Graduate Assistant - Residence Life

Concordia University Chicago•River Forest, IL

73d•Onsite

About The Position

Concordia University Chicago (CUC) invites applications for the position of Graduate Resident Director. This position is a Graduate Assistantship, reporting directly to the Director of Residence Life, and is located in River Forest, IL. The Graduate Assistant - Residence Life assists the Director of Residence Life in providing holistic, educational leadership while administering a comprehensive living-learning environment for communities housing 150-200 students. Under the oversight of the Director of Residence Life, the Graduate Assistant provides direct supervision over a residence hall and staff and assists the Director of Residence Life in overall community supervision. The GA is a dynamic individual who exhibits a vibrant personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, displaying Christ-centered servant leadership and a commitment to student success. This individual seeks opportunities to integrate the mission, vision, and core values of Concordia University Chicago into his/her daily work with students, faculty, and fellow staff members. In line with the mission of our university, GA champions for the spiritual development of our students and demonstrate a commitment to the Christian ethics of love, forgiveness, patience, and faith as well as a desire to support students in their own faith. The GA also assists in advising residence hall management and administrative responsibilities. The average workload is 20 hours a week but will include intensive full-time training in August as well as intermittent increases in workload throughout the semester. Living on campus is required. Candidates must be enrolled or planning to enroll in a Concordia University Chicago graduate program. Candidates must support and be committed to the mission and identity of Concordia University Chicago, a university of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS).

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required
Must be actively enrolled in a Concordia University Chicago graduate program
1-2 years of undergraduate Residence Life experience OR multiple years of strong leadership experience in student affairs/related field. Preference will be given to candidates with previous residence life experience.
Concurrent acceptance and full-time enrollment in a certified graduate program for at least 6 credit hours per term with continuous enrollment at Concordia University Chicago. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to remain eligible for position.
Successful candidates will be committed to personal growth, embracing Christian values in a collegiate setting, possess mature judgment, educating in a residential environment, and being a skilled student development educator.
Strong interpersonal and conflict management skills.
Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to diverse student populations.
Willingness to be a reflective learner and prepared to lead by example.

Responsibilities

Responsible for the supervision, leadership, and development of a comprehensive living-learning environment housing 150-200 students under the guidance of the Director of Residence Life
Assist the Director of Residence Life in the overall leadership and management of all residential students
Develop intentional assessment practices to address the needs of each community and create action steps to meet those intended outcomes
Execute a community development plan for the residential area focused on the learning, growth, and development of students
Coordinate day-to-day operations of the residential area and department such as occupancy, facilities management, hall opening and closing, room selection, conduct issues, and the housing reassignment process
Manage efficient and accurate operational reports and communicate regularly with necessary offices
Assist the Director of Residence Life in identifying and resolving facility issues in a timely fashion and proactively identify opportunities to improve the residential environment
Ensure the observance of all Concordia applicable policies, rules, and regulations as well as the laws of the city, state, and nation
Practice fiscal responsibility in the administration and oversight of community programming budget
Establish healthy mentoring relationships through daily interactions with students, mediate conflicts, respond to their needs and refer students to appropriate resources as needed
Implement the departmental programming model and provide guidance to staff in achieving learning outcomes for the community
Promote the institution's core values in all initiatives and through public discourse
Along with the Director of Residence Life, supervise, train, evaluate and provide leadership to a Resident Assistant staff of 6-8 staff members
Assist in the coordination of all department-wide initiatives including RA training, RA selection, room selection, and other programming initiatives and committees as needed
Provide proactive visible leadership within the community to promote the institution's values and services, and support residential programming
Collaborate with multiple University offices in creating new educational initiatives and developing more efficient practices that seek to create cutting edge residential experiences for students
Participate in on-call emergency duty rotation throughout the year (evenings and weekends), excluding Christmas, Spring, and Summer academic breaks providing crisis support and response to students
Collaborate with Department of Public Safety, and other qualified persons on immediate response to incidents in hall, as needed
Provide supportive leadership in responding to the needs of individuals in crisis and make necessary referrals and guidance as needed
Collaborate with multiple student services offices in checking in and following up on the welfare of students and make referrals as needed
Assist in the organization, management, development, and implementation of a residence hall government under the direction of the Director of Residence Life
Serve as an active co-advisor for residence hall staff and residents
Attend all staff meetings and executive board meetings and provide leadership and counsel as needed
Research and seek to implement current best practices related to creating an effective residence hall environment
Assist in the implementation of residence hall programs and provide leadership support as needed