Salary starting in the mid $90's; commensurate with education and experience.
Required Education:
Masters
All applicants must apply through jobs.gmu.edu by 11:59pm EST, February 21, 2023 to be fully considered for this position. Resumes sent through TPE will not be considered.
Director of Residence Life The George Mason University, Office of Housing and Residence Life, is currently seeking applications from qualified candidates for the Director of Residence Life position. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.
About Housing and Residence Life: Housing and Residence Life (HRL) is a self-supporting auxiliary organization within the Division of University Life at George Mason University. HRL serves a highly diverse population of approximately 6,100 students, the majority of which are undergraduates living in over 40 traditional, suite, and apartment-style residence halls on three campuses within the vibrant Northern Virginia area. HRL employs over 170 full-time and graduate staff members and over 350 undergraduate student staff members. HRL is committed to provide a safe, well-maintained student-centered environment that is innovative and inclusive of the global community. It is dedicated to creating a home that enriches the experiences of our students, staff, and faculty.
About the Position: The Director of Residence Life is a professional staff member responsible for the overall management of approximately 40 residence halls housing approximately 6,100 undergraduate and graduate students. Responsibilities include staff supervision, primary oversight for all administrative functions within the Residence Life, and supporting departmental and divisional goals and initiatives through various collaborative efforts. This position reports to the Associate Dean/Chief Housing Officer.
Responsibilities: The Director of Residence Life will have primary responsibilities focused in the areas of Residence Life Supervision and Leadership, Student Education and Engagement, Collaborations and Partnerships, and Administration.
Residence Life Supervision and Leadership:
Administer a comprehensive residence life program of a 6,100-bed housing operation overseeing a $4.1 million budget;
Manage all staffing functions for the Residence Life team including selection, training, supervision, and evaluation for approximately 20 professional and graduate level staff and over 200 student staff;
Directly supervise and evaluate 1 Associate Director, 3 Assistant Directors of Residence Life, and provide indirect supervision for 3 additional Assistant Directors, 3 Coordinators, 15 professional Community Directors, 9 Graduate Assistants, and 200 undergraduate student staff;
Evaluate job performance of all direct supervisees by providing ongoing feedback and annual performance reviews; assist supervisees with completion and execution of their Professional Development Plan;
Serve as a member of the Housing and Residence Life Leadership team, supporting the mission and strategic goals of Housing and Residence Life, University Life, and George Mason University;
Provide direction and response to students and staff for situations including students in crisis, student behavioral issues, student wellness, general student safety, and roommate conflicts;
Participate in an on-call rotation with other senior members of the Housing and Residence Life Leadership team to provide support for emergencies and critical incidents involving residential students and residence hall facilities;
Aid and advise Residence Life staff in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion;
Actively support and comply with all University policies, department regulations, vision, and goals; and
Schedule and conduct regular staff meetings with Residence Life staff to convey information.
Student Education and Engagement:
Research, plan, develop, and coordinate a Residence Life program designed to engage students and stakeholders in the on-campus living community;
Partner with many departments to create, support, and achieve successful living-learning communities while cultivating out-of-classroom learning and interaction for all residence hall students;
Promote the implementation and execution of the residential curriculum (Residential Roadmap) to support and attain departmental, divisional, and University goals;
Actively support residential hall student leadership initiatives through the growth of these opportunities by way of hall councils, Residence Hall Association, and National Residence Hall Honorary; and
Advise “Student Staff Voice” organization.
Collaboration and Partnerships:
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with all Housing and Residence Life staff including, but not limited to, Residential Services, Housekeeping and Special Projects, Facilities, and Budget and Finance;
Serve on departmental and University Life committees focused on the academic success and co-curricular experience of residential students;
Engage in ongoing communication with campus stakeholders (Disability Services, Compliance, Diversity, & Ethics, Office of Student Conduct, etc.) directly involved in the development and review of residence hall policies and practices;
Establish and maintain collegial relationships with campus partners involved with residence hall crisis response protocol (GMU Police Department, Counseling & Psychological Services, Student Support and Advocacy Center, etc.); develop and review MOUs on a regular basis or as needed;
Serve on the campus threat assessment team (TAT), all-incidents team (AIM), and serve as a deputy officer for Title IX compliance; and
Participate in departmental, divisional, and University-wide committee opportunities.
Administration:
Support efforts connected to assessment for departmental and University Life goals and objectives;
Manage all financial organization codes affiliated with the Residence Life team; oversee purchases and vendor contracts for fiscal accuracy and ongoing reconciliation processes within departmental budgets;
Serve as the hiring authority for all professional staff positions within the Residence Life team and direct reports in additional areas of responsibility; and
Provide executive leadership to Housing and Residence Life in the absence of, or at the request of, the Chief Housing Officer.
Other Duties:
Serve as essential personnel and respond to emergencies and crisis situations that occur within the residence halls and/or on campus as part of the Housing and Residence Life Senior Duty rotation;
Willing to work flexible night and weekend hours as necessary;
In the event of an Associate Director vacancy, the Director should be prepared to cover assigned responsibilities of the vacated position;
Perform other duties as assigned by the Chief Housing Officer or designee; and
Support ongoing communication and consistent information sharing between the multiple areas of oversight, the Chief Housing Officer, and/or other members of University Life senior leadership.
Required Qualifications:
Demonstrated professional work experience (typically obtained in 10 years) working in university housing environments;
Progressive experience in leadership, crisis management, and supervision of staff in university housing environments;
Ability to establish and maintain effective and collaborative supervisory and collegial working relationships;
Experience with and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and working effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, in support of an inclusive and welcoming environment;
Excellent organizational, administrative, and management skills, including budget management, prioritization of duties, excellent judgement, flexibility, and customer service;
Effective communication skills, including in writing, interpersonally, organizationally, interculturally, one-on-one, and in small and large groups;
Ability to appropriately manage conflicts, crisis, and emergency situations;
Ability to successfully cultivate relationships and expertise in creating collaborative partnerships with staff, faculty, students, parents, and with numerous university stakeholder groups;
Ability to be innovative and creative in shaping programs and services and identifying opportunities for improvement; and
Knowledge of student and leadership development theory, social justice, and diversity, and their application in a residential environment, including the ability to work with a wide variety of people while recognizing the needs of underrepresented groups.
Preferred Qualifications:
A master’s degree in student affairs, higher education, or related field;
Prior experience in higher education at a four-year institution;
Experience hiring, training, mentoring, motivating, and supervising a diverse professional staff;
Experience with student conduct, Title IX work, emergency, and crisis response and management;
Experience with and knowledge about learning communities at a college or university;
Experience with analyzing and resolving conflict, team building, group dynamics, and problem-solving skills; and
Strong record of administration, including experience in program development, and proficiency with organizational development and managing organizational change.
