Assistant Director of Residential Life

Virginia Commonwealth University•Richmond, VA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Director for Residential Life serves as a member of the Residential Life Leadership Team within the Department of Residential Life and Housing at Virginia Commonwealth University. This position provides strategic and visionary leadership over an assigned-on campus neighborhood of residence halls and shares responsibility with other members of the Residential Life Leadership team in shaping the goals, priorities, and vision for Residential Life. This position will supervise full-time, Masters-level staff members who in turn supervise student staff members in assigned residence halls. This position, in conjunction with the Residential Life Leadership Team will work collaboratively to ensure a transformative, high-impact, and fully comprehensive residential life program for over 6,000 on campus students. This position will serve in the on-call emergency response rotation supporting, assisting and if needed, responding to emergencies impacting residential students/residence halls. The Assistant Directors for Residential Life are Live-off professionals. This position may have non-traditional hours at times as is the nature of Residential Life and Housing work. The Assistant Director will at times need to work evenings, or weekends and engage in programming during nights and weekends.

Requirements

Master’s Degree in: Higher Education Administration, College Student Personnel, Education, Counseling, or a closely related field is required.
Three to four (3-4) years professional experience in residence life/housing, having direct oversight of a residence hall or residence halls.
Experience working in residence life as an in-hall professional or in a capacity with direct ability to impact the residential experience.
Previous experience providing holistic supervision of staff teams.
Experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment.
Demonstrated experience working through complex situations involving students and families.
Effective communication skills (oral and written)
Crisis management experience as well as experience leading through a crisis.
Knowledge of student development and learning theories and experience in its application.
Ability to build teams and work collaboratively with campus partners and interdepartmentally.
Strong organizational skills & attention to detail and accuracy
Ability to work well under pressure with at times multiple competing priorities and/or deadlines.
Demonstrated proficiency utilizing technology such as web applications, online systems, database software, and standard office packages (word processing, spreadsheet, electronic mail).
Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Nice To Haves

Four or more (4+) years of professional experience in residence life/housing, having direct oversight of a residence hall or halls.
Experience supervising full time staff members
Experience cultivating high-performing teams
Experience adjudicating conduct cases.
Previous On-Call experience as a support staff member for in-hall on-call professional staff.
Experience working with Living Learning Communities (LLCs)
Ability to observe, analyze and develop plans for sustainable practices and high impact initiatives.
Experience with policy/Standard Operating Procedure development

Responsibilities

Provide strategic and visionary leadership over an assigned-on campus neighborhood of residence halls.
Share responsibility with the Residential Life Leadership Team in shaping the goals, priorities, and vision for Residential Life.
Supervise full-time, Masters-level staff members who in turn supervise student staff members in assigned residence halls.
Collaborate to ensure a transformative, high-impact, and fully comprehensive residential life program for over 6,000 on campus students.
Serve in the on-call emergency response rotation supporting, assisting and if needed, responding to emergencies impacting residential students/residence halls.
Work evenings, or weekends and engage in programming during nights and weekends.