Career Center

The Office of Residential Education at Oberlin College invites applications for the Assistant Director of Multicultural and Thematic Experience position. This is a full-time, 12-month continuing, Administrative and Professional Staff (A&PS) position reporting to the Director of Residential Education for Training and Residential Curriculum.

Oberlin College is unique among independent colleges in its commitment to offering students a wide variety of on-campus housing options, such as special interest theme housing, cooperative housing, village apartment housing, and traditional housing. Residential living and dining are integral to the educational experience of Oberlin students; more than 90% of Oberlin’s students live and dine on campus during their entire 4 to 5 years as undergraduates.

The Assistant Director joins an educational team under the leadership of the Assistant Vice President/Dean of Residential Education and Campus Auxiliary Services that includes the Director of Residential Education for Training and Residential Curriculum, Director of Residential Education for Housing Operations, and Director of Residential Education for Conference Services. The Assistant Director is responsible for all programmatic and educational aspects within the assigned residence halls and the promotion of programs and services that support students’ personal, social, and academic successes. This position oversees the implementation of the Residential Curriculum for students living in thematic buildings and language programs. The Assistant Director will support all programs at Oberlin College and Conservatory including partnerships with several offices in connecting and engaging students. In all of these administrative functions, the Assistant Director will demonstrate excellent customer service using their interpersonal skills with students, parents, faculty, staff and outside community members; implementing effective, compelling publicity for conference service processes and policies; and creating interactions with other campus and outside community partners that reflect respect and support for students’ personal, social development, and academic success within this position.

 

• Work with an Area Coordinator and undergraduate Resident Assistants (RA’s) to create autonomous living learning communities that support student initiative as outlined by the Office of Residential Education and the Division of Student Life.
• Demonstrate leadership by working with residents, faculty, and staff to develop a space for students to be successful in their personal, academic, and professional pursuits.
• Assist with the creation and advising of the residence hall council.
• Serve as a liaison with the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
• Provide support for co-curricular programming with other Oberlin offices/departments.
• Support programmatic initiatives with the Office of Career Exploration and Development.
• Be active and visible within assigned communities and programs.
• Supervision and Advising
• Directly supervise, mentor, and evaluate a bachelors-level Area Coordinator.
• Directly supervise, mentor, and evaluate approximately 20 Student Staff Members.
• Oversee a community of approximately 750 residents.
• Advise and provide guidance to hall councils for assigned buildings.
• Assist with student and professional staff hiring and training.
• Program Implementation and Development
• Assist with the development and implementation of an upper-class residential program in coordination with various departments including the Office of Career Exploration and Development.
• Maintain high visibility with students in thematic housing.
• Work collaboratively with the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement to provide a quality experience for thematic students.
• Maintain open communication with the Manager for Student Outreach and Support to assess the needs of individual students.
• Support on-going assessment efforts concerning students in thematic or language housing and their experience at Oberlin College.
• Develop and implement the Office of Residential Education professional development opportunities including monthly recognitions, staff development days, and other opportunities related.

• Manage monthly meetings with faculty advisors and/or campus department leaders of the language houses or themed-sponsored groups.
• Participate in regular meetings within the Office of Residential Education and the Division of Student Life.
• Conduct weekly staff meetings with team members including the Office of Residential Education.
• Maintain set office hours in the Central Office.
• Facilitate the check-in, check-out, room inspections, and damage billing processes at the open and close of each semester.
• Assist with the coordination of housing selection and assignments for undergraduate students.
• Advising, Counseling, and Crisis Management
• Serve on campus Behavioral Intervention Team or other relating committees on campus.
• Support students around social, academic, and personal concerns.
• Advise and provide guidance to thematic/language hall councils for assigned buildings.
• Be knowledgeable of college resources and provide appropriate referrals.
• Serve in the campus-wide on-call system rotation, responding directly to crisis situations as appropriate/required.
• Maintain on-campus presence for community events including division required and/or sponsored functions.

• Serve as a conduct hearing officer, educating residents about residential life and college policies.
• Monitor the physical integrity of the space and report and follow-up on maintenance concerns.
• Conduct weekly walk-throughs of assigned buildings
• Oversee life safety inspections and complete necessary follow-up meetings.
• Encourage self-discipline, self-government, and respect for individual rights among residents; encourage individual assertiveness.

• Co-develop and implement staff training initiatives with the Director of Residential Education for Training and Residential Curriculum.
• Provide oversight and implementation of campus partnership development for staff training sessions and scheduling.
• Co-advise summer activities with the Summer Conference team and other campus offices.
• Assist with Summer Conferences as needed including, but not limited to: assisting with check-ins and check-outs of conference groups, supervising the Conference Assistants, and preparing residence halls for conference guests.