The Director of Housing and Residential Life is responsible for the comprehensive development, engagement, management, and evaluation of a community-based residential life program at Marist College. Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, this position works to promote wellness, diversity, equity, and inclusion in a safe, supportive living environment for approximately 3,400 residential students.
Minimum Qualifications:
Master’s Degree in higher education administration, college student personnel or a related field.
A minimum of five to eight years of relevant work experience.
Occasional travel required to Florence, Italy campus.
Essential Functions:
Manage all aspects of residential life operations including strategic planning, goal setting and establishing appropriate policies and procedures.
Supervise staff including an associate director, two assistant directors, and clerical staff. Indirectly supervise eleven resident directors and sixty-plus resident assistants.
Oversee the development of programmatic initiatives and services for residential students that positively impact the recruitment, retention, and enrichment of students.
Evaluate and assess College housing occupancy, retention, and projection trends.
Oversee residential facilities to maintain a safe, secure, and healthy living environment.
Liaison to multiple college departments addressing a broad range of issues, including student support services, academic affairs, facilities, and security to meet the needs of residential students.
Lead professional development opportunities and training focused on supporting student success, enhancing retention, and establishing a community environment throughout campus residence halls.
Serve as an administrative point of contact for students, College leadership, and other constituents to assist with questions and concerns.
Respond to issues and concerns raised by students and parents in a manner consistent with the values of the College and the Student Affairs area.
Direct crisis management services, activities, and procedures in coordination with Counseling Services, Health Services, Security, and other essential departments for students in distress.
Manage the room assignment process.
Lead the area’s assessment activities.
Crisis Management – including on-call responsibility for housing emergencies on both campuses (Poughkeepsie and Florence)
Project Management – including data collection, forecasting and outcomes assessment.
Interact and respond to student and parent inquiries on housing-related issues.
Develop, manage, and monitor fiscal expenditures and area-wide budgets.
Other duties as assigned.
Preferred Qualifications:
Seven to ten years progressive experience in residence life or housing operations with previous supervisory experience.
Active involvement in higher education professional organizations and associations or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Demonstrated proficiency in budget development and management.
Knowledge of and experience with diversity, equity and inclusion work; program planning and project management skills; the ability to maintain a sense of fairness, sensitivity, and sound judgement in emotionally charged situations.
Demonstrated supervisory skills that foster a motivated staff and build an effective team.
Required Application Documents:
Resume, Cover Letter, & Contact Information of 3 Professional References
About the Department/School:
Residential life is an integral part of the total educational experience. The residential life program at Marist is based upon the philosophy of providing students with a safe, healthy, and attractive living environment that supports and supplements the educational mission of the College. Marist provides housing for over 3,300 undergraduate students in corridor, suite, apartment, and townhouse-style residences.
Students are housed using a "rites of passage'" philosophy, which recognizes that a student's developmental stage should be supported by his/her living environment. Therefore, freshman students are housed in residence halls designed to promote social interaction and staffed with individuals trained to work with freshmen and their specific adjustments.
As students move from freshman to senior year, they are housed in more independent living environments (suite-style, townhouses, and apartments) which helps to prepare them for their eventual move out into the world following graduation. Along the way, they acquire certain freedoms and responsibilities that will help them develop into mature and responsible citizens.
About Marist College:
Located on the banks of the historic Hudson River and at its Florence, Italy campus, Marist College is a comprehensive, independent institution grounded in the liberal arts. Its mission is to “help students develop the intellect, character, and skills required for enlightened, ethical, and productive lives in the global community of the 21st century.” Marist educates approximately 5,000 traditional-age undergraduate students and 1,200 adult and graduate students in 53 undergraduate majors and numerous graduate programs, including fully online MBA, MPA, MS, and MA degrees, and also Doctor of Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant programs. Marist is consistently ranked among the best colleges and universities in America by The Princeton Review (Colleges That Create Futures and The Best 386 Colleges), U.S. News & World Report (3rd Most Innovative School/North), Kiplinger’s Personal Finance (“Best College Values”), and others. Marist’s study abroad program is ranked #2 in the nation by the U.S. State Department’s “Open Doors Report” and has also received the Senator Paul Simon Award for First Year Abroad programs in Italy and Ireland. Marist’s Joint Study partnership with IBM, which began in 1988, has brought the College the kind of world-class technology platform typically found at leading research institutions. To learn more, please visit https://www.marist.edu/about
Equal Employment Statement:
Marist College is committed to creating a diverse workforce on our campus by ensuring that barriers to equal employment opportunity and upward mobility do not exist here. To this end, the College will strive to achieve the full and fair participation of minorities, women, people with disabilities, and any other protected groups found to be under represented.
Equal opportunity means employment, development, and promotion of individuals without consideration of race, color, disability, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, or veteran status unless there is a bona fide occupational requirement which excludes persons in one of these protected groups. The College will review its employment policies and procedures to ensure that barriers which may unnecessarily exclude protected groups are identified and eliminated. The College will also explore alternative approaches if any policy or practice is found to have a negative impact on protected groups.
Marist's policy of non-discrimination includes not only employment practices but also extends to all services and programs provided by the College. It shall be considered a violation of College policy for any member of the community to discriminate against any individual or group with respect to employment or attendance at Marist College on the basis of race, color, disability, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other condition established by law.
