Associate Director of Residence Life in Housing & Residence Life, the Senior Assistant Director of Residence Life has three major areas of responsibility: working with the Resident Dean Program and supervising the program manager to aid in the planning, implementation, and management of Resident Dean programs and finances, to develop and implement a comprehensive recruitment and selection process for Resident Heads and provide leadership, oversight and guidance for RA recruitment and selection, as well as the training for all areas in Residence Life for all staff. The Senior Assistant Director will work directly with the Assistant Directors of Residence Life in planning and in implementing training modules for fall start up and throughout the academic year. The Senior Assistant Director will serve in the AD on Call duty rotation working directly with Resident Heads to support the 3500 undergraduate students that live in the House system. The typical work week is M-F with some requirements for evening and weekend work. In addition, the Senior Assistant Director must 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.

Responsibilities

• The Senior Assistant Director of Residence Life (Sr. ADRL) supervises the program manager who administratively supports the Resident Deans and their activities and will provide leadership by working directly with the Resident Deans on strategic planning, Hall governance, financial accountability and reconciliation of the more than $500k spent on Resident Dean programming annually.

• Works with the Executive Director to refine the onboarding and training of new Resident Deans. Responsible for redeveloping the current Resident Head recruitment model in order to increase and diversify the applicant pool and will serve as the primary point of contact in coordinating all aspects of the interview and hiring process for HRL. Work with and take a leadership role with the ADRL team in developing and executing the RA recruitment and hiring process and will be responsible for all CSL HR processes to ensure RAs are eligible for work and added to the payroll systems.

• Responsible for working with CSL HR ensuring timely payment for RAs, RDAs, and RHs throughout the academic year. Serves in the AD on Call duty rotation and as a representative of Housing & Residence Life to various academic and administrative offices and committees within the University. Central office administrative responsibilities: Jointly oversees the planning and implementation of the staff training program including pre-term and in-service programs. Conducts annual review and publication of resident staff manual, Resident Dean manual, and other materials related to resident staff support. Manages Resident Head and Resident Assistant staff selection and evaluation. Meets regularly with service delivery and operations staff in Housing & Residence Life.

• Responsible for budgetary reconciliation for the programs the Resident Dean directly oversees including Hall Council. Provide financial counseling and advising to the RDs and RDAs. Serves, as needed, on committees of staff and/or students convened to review issues of importance to Housing & Residence Life. Serves as department liaison to at least one other campus partner office. Assists in the formulation and review of Housing & Residence Life policies and procedures.

• Assists in the writing of various publications and web-based materials. Serves as a Housing & Residence Life representative to various academic and administrative offices and committees within the University.

• (Optional) Dean on Call Duty Rotation: Responds to serious incidents involving University students as 'Dean on Call'. The incidents may include but are not limited to such things as medical or psychiatric emergencies, arrests, suicide attempts, situations in which students are victims of crimes to person or property, and disruptions involving students. Works closely with University Police, The College, Housing & Residence Life, hospital staff, mental health professionals, and various academic and administrative offices. Resolves student problems, and where necessary, may help formulate an official University administrative response. The on-call period is for one week at a time. All who choose to serve in the Dean on Call rotation are paid for their service.

• Supervises and evaluates the housing system’s professional and support staff. Prepares and implements housing policies and procedures.

• Participates in the selection, training, and management of the Residence Life team. Participates in the selection of faculty Resident Masters.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s Degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of professional live-in work experience in student housing.

• Proven record of successful partnerships with residential faculty.

• Familiarity with Maxient or other conduct systems as well as a housing database software (Star Rez) a plus.

• Experience supervising graduate level and/or professional level staff.

• Experience coordinating academic based programs in a residential setting.

Preferred Competencies

• Demonstrated understanding of the developmental objectives of the college student residential environment.

• Crisis management response and oversight skills.

• Demonstrated ability to supervise, train and evaluate the work of others.

• Ability to remain organized and productive in high demand periods.

• Ability to remain calm and productive while interacting with individuals displaying intense emotions.

• Ability to respond promptly, directly, and effectively to internal and external inquiries and requests for service while managing competing demands.

• Ability to work productively with a diverse range of students, residential staff and faculty, and managers across the campus.

• Ability to function in a 24-hour on-call environment and maintain productivity.

• Ability to give and receive feedback constructively.

• Flexibility and the ability to adjust to unpredictable circumstances.

• A sense of humor.

Working Conditions

• The typical work week is M-F with routine requirements for evening and weekend work.   

Application Documents

• Cover Letter (required)

• Resume (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.