Housing and Residence Life Coordinator

Art Institute of Chicago•Chicago, IL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Housing & Residence Life Coordinator (HRLC) manages day-to-day occupancy for all on-campus housing and oversees systems used to predict and adjust future occupancy. The role supervises student workers, leads community development and educational programming, manages online communications and social media, and supports summer housing for the SAIC Early College Program Summer Institute (ECPSI). The coordinator also adjudicates student conduct cases, responds to crises, and provides substantial in-person support to students. This is a full-time, live-in, 12-month appointment. The typical workday is 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with frequent evening and weekend commitments. The position participates in a 24-hour on-call rotation, including holidays, as residence halls operate year-round. The coordinator reports to the Assistant Director of Residence Life for Housing and Summer Programs and is part of a bargaining unit represented by AFSCME Council 31.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience in student housing, residential operations, or student services.
At least 1 year of professional or progressive paraprofessional experience in Residence Life, Student Housing, or Student Affairs, including familiarity with community development and student staff supervision.
Practical understanding of student mental health resources, crisis response, and referral pathways, with the ability to navigate sensitive student situations calmly and empathetically.
Ability to build relationships, communicate effectively across diverse cultural identities, and foster an inclusive, supportive living-learning environment.
Proficiency with standard office productivity tools such as Microsoft Office Suite or Google Workspace, and experience with or aptitude to learn housing and conduct database systems such as Symplicity or StarRez.
Strong interpersonal and organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize tasks independently, manage administrative follow-through, and assist with low-level student conduct or conflict mediation.
Ability to meet the expectations of a 12-month live-in position, including evening, weekend, and holiday on-call commitments; one weekend away per month requires supervisor approval.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Experience with or appreciation for student artists.

Responsibilities

Maintain accurate residence hall occupancy and available-space information; confirm resident eligibility; manage waitlists, room changes, housing intentions, and consolidation processes.
Administer the housing database and online housing system, including assignments, billing, and account management for students, interns, and guests across fall, spring, and summer terms.
Coordinate with campus partners to maintain accurate housing application, assignment, occupancy, billing, and account-reconciliation information; process approved housing-related appeals and refunds and coordinate meal-plan refunds.
Supervise and provide leadership, training, feedback, and performance evaluations for central office student assistants and other student workers; complete required timekeeping and payment paperwork.
Collaborate on ECPSI summer housing and co-curricular programming, including applications, billing, assignments, communication, room preparation, check-ins and check-outs, curfew processes, and customer service.
Coordinate residence hall co-curricular programming and support large-scale events such as Room Swap Fairs, Roommate Finder Fairs, and Housing Information Tablings.
Manage Residence Life communications across digital and social media platforms; create and post content, engage with audiences, respond to inquiries, address emerging concerns, and promote programs, events, policies, and procedures.
Supervise, train, and provide leadership to the student Social Media Coordinator.
Participate in the 24-hour on-call rotation; respond in person to student and facilities issues and crises, communicate with the Dean On-Call, and maintain accurate incident reports using Symplicity Advocate Software.
Work with Residence Life, Student Affairs, and campus partners to respond to critical incidents and provide appropriate crisis support.
Participate in initiatives promoting belonging, access, well-being, community engagement, and an inclusive and welcoming campus environment.
Respond to Residence Life email and phone inquiries accurately and promptly; maintain contact with relevant resources, report facility and student issues, communicate with parents as appropriate, and provide reports as requested.
Serve as a conduct officer for low-level policy violations; use Symplicity to manage notifications, sanctions, and case closures.
Attend team meetings, participate in planning, develop annual goals, complete administrative paperwork, build campus relationships, and mentor new team members.
Serve as a liaison with departments including Instructional Resources and Facilities Management, Campus Security, and Continuing Studies.
Assist with Residence Life and Student Affairs events, including RA Selection and training, Move In and Move Out, Halloween Ball, Holiday Art Sale, Spring Art Sale, and Leadership Dinner; serve on committees and work groups as assigned.
Perform other duties as assigned.