Career Center

Department: Residential Life
Salary/Grade: EXS/7

Northwestern University’s Residential Services helps build a community environment for students through housing-related services, intentional learning opportunities and residential settings that include residence halls, residential communities, and residential colleges. Learn more about the Residential Services department and the Residential Life team here: https://www.northwestern.edu/living/index.html

About Student Affairs: By pursuing justice, equity, and belonging, Student Affairs cultivates student programs, services, and skills; disrupts barriers; and partners across Northwestern and neighboring communities to create an inclusive culture in which all students can thrive. Learn more about the Division of Student Affairs here: https://www.northwestern.edu/studentaffairs/about/strategic-plan/strategic-themes.html

Job Summary:

The Assistant Director of Residential Life for Community Standards and Operations is part of the leadership team responsible for developing a residential experience that fulfills the goals of Residential Services and the Division of Student Affairs. This position reports to the Director of Residential Life, supervises four full-time Resident Directors, and serves as the primary liaison between the Office of Community Standards and Residential Life. The Additionally, the Assistant Director of Residential Life leads operational work within Residential Life and contributes to resident and staff educational efforts; chairs, advises, and serves on departmental committees; assists with crisis intervention; and participates in professional development activities.       

The Assistant Director of Residential Life for Community Standards and Operations works closely with the Office of Community Standards to provide functional supervision of Resident Director and Assistant Resident Director staff in their management of student conduct cases. This position will administratively resolve mid to high-level conduct cases, investigate separation-level cases, and have the opportunity to serve as panel-coordinator for panel hearings involving residential students.

This position includes working with diverse groups of students, staff, and faculty in a highly selective and rigorous academic environment.

Principal Accountabilities:

Residential Student Conduct Oversight 25%

Serve as the primary liaison between Residential Services and the Office of Community Standards.  Oversee all functions of student conduct and community standards as related to policy violations in the residence halls including the functional supervision of the resident directors in their role as hearing officers. 

1. Ensure consistent interpretation and enforcement of all policies in the Student Code of Conduct in line with the expectations of the Office of Community Standards and all Residence Hall and Housing Policies in line with the Department of Residential Life.
2. Manage the consistent implementation and execution of all procedures related to student conduct case resolution (as outlined in the University Hearing and Appeals System, overseen by the Office of Community Standards) across all residence halls and residential life professionals.
3. Coordinate the management of all Residential Services conduct cases, which includes receiving all incident reports, creating all cases in Maxient, logging Clery reportability, and routing cases to appropriate staff. 
4. Monitor the caseload of each hearing officer in Residential Services and provide follow-up and functional supervision as needed. 
5. Serve as a consultant for and implement processes and procedures to address ongoing or significant residence hall community concerns.
6. Collaborate with Director of Community Standards and Director of Residential Life to manage all reporting and assessment needs related to residential student conduct cases, including annual reporting data for annual reports and the annual security report.
7. Facilitate Residential Life staff in the annual revision of the Residence Hall and Housing Policies contained in the Student Handbook and make suggestions for revisions to the Student Code of Conduct based on the needs of Residential Life
8. Meet regularly with the Director of Community Standards

Residential Life Operations 25%

1. In conjunction with Operations and Services, coordinate Residential Life building opening and closing processes.
2. Coordinate all processes related to staff onboarding and departure needs.
3. Coordinate all break coverage, including desk operations and RA/GRA on call scheduling and additional pay tasks.
4. Liaison with Operations and Services and Student Affairs Information Technology for access, desk, apartment and office turns, technology needs, and other functions.
5. Coordinate Dillo Day processes and procedures, including staff coverage and coordination with other offices and departments

Supervision 15%

1. Directly supervise one Area Coordinator (AC)
   • Meet weekly with AC to provide accountability as well as on-going coaching, and feedback; conduct annual performance evaluations
   • Work with AC to ensure  student wellbeing, community satisfaction, and community engagement initiatives, including the implementation of the Area Model   
   • Work with AC to ensure supportive advising of Area Councils
   • Work with and support AC as they respond to crisis/emergency situations and follow up with students who need assistance.
2. Indirectly supervise 4 Resident Directors, approximately 120 Resident Assistants (RAs), 11 Graduate Resident Assistants (GRAs), and 8 Assistant Resident Directors (ARDs)
3. Assist in the selection and training of all ACs, RDs, ARDs, GRAs and Ras

Residential Student Conduct Case Resolution; Community Education and Staff Training 15%

1. Serve as a hearing officer in the University Hearing and Appeals System for cases that have the potential to result in relocation or removal from the residence halls and/or in disciplinary probation.  Co-investigate, co-hear, and serve as a panel member for cases that occur in campus housing and have the potential to result in separation from the University.
2. Serve as a review officer for cases heard by Resident Directors for which the student requests a review.
3. Facilitate community education related to community expectations, standards, and responsibilities including the Student Code of Conduct and residence hall policies and procedures.  Train staff and create educational opportunities, programs, and awareness campaigns for the residential communities. 
4. Develop and facilitate all training for the Residential Life staff including professional and student staff as it relates to their responsibilities as hearing officers in the University Hearing and Appeals System.

Administrative Responsibilities 10%

1. Participate in departmental meetings
2. Participate in weekly one-on-one meetings with supervisor
3. Address student and parent issues and resolve them in a satisfactory manner; communicate all information to direct supervisor and others as appropriate
4. Chair, advise, and/or serve on departmental committees
5. Initiate and maintain collaborative relationships with Faculty members and Division of Student Affairs staff
6. Collaborate with the Director of Residential Academic Initiatives and the Faculty Chairs, Assistant Chairs and Faculty in Residence relating to the effective functioning of all Residential Colleges and Residential Areas.
7. Represent the department at University-wide events such as Wildcat Welcome, Family Weekend, Wildcat Days, Senior Week, and Commencement
8. Represent Residential Services on various University, divisional, or departmental committees

Crisis Management & Student Conduct 5%

1. Serve in a duty rotation to provide 24-7 emergency assistance to staff living on campus and carry a cell phone at all times (unless on vacation)
2. Respond, in coordination with other professional Residential Services staff members, to critical incidents occurring on campus
3. Ensure appropriate follow up on student wellness and crisis concerns by RDs and ARDs
4. Follow-up and advise staff on appropriate administrative resolution procedures
5. Maintain consistency by monitoring the administrative resolutions of RDs

Professional Development/Other Duties 5%

1. Plan and participate in professional development activities
2. Respond to other duties as they become necessary

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Master's degree in higher education administration or other related discipline
2. Minimum of four (4) years’ full-time professional experience preferably at a college/university in student conduct, residence life, or a related field
3. Minimum of two to three years of experience in student conduct or related work
4. Minimum two to three years of experience in residential life with increasing responsibility in student conduct.
5. Demonstrated experience advising/supervising staff

Minimum Competencies:

1. Commitment to fostering student learning, social justice, restorative justice, and community values.
2. Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
3. Well-organized, positive, results oriented, and able to work in a fast-paced environment with daily priority changes.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Five (5) to seven (7) years of full-time experience professional experience strongly preferred.

Preferred Competencies:

1. Understanding of the educational environment at highly selective institutions like Northwestern.

Working Conditions:

• Required to work some nights, weekends and holidays. 
• Frequently sit, perform desk-based computer tasks.
• Occasionally stand, walk, ascend and descend up to five flights of stairs, twist, use fine manipulation, grasp, use a telephone, write by hand, sort and file paperwork, lift, carry, push, and pull objects that weigh up to 10 pounds.
• As per Northwestern University policy, this position requires a criminal background check.  Successful applicants will need to submit to a criminal background check prior to employment.

Benefits: At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness: Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development: Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.


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