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JOB TITLE: Area Manager for Residence Life – River Forest Campus
FLSA STATUS: Salaried, exempt
DEPARTMENT: Student Life
REPORTS TO: Director of Residence Life
JOB STATUS: Full-time (at least 37.5 hours/week)
PRIMARY PURPOSE/ POSITION SUMMARY:
The Area Manager for Residence Life works cooperatively with the Residence Life staff to create a positive and inclusive living-learning community for students consistent with the University’s mission. This role is a live-in position responsible for the overall management of a residential area of 330-350 students, oversight of comprehensive residential programming curriculum, and coordination of the day-to-day operations of themed/living-learning communities.. The primary focus of the position is on student development and learning, within the context of building vibrant, inclusive communities.
Reporting to the Director of Residence Life, the Area Manager will oversee the selection, hiring, and training of 17 student staff for the Dominican student community. The Area Manager will supervise two graduate assistants in the management of their respective areas, maintain a highly visible presence in the residence halls and across campus during and outside of office hours, and assist and supervise student staff in developing, implementing, and evaluating residence hall educational and living/learning-themed community programs. The role will manage and participate in on-call rotation. The role will serve as a hearing officer in student conduct adjudication. The Area Manager will build themed/living-learning communities that support timely completion within their unique skill-building objectives.
EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL DOMINICAN EMPLOYEES:
To support the University’s mission of preparing students to pursue truth, to give compassionate service, and to participate in the creation of a more just and humane world.
JOB COMPONENTS/PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Residential Programming Oversight
• Implement and evaluate the residential programming model, emphasizing competencies including student engagement, positive relationships, student success, leadership, community building, social justice, and wellness.
• Oversee Graduate Assistants and student staff in the planning and implementation of programs.
• Administer programs grounded in student leadership theory, student development theory, and current residential best practices.
• Work with partners across divisional units to identify and remove institutional obstacles to student success and leadership development.
• Serve as a liaison between RSA and Residence Life.
• Utilize engagement software such as: EngageDU, Microsoft Teams, and eRezLife to facilitate various programming initiatives.
Living Learning Community Coordination
• Manage the day-to-day operations for themed /living-learning communities with academic and program partners on behalf of the Office of Residence Life.
• Provide direction for the development of themed /living-learning communities that promote the mission and vision of Student Success and Engagement.
• Initiate assessment that tracks student participation, retention, and success in the themed /living-learning communities.
• Work with faculty, student staff, and programs to provide educational, intentional programs for themed /living-learning communities within the residential area.
• Oversee student staff in the planning and implementation of living-learning communities and/or themed community programming.
Supervision
• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate the Graduate Assistant of Marketing & Information and the Graduate Assistant of Programming & Leadership.
• Meet regularly with supervisees on an individual and group basis.
• Develop, implement, and maintain the student staff training program and manuals.
• Oversee all Residence Life marketing, website, and social media efforts in collaboration with the Graduate Assistant of Marketing & Information.
• Manage the development and maintenance of marketing and promotional efforts in collaboration with the Graduate Assistant of Marketing & Information. This includes producing materials to promote activities and developing content through departmental social media platforms, websites, and publications.
Emergency and Crisis Management
• Manage and participate in the on-call duty rotation with responsibility for 24/7 response at the Professional Staff Level. Respond to calls and involve others as necessary to respond appropriately to emergencies.
• Lead in emergencies and assist in resolving resident and facilities concerns and needs. This includes evenings, weekends, summer, and university breaks.
• Serve as a liaison with the Division of Student Success and Engagement, including the AVP and VP, Assessment and Care Team, Campus Safety, and Wellness Center.
• Provide appropriate post-crisis referral and follow-up with students and staff as needed.
• Share responsibility for maintaining health, fire, and safety standards.
Student Conduct
• Serve as a hearing officer for conduct cases with students who have violated university and/or hall policies, adjudicate student conduct cases, upholding the Student Code of Conduct and hearing board policies.
• Oversee Graduate Assistant in review and process incident reports and campus safety reports (if available) for incidents that take place in the community and/or involve residents living in the community.
Administrative
• Manage the residential education and themed /living-learning community budgets.
• Maintain accurate records of funds to prioritize monetary needs for education and themed /living-learning communities programming.
• Manage and maintain student staff applications within eRezLife software.
• Lead in conducting roommate conflict meditations and facilitate the processing of room changes within eRezLife software.
• Participate in Residential Life/University Housing operational processes (i.e., opening, closing, damage billing, fire inspections, etc.).
• Work with the Assistant Director to plan and place students into their themed /living-learning community assignments.
• Manage Residence Life projects or processes throughout the year, including student staff training, student staff selection, recognition, and special events.
• Coordinate and/or actively participate in key summer projects including, but not limited to: summer term housing and special residential programs, housing assignments, New Student Orientation (SOAR), revision of publications and staff manuals, planning of fall RA Training, early arrival programs, and other special projects.
• Procedural development and oversight of residential education, themed /living-learning communities, and student staff selection, hiring, and training.
• Attend and participate in Residence Life staff meetings and training, as well as Division of Student Success and Engagement functions.
• While employed in this position, you are required to live in one of the University’s residence halls. As such, included in your employment offer is the use of a furnished apartment in a residence hall with utilities paid by the University. In addition, a university meal plan is available to you while the University is in session.
Perform other duties as requested, delegated, or assigned.
MINIMUM/REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Master’s Degree in College Student Personnel, Education, Human Services, Counseling, Higher Education in Student Affairs, or a related field.
• Experience in budget management.
• 2 – 3 years’ experience directly supervising graduate live-in staff. plus 2 – 3 years’ prior Residence Life experience at the graduate or professional level.
• Knowledge of residential curriculum philosophy and strategies.
• Occasional night and weekend work required.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Strong knowledge and application of student development, identity development, and leadership theory.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal skills; proficiency in MS Office programs and student database and residential management software (eRezLife software or similar)..
• Ability to function in a growing environment and work collaboratively with students, faculty and staff
• Knowledge of trends in effective marketing and social media; outstanding planning, communication, training, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to be student focused and committed to nurturing inclusive communities within the residence halls and experience working with residential curriculum models.
• Ability to provide direct supervision and leadership to full time residence hall staff members and provide student-centered and customer service orientation.
• Experience in working with Advanced supervisory skills, demonstrated leadership and management of day-to-day residence hall operations, successful community building strategies, conflict mediation skills, extremely strong interpersonal skills, and sound decision-making and evaluative skills. Strong critical thinking skills and experience in crisis response and management.
DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY
Dominican University is a Catholic, comprehensive teaching university located in River Forest, a suburb of Chicago. Dominican University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission as a baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degree-granting institution. It is highly regarded for its academic rigor and thoughtful accompaniment of students, its intentional affordability and values-based, relationship-centered learning environment. Dominican currently enrolls over 3,300 students, which includes 2,280 undergraduates and 1,027 graduate students. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of our undergraduate students identify as Latinx, 5% are Black or African American, and 3% are Asian. Under-represented minority students, make up 77% of the DU undergraduate enrollment and 38% of the graduate enrollment. Over 90 percent of undergraduates receive some type of financial aid. Nearly half of all undergraduates are first-generation college students; over half are federal Pell Grant recipients, illustrating their families’ level of income; and 58% are eligible for low-income MAP grants from the State of Illinois. Recognized since 2011 as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), a federal designation of the U.S. Department of Education, Dominican is committed to expanding and enhancing educational opportunities for Latinx students and all students from historically underrepresented groups.
To Apply
Apply online at http://www.dom.edu/jobs . Applicants will be asked to submit a cover letter and resume with a list of 3 references.
