Director of Housing and Residence Life

Carter & Associates is supporting Catawba College ("Catawba") in finding a Director of Residence Life and Housing. The individual taking on this role will have the chance to be involved in renovating and building new residence halls. The successful candidate will also be part of an innovative team that integrates Student Affairs within the Division of Academic Affairs.

The selected candidate will guide, advise, and supervise Catawba's Office of Residence Life and Housing, further Catawba's Mission through programs developed and implemented by Residence Life and Housing, and administer the overall educational and managerial responsibilities within the office. The Director of Residence Life and Housing is responsible for effectively managing all college residence hall facility operations and supervising all residence life functions (on and off campus).

Below is a summary of the crucial job responsibilities, qualifications, and minimum job requirements. If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit your application via the Catawba College Jobs Web Page. The link is provided in this announcement. If you would like to talk about the position, please feel free to contact me at carter17ron@gmail.com.

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Directly supervise and facilitate the recruitment, training, and development of Catawba Resident Assistant, the Associate Director of Housing and Residence Life, and Area Housing Coordinators (i.e., Graduate Students).

• Consistent with the Catawba Mission and Student Affairs priorities, create and implement a team development plan that includes, but is not limited to, individual meetings, weekly staff meetings, and team bonding activities.

• Guide Resident Assistants, the Associate Director, and Area Housing Coordinators in supporting the departmental mission and vision to cultivate communities focused on belonging, inclusivity, well-being, academic success, and engaged citizenship.

• Conducted meetings with individual resident assistants, associate director, and area housing coordinators and provided the framework for weekly staff meetings.

• Assess all staff members' needs, interests, and expectations through ongoing feedback, development, and job action if needed.

• Develop and lead community-wide programs and activities that contribute to residents' academic and personal development and create a positive atmosphere for residents and guests.

• Serve as a role model, provide visibility, and be available to residents by completing weekly office hours; serve as a department liaison to parents and students by mediating disputes and conflicts about student development and department and Catawba policies.

• Assess student development needs and concerns; work with Academic and Student Affairs staff to interpret, communicate, and enforce Catawba policies, rules, and regulations.

• Adjudicate residence hall-level conduct incidents timely, including notice and hearing of documented incidents.

• Assist with an annual review of the Student Resource Guide, Student Code of Conduct, and other departmental policies governing student conduct and expectations in the residence halls.

• Ensure compliance with professional and legal due process standards, risk management, Clery reporting, etc.

• As part of the CARES team, work closely with the Academic Affairs, Chaplain's Office, Catawba counselors, Public Safety, Student Success, and other campus partners to promptly manage the outreach and follow-up for students of concern.

• Coordinate the overall administrative management of Catawba Residence Life and Housing and prepare for administrative processes such as community opening in the Fall and closing at the end of each semester. Support and assist Conference Services with Summer Campus as needed.

• Conduct a monthly walk-through of all residence halls to monitor the physical condition of the buildings with facilities, housekeeping, and maintenance.

• Coordinate developing and implementing a health and safety inspection plan for each residence hall and review and update all residence life and housing policies to ensure the safety of residents in our (on and off campus) facilities.

• Manage damage, accountability, and billing processes and ensure work orders are submitted for health and safety inspections and closing processes.

• Actively oversee, track, and reconcile the Residence Life and Housing budget monthly, including but not limited to programming, professional development, and training budgets.

• Facilitate the check-in and check-out of residents, maintain room occupancy, and process for room changes.

• Serve on Catawba committees at the direction of the Dean of Students

• Advise student leadership groups, including advisor for the student organization, Residence Hall Association (RHA)

• Lead Residence Life with fall and mid-year training, Resident Assistant and Area Housing Coordinator selections, staff recognition initiatives, and first-year and upper-class programs

• Participate in on-call rotation with other Residence Life and Housing staff; work cooperatively with Academic Affairs, Chaplain Office, Catawba Public Safety, Student Health Services, Catawba counselors, and other campus and community resources to assist in emergencies and crises.

• Contribute to an effective unit by completing special projects and performing other duties assigned by the Dean of Students.

• On Call & Crisis Management

• Serve in on-call crisis management rotation for the campus.

• Provide emergency response and crisis management as needed on campus and for staff.

• Develop a residence hall on-call program with the Resident Assistants to ensure 24-hour, seven-day coverage in the residence halls

• Other Duties as Assigned by the President and/or the Executive Vice President and Provost or Dean of Students[Be specific when describing each of the responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Ability to build solid and healthy relationships with students, creating a collaborative environment with students at the center.

• Demonstrated problem-solving ability with high student/customer service in addressing student/family issues or concerns.

• A collaborative individual working with faculty and staff from various Catawba departments, capable of resolving escalated issues arising from operations and requiring coordination with facilities, the conference center, and other departments.

• Ability to multitask and find creative solutions in a supervisory and autonomous environment.

• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.

• Computer skills, including Microsoft Office programs and learning management systems like Blackboard.

• Understanding student management systems such as Banner, Presence, eRezLife, and Maxient.

• Strong oral and written communication skills are needed to work effectively with faculty, staff, students, parents, and administrators.

• Excellent leadership and supervisory skills

• Familiarity with social media platforms such as Instagram.

• Demonstrate tact, a positive attitude, courtesy, and discretion in dealing with trustees, faculty, staff, students, high-level Catawba officials, and the public.

• Work independently and function effectively in a team and within diverse groups.

• Adaptability, flexibility, and a willingness to work in a changing environment

• Ability to work occasional evening and weekend hours.

• This position demands accuracy, honesty, integrity, and the ability to work within the Catawba Mission.

The Minimum Job Requirements

• Master's degree in higher education, student personnel, or related field

• At least five (5) years of experience working in residence life on a college or university campus, with a preference for experience at the director level.

• Experience developing, implementing, and assessing strategic goals, objectives, and outcomes.

• Experience in supervision/administrative role.