About the Position:

This role is an on-campus, in-person position.

The Residential Community Director (RCD) at SMU provides leadership in developing and sustaining positive, academically-focused, residential communities. A successful RCD also accomplishes administrative functions required in managing a university residential community. The position is live-in, serves in an on-call rotation, and reports to an Associate Director for Residential Life. 

While our current vacancies are in Residential Commons, serving mainly first-year and some second-year students, it is possible that the successful candidate is placed in one of our Upper Division communities serving sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

Essential Functions:

• Train, supervise, and evaluate the job performance of student leaders. Conduct regularly scheduled individual and group meetings. Provide development and accountability for student leaders.
• Develop a personal knowledge of individual residents to better provide assistance and related support. Assist with retention efforts. Serve as a case manager through the Caring Community Connections program. Provide conflict mediation and parent interaction to resolve student issues.
• Assess needs of residents. Provide and facilitate programming (including at least one large-scale signature event program yearly) in support of the Residential Commons tradition to promote a positive living and learning environment that fosters a sense of belonging. Advise the programming board for your community.
• Lead and/or serve on one or more RLSH (and potentially Student Affairs) committees. Meet regularly with the supervisor and other RLSH staff.
• Collaborate with the Faculty in Residence (FIR) for your community and support their connection to the leadership team and programmatic efforts where applicable.
• Serve as a Conduct Officer for student conduct cases occurring in the residential areas.
• Coordinate building operations. Assist with occupancy management, including but not limited to managing room and hall changes, check-in and check-out activity, etc. Monitor the physical condition of assigned areas and report work requests and desired facility improvements per established procedures.
• Manage budget & financial paperwork, including purchasing and expense reports.
• Assist in major annual processes, e.g., staff selection, assessments, and serve on the on-call rotation to manage student and facilities emergencies, etc.
• Perform related duties as assigned or required to meet RLSH and University goals.
• Regular evening/weekend hours will be required for student meetings, programs, trainings and other events. 
• This person will serve on an on-call rotation. This person is also expected to be a presence in the community in which they live.

Qualifications - External

Education and Experience:

A Bachelor’s degree is required. A Master's degree is preferred. A degree in Higher Education Administration, College Student Personnel, Counseling in Higher Education, or related field is preferred. 

Work experience in related areas of Student Affairs is required. Previous Residence Life experience (full-time or graduate) is strongly preferred. Experience working in a Residential College setting or experience working with academic and faculty partners is preferred. Experience supervising student staff is also preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate broadly across the University and develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of constituencies. Must also demonstrate strong written communication skills.

Candidate must possess strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as devise creative solutions. Must also have strong organizational, planning and time management skills.