Community Director, Residence Life

Department

CSL Housing and Residence Life: Community Directors Woodlawn

Job Summary

The University of Chicago Department of Housing & Residence Life invites applications for one Community Director position. The Community Director will be responsible for fostering inclusive communities within their assigned residence hall for 350-750 residents, directly supervising Resident Assistants, supporting Resident Head and Resident Dean programming, and contributing to the overall mission of Housing & Residence Life.

Understanding The College at the University of Chicago

At the University of Chicago, students in the College embody a spirit of relentless curiosity, characterized by an unwavering commitment to inquiry and a dedication to free expression. Our students are not mere consumers of knowledge; they are active participants in a vibrant academic community that values the exploration of complex issues, rigorous debate, and intellectual engagement.

Responsibilities

• Community Development and Engagement:
• Foster an inclusive and welcoming environment by overseeing academic, community, and departmental initiatives.
• Serve as a role model to student staff, engaging in intentional and educational conversations.
• Organize and support a variety of cultural, intellectual, and recreational activities that contribute to the overall development and engagement of residents.
• Advising and Student Success:
• Provide regular interaction to challenge and support students in their individual growth and development.
• Support Resident Heads in their role as primary advisors to House Councils within the assigned community.
• Serve as a referral agent to campus resources, providing non-clinical counseling and crisis management interventions with students.
• Advocate for student success, considering all aspects of identity that may impact students' experiences at the university.
• Crisis Management and Emergency Response:
• Serve as a primary Housing & Residence Life responder to crises and emergencies within their assigned residential community.
• Participate in an on-call rotation with other HRL professional staff through the calendar year.
• Ensure emergency preparedness by being knowledgeable about departmental and university protocols and resources.
• Collaborate with UCPD, UChicago HELP, College DOS, and other campus partners during after-hours incidents, ensuring coordinated response and follow-up.
• Ensure appropriate documentation and follow-up are completed following incidents and coordinate ongoing student support as needed.
• Supervision and Leadership:
• Provide direct supervision, support, coaching, and accountability to student staff in the execution of their assigned responsibilities.
• Play an integral role in the recruitment, selection, training, and evaluation of student staff members.
• Support the leadership development of Resident Assistants and other residential student leaders.
• Student Conduct and Accountability:
• Uphold student expectations for residential community behavior and respect for others.
• Facilitate Community Standards meetings and administer appropriate educational outcomes in accordance with departmental processes.
• Operations and Occupancy Management:
• Collaborate and liaise with the Assistant Director for Operations to address community and building-related facilities issues, ensuring timely resolution and minimizing resident impacts.
• Report concerns to appropriate facilities and operations staff.
• Support residential opening and closing processes, ensuring students vacate assigned spaces by established deadlines and coordinating across Housing & Residence Life to support the timely completion of move-in, move-out, and room turn processes.
• Conduct and support regular safety drills and inspections within assigned residential communities.
• Partner with the Occupancy Management and Administration team to support housing processes, including room changes and other residential transitions.
• Support summer conference operations in partnership with Housing & Residence Life colleagues, including coordination and on-site support as assigned.
• Utilize StarRez and other departmental systems to support assigned administrative responsibilities and the coordination of housing and residential processes.
• Student Care and Wellness:
• Identify student care and wellness concerns, provide appropriate non-clinical support, and connect students with relevant campus resources.
• Coach Resident Assistants to recognize signs of stress, anxiety, and sleep deprivation, fostering a community of wellness.
• Support community practices that promote well-being, resilience, connection, and help-seeking behaviors.
• Encourage resident assistants to create a community that prioritizes getting to know residents by name and story, fostering a sense of connection and support.
• Collaboration and Support for Resident Deans and Resident Heads:
• Collaborate closely with Resident Deans to align residential experiences with intellectual and cultural initiatives.
• Partner with Resident Heads to support Resident Assistants, strengthen individual House communities, and foster a positive overall residential environment.
• Facilitate regular communication and shared planning sessions to enhance the overall residential experience.
• Ensure a unified and supportive approach that aligns with the broader mission of Housing & Residence Life.
• House Tables and Community Dining:
• Embrace and support the House Tables tradition, recognizing residential dining as a cornerstone of community life.
• Encourage residents to utilize meal plans, fostering community connections during meals or snacks in their home Dining Commons.
• Collaborate with UChicago Dining and student leaders to enhance the communal dining experience as an authentic extension of community space.
• Administrative and Departmental Responsibilities:
• Participate in departmental meetings, committees, and working groups to advance Housing & Residence Life priorities.
• Attend Care Team meetings and collaborate with campus partners to support student well-being and coordinated care.
• Manage timely documentation, reporting, and follow-up using systems such as Roompact, Maxient, and StarRez.
• Maintain consistent and timely communication with campus partners, Resident Heads, Resident Deans, student staff, and departmental colleagues to support coordinated operations and student success.
• Participate in assigned summer responsibilities, including a summer on-call rotation and other departmental responsibilities as needed.
• Facilitate training presentations and workshops for Resident Assistants, Resident Heads, and/or student leaders as assigned.
• Maintain accurate records and contribute to departmental assessment and reporting efforts.
• Utilize departmental data, assessment findings, and community trends to inform programming, student support, and community development strategies.
• May recommend and guide student discipline processes and procedures. Provides on-site expertise and management of serious student life problems and crises, such as student deaths, life-threatening facilities emergencies, and other traumatic events.
• May advise Inter House Council, attend meetings, and serve as a liaison to several University Offices.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications: Preferred Qualifications

Education

• Master's degree in Higher Education, Student Personnel, or a closely related field strongly preferred.

Experience

• At least one year of experience in a student affairs/student personnel position.
• Graduate-level residence life staff experience, supervising student staff, and advising student organizations.

Technical Skills or Knowledge

• Demonstrated understanding of the developmental objectives of the college student residential environment.
• Familiarity with Maxient or other conduct systems as well as housing database software (Star Rez) a plus.

Preferred Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to supervise, train and evaluate the work of others.
• Remain organized and productive in high demand periods.
• Remain calm and productive while interacting with individuals displaying intense emotions.
• Respond promptly, directly, and effectively to internal and external inquiries and requests for service while managing competing demands.
• Work productively with a diverse range of students, residential staff and faculty, and managers across the campus.
• Give and receive feedback constructively.
• Adjust to unpredictable circumstances.

Working Conditions

• Function in a 24-hour on-call environment and maintain productivity.
• The typical work week is Monday through Friday with routine requirements for evening and weekend work.
• University setting.
• Live full-time in a residence hall. Community Director staff are required to live in the residence halls.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(required)

Additional information

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

• Job Family
• Student Affairs & Services
• Role Impact
• Individual Contributor
• Scheduled Weekly Hours
• 37.5
• Drug Test Required
• No
• Health Screen Required
• No
• Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
• No
• Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range $43,000.00 - $55,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University's good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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