Department
CSL Housing and Residence Life: Community Life
About the Department
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 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
The Associate Director of Residence Life is responsible for the supervision, recruitment, and co-development of the residential staff teams, including Assistant Directors of Residence Life, Resident Heads, and Resident Assistants. The Associate Director of Residence Life provides leadership and counsel for professional and paraprofessional staff regarding student conduct, and resident staff emergency response. They also serve a point of escalation for the Assistants Directors, and as a student conduct officer for more serious policy infractions, in Housing and Residence Life.
As part of Housing and Residence Life, the Associate Directors play a key role in developing and implementing policy, program planning, and community building. They are responsible for establishing and maintaining strong relationships with campus partner offices to strategize and create student life programs and initiatives. This position works closely with the College, UChicago CARES, Department of Safety and Security (DSS), College Programming & Orientation (CPO), Center for Identity & Inclusion (CII), Student Wellness, Title IX, and Human Resources to accomplish department objectives.
This position actively engages in the administration and oversight of a portfolio of 3 to 4 residence halls. As a member of the Housing and Residence Life leadership team, the Associate Director of Residence Life participates in setting and executing residence hall strategic planning, priorities, and resource allocation. The Associate Director of Residence Life works closely with the professional staff within Housing and Residence Life in the development and implementation of goals, policies, and procedures for the University residence halls. They also work directly with residential faculty (Resident Deans) and staff in assessing the quality of the residential program, student experience, and management of residence hall policies and procedures.
Responsibilities
Supervises the Assistant Directors of Residence Life.
Meets weekly with the Assistant Directors of Residence Life for their assigned communities.
Provides consultation, development, and support to the Assistant Directors of Residence Life, including with their assigned collateral, and campus department liaison, assignments.
Meets weekly with the Director of Residence Life.
Attends the HRL Senior Leadership meetings to represent the Residence Life team.
Supervises and administers all hall-wide programming efforts for their assigned portfolio. Encourages the development of innovative programs in all areas. Provides direction to signature programs, and Hall and House community development. Provides guidance and support to the Assistant Directors of Residence Life in developing strong, intentional programs for students, staff, and faculty.
Supervises and leads staff by developing programs and initiatives that meet staff professional and technical training needs, provides coaching and guidance to staff, conducts annual performance reviews, and proactively addresses performance issues as required.
Works with the Executive Director of Housing and Residence Life, and Director of Residence Life, to provide support for the Resident Deans that serve the residence halls in their portfolio.
Communicates with Resident Deans, and Program Manager for Residence Life, bi-weekly and if needed, provides administrative support for the Resident Deans and their activities.
Assists Resident Deans if needed with strategic planning, Hall governance, and hiring of Resident Dean Assistants (RDAs).
Responsible for all Campus and Student Life Human Resource processes to ensure RDAs are eligible for work and added to the payroll systems.
Oversees budgetary reconciliation for the programs the Resident Deans directly oversee including Hall Council. Provides financial counseling and advising to the Resident Deans.
Assists with the onboarding and training of new Resident Deans.
Works with CSL Human Resources to ensure timely payment for RHs, RAs, and RDAs throughout the academic year.
Serves on the Students of Concern Action Task Force (SOCAT) and as the hub for all information regarding residential students of concern.
Communicates regularly with campus partners in UChicago HELP, Student Wellness, and the College to support students of concern.
Serves with the Director of Residence Life on the Emergency Operations Center (DSS, Risk Management, Environmental Health & Safety, etc.) to plan and prepare staff for dealing with crisis (hurricane, fire, active shooter, etc.).
Jointly oversees the planning and implementation of the staff training program including pre-term and in-service programs. Conducts annual review and publication of HRL staff manual, Resident Dean manual, and other materials related to resident staff support. Oversees Resident Head and Resident Assistant staff selection and evaluation.
Serves as escalation and consult for conduct issues within the Assistant Directors’ communities.
Serves as a parent referral resource for Assistant Directors of Residence Life.
Serves in an on-call rotation as a point of escalation for the Assistant Director on-call in case of severe emergencies or need for additional support (e.g., death or imminent death of a student, fire or building issue that results in relocation of students, and a case of a missing student where there is a significant cause of concern for student’s well-being).
Liaise with Operations, Occupancy Management, and Conference Services to ensure Residence Life staff execute functions of their role that support the other units, i.e., opening, closing, room changes, room selection, etc.
Serves, as needed, on committees of staff and/or students convened to review issues of importance to Housing and Residence Life. Serves as a Housing and Residence Life representative to various academic and administrative offices and committees within the University.
Adheres to Campus and Student Life core values, including, but not limited to student development, customer service, collaboration, efficiency and effectiveness, credibility, responsiveness, quality, accountability, professional development, and mutual respect.
Supervises and evaluates the housing professional and support staff. Prepares and implements housing policies and procedures.
Participates in the selection, training, and management of the Residential Life team.
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.
Work Experience:
Certifications:
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Preferred Qualifications
Education:
Master's degree in student affairs or a related field.
Experience:
A minimum of 5 years of live-in student housing experience, as well as experience working closely with a college student population.
A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in University or other residence life program.
Experience in handling crises, supervision of staff, and program development.
Certifications:
Valid Illinois driver’s license upon offer of employment and pass the University’s motor vehicle records process.
May be required to provide and use own vehicle insured in accordance with University requirements.
Technical Skills or Knowledge:
Proficiency in standard office software applications (e.g., Microsoft Office, email, etc.).
Knowledge and experience with a housing information system (e.g., StarRez) and a conduct system (e.g., Maxient).
Preferred Competencies
Strategic leadership skills in a University setting.
Understanding of the developmental and educational objectives of a University residential environment.
Commitment to cultural competence.
Supervisory skills, demonstrated ability to supervise, train and evaluate the work of others.
Highly organized person with well-developed interpersonal and problem-solving skills and work effectively with assertive and/or distressed clientele.
Attend house and resident staff programs or meetings during evenings and weekends.
Knowledge of the University of Chicago, Hyde Park community, or the higher education field.
Work with a diverse range of students, staff and faculty, and managers across the campus.
Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written, and listening skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
Work both independently, with a high degree of initiative, and collaboratively.
Work in partnership with any other Associate Director of Residence Life as a member of the Associate Director team.
Thoughtful and innovative problem-solving skills.
Budget management skills.
Remain attentive to details, organized and productive while handling multiple concurrent tasks, and during high demand periods.
Remain calm, professional, and productive while interacting with individuals displaying intense emotions.
Respond promptly, directly, and effectively to internal and external inquiries and requests for service while managing competing demands.
Significant knowledge of the higher education profession and climate.
Sense of humor.
Working Conditions
Function in a 24-hour on-call environment and maintain productivity.
Work evenings and weekends, as needed.
Work is largely sedentary; sit in front of computer for extended periods; regular attendance, including on evenings and weekends.
Assume on-call responsibility for campus residence halls.
Travel to various on-campus locations.
Use computers and standard office equipment.
The standard work week is Monday through Friday with expectations for evening and weekend work typical of a senior student affairs leader responsible for the residence life program. The Associate Director of Residence Life is expected to be available for consultation after-hours, weekends, and holidays; and available on-campus for emergency response, as needed.
Application Documents
Resume/CV (required)
Cover Letter (required)
References Contact Information (3)(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
Role Impact
Scheduled Weekly Hours
Drug Test Required
Health Screen Required
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
Pay Rate Type
FLSA Status
Pay Range
The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.
Benefits Eligible
The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.
Posting Statement
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or 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.
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