Residence Director - Concordia University, Chicago

The Residence Director works directly with the Department of Residence Life and Housing. The ideal candidate will provide holistic, educational leadership while administering a comprehensive living-learning environment for communities housing 150-200 students. They serve as the primary professional staff available in the residence halls for student support. Resident Directors are responsible for facilitating community development, which fosters academic success and personal growth. The Residence Director 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.

Living on campus is required. Residence Directors participate in an on call crisis response rotation providing support to the campus 24/7/365 and can have responsibilities that fall beyond traditional business hours.

The secondary role of the Residence Director is for developing a residential education program for Resident Assistants as well as the campus population as a whole. They will work with the Assistant Director of Residence Life and Housing to manage Housing assignments and develop creative ways to engage with students. Additionally, this position will assist with campus wide programming for the Office of Residence Life.

Responsibilities/Duties:

Community Development

• Responsible for the supervision, leadership, and development of a comprehensive living-learning environment housing 150-200 students
• Develop intentional assessment practices to address the needs of each community and create action steps to meet those intended outcomes
• Create a community development plan for the residential area focused on the learning, growth, and development of students
• Establish healthy mentoring relationships through daily interactions with students, mediate conflicts, respond to their needs and refer students to appropriate resources as needed
• Serve as a University judicial officer and provide educational guidance in enforcing the CUC Code of Conduct.
• 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

Housing Operations and Administrative Responsibilities

• Coordinate day to day operations of the residential area and department such as occupancy, facilities management, hall opening and closing, room selection, and the reassignment process
• Manage efficient and accurate operational reports and communicate regularly with necessary offices
• Assist the leader of Housing Operations 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

Educational Supervision

• Supervise, train, evaluate and provide leadership to a Resident Assistant staff of 6-10 RA's, 1-2 SRA's
• 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, support residential programming, and market availability
• 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

Crisis Intervention & Response

• Participate in an on-call emergency duty rotation throughout the year (evenings and weekends), including academic breaks providing crisis support and response to students
• Collaborate with Concordia 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

Additional Responsibilities

• Manage and provide direct oversight over the residence hall front desk system and oversee the establishment of all policies, procedures, staffing, and ensure a best practice approach
• Monitor physical condition of residence halls and consult with Housekeeping and Facilities staff for maintenance issues and resolution.
• Assist with management of the implementation, organization and execution of StarRez residential data management program and provide continuous updates to the program and training to residence life staff
• Assist with maintaining and overseeing accurate Residence Life billing records utilizing StarRez and BANNER databases that reflect contract, meal plan adjustments, and housing charges
• Supervise, track, organize, assess, and develop residential RA programming model focused on holistic growth of the individual
• Assist in the leadership and development of a year long all-staff training model including Fall training, monthly in-services, Winter training, and creating other initiatives that respond to meeting the needs of the staff, community, and University
• Facilitate and maintain year long staff recognition model celebrating staff achievements and success.

Skill Sets:

Required:

• 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
• Possess excellent communication skills, strong work ethic, flexibility and the willingness to respond immediately to students in crisis and/or need
• Demonstrates awareness of and sensitivity to diverse student populations
• A commitment to providing superior customer service to students

Preferred:

• Experience working within a Liberal Arts institutional environment
• 1-2 years of previous full time experience in Residence Life

Minimum Experience Required: Minimum 1 year of experience in higher education/student affairs

Education Requirements: Bachelor's Degree required. Master's Degree preferred.

Compensation and Benefits:

Starting range is dependent upon individual qualifications and experience. Concordia health, disability and retirement plan enrollment is available to full-time employees and their eligible dependents. Tuition benefits may also be available for employees and their qualified dependents.

Application Information:

Interested individuals should apply through our website at www.cuchicago.edu/employment. Please include a cover letter, resume and references.

Concordia does not discriminate in the employment of individuals on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, disability, sex or age. As an institution of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, however, and to the extent allowed by law, Concordia University reserves the right to give preference in employment based upon religious affiliation.

Concordia University Chicago does not generally sponsor for employment visas except for positions that oversee, teach or support our international programs.

About Concordia University Chicago:Concordia University Chicago is a liberal arts-based Christian university founded in the Lutheran tradition. Through its College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, College of Education, College of Graduate Studies, and College of Innovative and Professional Programs, Concordia-Chicago offers more than 160 areas of study in small classes taught by professors who are passionate about teaching and student success. All undergraduate and graduate degrees are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Concordia University Chicago has been recognized as a College of Distinction since 2010, and in 2013 was named to the U.S. President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the fifth time. For the sixth consecutive year, combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment has exceeded more than 5,000 students. Concordia University Chicago is located in River Forest, 10 miles west of downtown Chicago. Learn more at CUChicago.edu.

As a distinctive, comprehensive university of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, centered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and based in the liberal arts, Concordia University Chicago equips men and women to serve and lead with integrity, creativity, competence and compassion in a diverse, interconnected and increasingly urbanized church and world.