Career Center

Mars Hill University (MHU) is a private, four-year liberal arts institution located in the mountains of western North Carolina. Founded in 1856 by Baptist families of the region, it is the oldest institution of higher learning in western North Carolina on its original site. Mars Hill University, an academic community rooted in the Christian faith, challenges and equips students to pursue intellectual, spiritual, and personal growth through an education that is grounded in a rigorous study of the Liberal Arts, connected with the world of work, and committed to character development, to service, and to responsible citizenship in the community, the region, and the world.

 

DEPARTMENT: Residence Life

POSITION/TITLE: Area Coordinator

 

FLSA STATUS: Not Exempt

LOCATION: Mars Hill, NC

SUPERVISOR: Director of Residence Life 

 

 

SCOPE: The Area Coordinator (AC) is a staff member who promotes the safety, security, and development of students in designated residential communities. The AC is an essential partner in the education, development, and empowerment of the whole student. As such, this position requires living in University-owned housing to maintain a high level of engagement in the academic and co-curricular life of MHU.  The goal of the position is to actively support the mission and goals of Mars Hill University, the division of Student Life, and the office of Residence Life as a collaborative, effective, and enthusiastic team member. 

·         Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university 

·         Two or more years of residence life or student affairs staff experience

·         Excellent interpersonal (Emotional Intelligence) and communication (ability to clearly express ideas and concepts orally and in writing) skills

·         Strong skills in mentoring, advising, programming, and crisis management

·         Commitment to, and appreciation of, the residential experience in higher education

·         Active engagement in diversity issues, conversations and/or related experience

·         Demonstrated understanding of student development theory

·         Desire to work with a diverse population of paraprofessional staff, senior administrators, faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumni

·         Creative problem-solving capabilities with demonstrated ability to be self­motivated and autonomous

·         Desire to maintain a flexible work schedule (including evenings, weekends, and holidays as necessary)

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

·         Master’s degree in higher education administration, student development, counseling, human services, 

or a related field from an accredited college or university

·         Demonstrated understanding of and ability to articulate the changing needs of students

·         Two or more years of full­time experience in residence life or student affairs

·         One or more years of experience supervising, mentoring, and motivating a diverse team

·         One or more years of experience conducting training and development for staff

·         Proficiency with data management and housing/conduct software packages

·         Experience engaging students in crisis and/or with at-risk needs

·         Demonstrated collaborative work to streamline students’ academic and co­curricular experiences

·         Demonstrated involvement in professional associations within the field of higher education/student affairs

1.      Resident Care & Conduct

·         Develop and implement strategies for intentional interaction and visibility with every resident in assigned living areas each semester

·         Serve as a resource for students seeking support and as a referral to other resources on campus regarding academic, personal, or mental-health concerns

·         Maintain communication with other campus offices and respond to issues concerning residents

·         Serve as a primary personal resource for staff and students in dealing with specific residence hall concerns, including roommate conflicts, interpersonal conflicts and other developmental issues

·         Communicate and employ Residence Life policies, procedures, and emergency protocol 

·         Encourage students to demonstrate responsible and ethical behavior in their communities

·         Appropriately confront students who are violating community standards and serve as a conduct officer for all Residence Life policy violations of the Student Handbook in assigned living areas

2.      Resident Learning

·         Lead paraprofessional staff in the planning and implementation of resident programs and learning initiatives as related to the Residence Life Learning Outcomes

·         Identify the needs of residents, establish goals for communities, and design effective intentional interactions and programming to promote resident development

·         Promote departmental goals and priorities to campus partners and maintain an accurate account of all programmatic efforts in living areas on a monthly basis

·         Assist with assessment efforts for the department, identify and implement programmatic growth plans based on assessment, and maintain assessment records

·         Collaborate with faculty and staff to promote Living Learning Communities and community-specific learning outcomes

3.      Administration & Facility Care

·         Complete weekly walk-throughs of assigned living areas to be aware of general conditions and to personally build community

·         Manage budgets and complete purchases, as needed, for programming within the assigned living areas

·         Communicate effectively with residents, parents, staff, and faculty both verbally and in writing

·         Maintain effective communication and working relationships with Facilities and Campus Safety & Security to ensure all living areas are well-maintained and secure

·         Assist the Assistant Director of Housing with timely coordination of housing assignments, room consolidations, room changes, check-in/-out processes and fee billing

·         Coordinate and schedule use of common spaces and building equipment

·         Serve on rotating on­call coverage with other Residence Life staff when living areas are occupied, and serve as the emergency building administrator for assigned living areas

·         Communicate to Residence Life leadership all current and/or potential problems involving residents, parents/families, guests, etc.

·         Attend and actively participate in weekly individual and Residence Life staff team meetings

·         Aid the Assistant Director of Conferences & Events in the implementation of the residential component of summer camps, conferences, recreation, and summer resident housing

 

4.      Staff Selection, Training, & Supervision 

·         Recruit, select, train, and supervise ~14 Resident Advisors (RAs) and 1-2 Senior Resident Advisors (SRAs) 

·         Provide opportunities, training experiences, and one-to-one contacts that identify and help resolve individual problems and conflicts

·         Oversee, with the help of SRAs, the student staff on-call coverage of the living areas

·         Conduct weekly staff meetings to disseminate information, provide training experiences, foster personal and professional growth, and develop a sense of team cohesion and vision

·         Provide guidance, support, and information needed for RAs to fulfill their responsibilities in a timely manner; meeting one-on-one, maintaining regular contact, and open communication with each RA

·         Provide direction to student staff in interpreting and communicating Residence Life and University policies and procedures

·         Model professional standards to staff and residents

·         Create and facilitate ongoing student, professional, and leadership staff development opportunities 

·         Demonstrate support for the philosophy of the MHU Student Life Division, Residence Life, and the MHU guidelines in the University Personnel & Safety Handbooks and departmental policies

·         Comply with all University, local, state, and federal policies (e.g. Title IX, Clery Act, FERPA)

·         Serve on appropriate student development committees as needed

·         Pursue continuing education and knowledge of current trends in the field of student affairs

·         Participate in professional organizations, conferences, and workshops as approved by supervisor

·         Complete special projects and all other duties as requested

·         Occasional moderate lifting, up to 40 pounds

·         Ability to walk up multiple flights of stairs 

·         Stand for indeterminate lengths of time

·         An average of 75% of this work per week is completed on campus

·         Working outside of normal business hours, including working evenings and weekends, is often necessary

·         Serving in an on-call professional staff rotation approximately 1 week per month

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: On-campus housing, including utilities and maintenance, and a meal plan are provided as non-monetary compensation for this position. For more information concerning benefits offered to MHU employees, see the MHU Benefits Summary on the MHU website.

 

 

 

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), MHU provides reasonable accommodation to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the organization or would change the essential functions of the job. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be directed to Human Resources (see below). MHU is committed to hiring faculty and staff who fully support MHU’s mission. Minorities and women are encouraged to apply.

 

MHU is committed to maintaining a safe and secure campus environment and protecting the university’s financial and physical assets. Therefore, Mars Hill University conducts background checks. Depending on the position applicants may also be required to consent to a credit check as part of the background check process.

In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race color, national origin, age, disability, religion, sex, familial status, sexual orientation, and reprisal.

 | To file a complaint with Mars Hill University, contact:
 Jennie Matthews
 Office of Human Resources
 Box 6664
 Mars Hill University
 Mars Hill, NC 28754
 828 689-1197
 828 689-1256 Fax
jmatthews@mhu.edu | To file a complaint of discrimination, write to:
USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410
Washington DC 20250-9410
Or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642
(English Federal- relay) or (800) 845-6136
(Spanish Federal-relay).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.