Assistant Director of Community Development & Assessment, Residential Experience - Vanderbilt University

Position Summary:



The Assistant Director for Community Development and Assessment is part of the Residential Experience team within Housing and Residential Experience in the Student Affairs division at Vanderbilt University and is responsible for the oversight of designated residential and functional areas. This position assists in guiding the Residential Experience team to fulfill the departmental mission of building safe, engaging, and educational residential communities, thus contributing to the intellectual, cultural, and social growth of Vanderbilt students. Reporting to the Associate Director of Residential Experience, the Assistant Director will lead in progressing the Residential Experience vision, execution, and impact in two key functional areas: community development and assessment.



As the community development and assessment lead, the Assistant Director is responsible for developing data-driven goals and deliverables which foster safe, caring, and inclusive communities, contributing to student belonging at Vanderbilt. Through a combination of innovation and best practice, the Assistant Director will lead in the implementation of a Community Development Strategy, incorporating Community Development Plans and Meaningful Conversations as essential tools for Resident Advisors. As the assessment lead for Residential Experience, the Assistant Director will manage assessment strategy, administration, and analytics to guide strategic, data-informed decisions and provide actionable recommendations which align with division and university goals and position Residential Experience to better grow and serve an evolving Vanderbilt student population.



The Assistant Director is also responsible for engaging in benchmarking and proactive professional development initiatives; representing the Assistant Director level in the campus on-call rotation and crisis response; and facilitating training and programmatic efforts across the department. Additional duties may include collaborating with faculty and staff in Residential Colleges, providing mentorship and accountability to graduate and undergraduate student staff, and leading and participating in divisional and departmental committee work to promote student success.



The Assistant Director for Community Development and Assessment will supervise two Area Coordinators and oversee two Graduate Area Coordinators and two teams Resident Advisors .







About the Work Unit:



The Office of Housing and Residential Experience provides safe, secure, comfortable, accessible, and healthy housing for its residents. Programming for residents builds engaged communities in which students’ social needs for belonging, friendship, recognition, respect, and dignity are met. These communities foster learning, personal development, academic achievement, and successful transitions for both new students and graduates.







About Student Affairs



Student Affairs serves a central role in student learning and development at Vanderbilt, advancing the University’s mission of teaching, research, and service by fostering academic and social networks through which students develop as intentional learners and global citizens. Student Affairs creates opportunities to involve students, faculty and staff in diverse learning communities and provides a critical support structure for enriching the overall student experience. We achieve these ends through strategic alignment, both internally and in concert with other university departments. We care deeply. We educate completely. We lead with excellence. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and mental health are top priorities for the institution and by extension the offices of Student Affairs. Our staff are committed to continued growth in knowledge, awareness, skills, and experience engaging with these priorities in a higher education environment.







Key Functions and Expected Performance:



Leadership and Oversight





+ Assist in recruiting, hiring, and training Area Coordinators, administrative staff, graduate and student staff, and other student workers.



+ Directly supervise two Area Coordinators and support two Graduate Area Coordinators and two teams of Resident Advisors.



+ Collaborate with Residential Colleges staff and Faculty Heads to assist in achieving the goals of the Residential College System and Hall Governance.



+ Provide financial oversight for the Residential Experience allocation as needed, including full responsibility for the preparation and management of relevant budgets to ensure proper stewardship of university resources.



+ Foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment that promotes communication, accountability, and excellence.



+ Ensure professional and paraprofessional staff display a positive and professional image and that Residential Experience staff respond appropriately to the many stakeholders served (students, parents/families, administrators, campus partners, etc.).



+ Partner with other Assistant Directors in advancing departmental professional development opportunities and training for Residential Experience professionals and graduate staff.



+ Utilize evolving technologies to better connect with students, campus, and the community.





Assessment





+ Develop and implement a comprehensive assessment plan, including drafting annual key performance indicators which align with strategic goals and priorities for Housing and Residential Experience and the Student Affairs division overall.



+ Collect and analyze data to assess diverse student needs, learning outcomes, and interests, utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods.



+ Design, implement, and maintain assessment tools, surveys, and evaluation instruments to gather data from key stakeholders.



+ Interpret assessment findings, identify trends, and prepare detailed reports and presentations to communicate results and provide insight to Residential Experience leadership for data-driven decision-making and program improvement.



+ Identify residential engagement trends through community development plans and meaningful conversations, utilizing Anchor Link and Roompact software.



+ Refine, develop, assess, and report student learning outcomes for all key office programs and functions.



+ Provide training and support to Residential Experience staff on assessment practice, data collection methodologies, and effective use of assessment results.





Community Development





+ Gather research and benchmark with peer institutions to build an innovative community development strategy which fosters connection, inclusivity, and belonging in residential communities.



+ Maintain, progress, and assess Community Development Plans for diverse residential communities, including First-Year and Upper-division Residential Colleges, Traditional Halls, and Living Learning Communities (LLC’s) amongst a 6,500-student population.



+ Implement and review Meaningful Conversation curriculum and training for Resident Advisors and professional staff.



+ Build relationships with campus partners and faculty, and co - design collaborative educational programs to serve each functional area and target student population .



+ Provide oversight regarding the logistical details for all programs to ensure the event is successful. This includes, but is not limited to securing venues, contacting speakers/facilitators, technical equipment, and other A/V needs, coordinating event work crews, AnchorLink event registration, etc.





Student Advising





+ Facilitate the growth and development of student staff through training, accountability, and mentorship.



+ Guide students to the proper campus resources to address needs that go beyond the scope of Residential Experience; this may include academic resources, trauma-informed resources, career services, etc.





Divisional Responsibilities





+ Serve on divisional committees and working groups to enrich the experience and resources available to staff across the division.



+ Participate in division-wide events as needed (Move-In Day, Rites of Spring, Diverse ‘Dores Day, MLK Day, etc.) to support colleagues and campus partners.



+ Maintain an understanding of institutional and departmental financial policies related to areas such as travel, procurement, expense, and time reporting to ensure compliance and proper stewardship of university resources.



+ Collaborate with colleagues across the division to implement divisional goals and strategic priorities which align with Student Affairs values.









Supervisory Relationships:



This position supervises two professional staff providing clear performance expectations, effective and on-going feedback, regular and annual evaluations, and professional development opportunities to ensure staff understand expectations of them and are successful in fulfilling their job functions. This position also indirectly supervises at least one Graduate Area Coordinator and a team of undergraduate student staff members. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Associate Director for Residential Experience.







Education and Certifications:





+ A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is necessary.



+ A master’s degree is strongly preferred focusing in Higher Educational Administration, Counseling, or Student Personnel Services.









Experience and Skills:





+ 3 years of experience in residential higher education is necessary. 5-7 years of experience is preferred.



+ Experience creating and implementing community development strategies, programs and initiatives within a higher education setting is preferred.



+ Experience developing assessment tools, analyzing metrics, and writing reports is preferred.



+ Experience working with live-in faculty is preferred.



+ Experience supervising professional staff is preferred.



+ Experience with Maxient software system is preferred.



+ Experience presenting training programs for student and professional staff is preferred.



+ Experience being in an on-duty rotation responding to crisis situations and conflict mediation is preferred.



+ Strong written and verbal communication skills are preferred.



+ Strong collaboration and partnership-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with various campus departments, student organizations and community stakeholders is preferred.



+ Strong organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously is preferred.



+ Experience working with students from diverse backgrounds attending a highly selective institution with a broad range of campus groups, departments and organizations is preferred.



+ Strong interpersonal/human relations skills including ability to develop and cultivate professional relationships is preferred.




Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education. Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities, and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.