POSITION SUMMARY

The Office of Residential Life (ORL) is a department within the Division of Student Affairs & Operations providing a residential-learning experience that engages students within an innovative and educational environment that supports and promotes student success. ORL provides the vision and leadership for areas of responsibility that ensures that student housing is advancing the Mission, Vision, and goals as well as the Division’s Strategic Initiatives.

The Director of Residence Life & Operations manages a professional residential housing team that is responsible for ORL’s facilities (operations) and educational programming. The Director contributes to the university mission and strategic vision by creating and implementing inclusive, supportive living, learning and serving communities that foster and enhance leadership development, promote health and safety, create a sense of belonging (retention), connections to Dillard University and academic success. The Director reports to and provides support for the Associate Vice President, Student Success & Operations. This position also serves as a collaborating partner supporting the other Divisions within Student Success & Operations -- Campus Police, Counseling Center, Health Clinic, Culture Center, Student Support Services, Center for Career and Professional Development, Athletics, Chapel and Student Engagement. The Sr. Director is also a member of The DU Culture Center’s Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT), Admissions & Enrollment Committee and the Living, Learning, Serving Communities (LLSC) teams. The position serves as the primary coordinator of infrastructure and operational needs and services for residential housing in collaboration with the Office of Facilities Management. This position will also serve as a student group advisor.

Other duties may be assigned

Serve on the committees of Admissions & Enrollment, Living Learning, Serving Communities (LLSC) and The Culture Center/BIT.

Manage with summer housing assignments, as needed.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

A Sense of Belonging and Community Development
Develop relationships with residents to help them be successful at DU
Model and challenge students to uphold the DU Mission and motto “Ex Fide, Fortis” – From Faith, (comes) Strength.

Create and promote a caring atmosphere conducive to academic pursuits and the leadership development.

Develop and implement meaningful on-going learning and experiential programs focused on learning outcomes for residential students. Outcomes may be determined by ORL, or campus partners such as academic units or even the President.
Continually review programs for success and accomplishment of outcomes, implementing improvements or updates, as needed.
Advise and collaborate with student leaders and organizations.
Interact, counsel, advise students on rules, policies, resources to ensure activities meet the university standards and expectations.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Develop goals and objectives for ORL and staff.

Develop a sense of community among the Residential Assistants (RAs) through staff activities, leadership skill-building, and professional and personal development opportunities.

Trains, supervises, and evaluates the ORL staff and RAs.

Assist in the recruitment and interviewing of all RAs and professional staff.

Provides proper staff coverage, including emergency duty, for the academic year (periods of hall openings, closings, and vacations included).

Handle emergency situations, utilizing crisis intervention skills and resources.

Schedules regular hall staff meeting to disseminate pertinent information, present in-service training, plan hall programs, and resolve problems. Schedule individual meetings with key stakeholders on a regular basis

Maintain daily office hours and offer a high degree of availability and visibility for all residents and staff members.
Manage administrative responsibilities including health & safety checks, occupancy checks, etc.

Evaluate and identify student academic or health related risks that may be revealed with these checks and escalate or refer as needed to leadership and campus partners.
Lead, coordinate and support departmental committees, occupancy management including contracting and brand recognition.
Maintain resident records and manage occupancy utilizing J1 (Jenzabar software).
Ensure that maintenance problems are reported, tracked and monitored.

Develop a customer service communication response process with the staff and RAs for the residents. Promote professionalism and customer service.
Proactively collaborate with the Facilities and custodial staff to assist with coordination of maintenance and custodial requests.
Provide first-line crisis response and management and participate in a year-round duty rotation.
Support at-risk students and assist with disciplinary referrals and follow up (The Culture Center).
Assist with evaluation, identification, and mitigation of immediate risk in the residential community and maintain knowledge of best practices and resources for further action.
Assist with student staff recruitment, selection, and training.
Assist with department wide and divisional programming.

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will possess a sound understanding of student development theory and philosophy; previous experience in residence life/housing with ability to administer a comprehensive set of rules and regulations, and the ability to explain, interpret and apply rules and policies in a rational, objective, and consistent manner; proven quality program planning, organizational, administrative, supervisory, and budget management skills.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Bachelor's degree required, Master’s degree preferred. Supervisory experience and extensive experience in residential living, knowledge of student development, strong communication skills, and a demonstrated capacity to work with a diverse student population are preferred. Energy, commitment, flexibility, and enthusiasm are highly desired.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write rep01ts, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, parents, students, faculty, staff and other members of the University community.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to work with fundamental mathematical concepts. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and prop01tions to practical situations.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, and sit. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Employee must be available for a live-on position. Employee must maintain confidentiality in all work performed. Must be flexible in work schedule. Must be willing to work evening or weekends for special events, crisis response, and/or opening and closing of hall. Must be willing to participate on an On-Call duty rotation cycle during breaks and university clousures. Must abide by Residential Life policies including no pets. Must pass a background check performed by Human Resources.