Career Center

Job Summary

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), one of the world's leading institutions of art and design education, located in historic Providence, RI, is seeking a Community Coordinator to join its Residence Life Department. RISD's Residence Life provides a safe and supportive environment empowering students to create inclusive communities that foster their artistic and personal development. RISD's students are diverse, coming from a wide range of geographic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds, representing all forms of diversity. The College strives to cultivate a culturally competent campus environment that advances principles of social equity and inclusion, environmental and climate justice, and equal access to resources and opportunities.

The Community Coordinator is a full-time, 12-month, live-in position that provides front-line leadership and direction to a residence life area housing art and design students. Community Coordinators (CC) are responsible for fostering and developing vibrant and inclusive communities primarily through the direct supervision and implementation of the co-curricular experience. CCs are each responsible for supervising the daily performance of paraprofessional Resident Advisors (RA) and paraprofessional Advocate for Inclusion in Residence (AIR). CCs also assist with departmental processes, programs, and special projects as assigned. This is a term position expiring at the end of each fiscal year. Community Coordinator terms may be extended on an annual basis allowing for consecutive service of up to 3 years. RISD employs four Community Coordinators with different residential areas of focus.

Essential Functions

• Supervision: Select, train and supervise assigned RAs, and AIR. Conduct periodic formal evaluations of RA and AIR performance and monitor progress toward goals for performance improvement. Oversee community development of area through implementation of co-curricular experience, and support RAIRs' efforts to maximize resident development through provision of programs and referrals. Responsible for regular area staff meetings and assisting with periodic all-staff meetings and training. Participate in the selection and training of all levels of Residence Life staff.
• Co-curricular Planning and Implementation: Intentionally plan and implement relevant co-curricular experience through careful supervision of student staff, creation of true educational experiences in residence halls led by CC, writing of learning outcomes and lesson plans, and learning assessment. Provide continued development on the co-curricular experience to student staff and attend and support student staff programming.
• Student Outreach: Develop and maintain a rapport with residents through visibility and co-curricular experience implementation. Follow up with students of concerns, facilities issues, and meet with residents experiencing issues in the residence halls. Actively engage in community, conduct regular community walkthroughs, and attend student staff floor meetings and programs.
• Specialty Area + Collateral: In partnership with Student Affairs partners and the Residence Life team, provide weekly leadership for specific focus assigned to position (e.g. First Year Experience, Sophomore Experience, or the Upper Class Experience). Research, benchmark, plan, and implement innovative new strategies within residence halls associated with specialty areas to meet the needs of the residential population.
• Administrative Tasks: Complete day-to-day administrative tasks associated with the management of the residential community including tracking RA and AIR budget expenses and alerting to areas of need and/or opportunity; reconciling RA and AIR procurement card spending; completing and responding to email correspondence; processing room change paperwork. Manage community opening and closing. Oversee and coordinate the environmental health & safety inspections of students' rooms/apartments carried out by RAs at least once a term.
• Housing Operations: Provide support and implement various housing operations processes in coordination with the Housing Operations Coordinator, including room changes, environmental health and safety inspections, opening and closing procedures, and other tasks as assigned.
• On-Call Rotation: Provide, in rotation with other residence life staff, 24-hour, seven-day, Residence Life On-Call (RLOC) coverage for approximately 1400 residents and follow up with residents who experience crisis situations. Support residents' academic success and personal growth through individual discussion and crisis intervention and make referrals as appropriate. Meet with student residents to resolve roommate issues. Serve as a liaison with the Department of Public Safety. On-call on weekends and some holidays should be expected.
• Conduct: Respond to and process alleged policy violations as reported by staff, students and Public Safety. Serve as a hearing officer and develop sanctions using a restorative and educative lens. Ensure residents' compliance with policies outlined in the Residence Life and Student Handbook. Recommend other actions to the Director of Residence Life or the Associate Director of Residence Education as appropriate. Serve as a liaison with the Director of Student Conduct.
• Committees: Assist in the creation and implementation, under the direction of the Assistant Director for Community Development and Associate Director of Residence Education, of a departmental process or program including student staff selection, student staff training, Pre-College staff selection, curriculum development, student staff appreciation, etc.
• Summer: Assume responsibility for administrative, operational and programmatic aspects of a wide variety of residential summer programs serving a complete range of age groups and levels of experience in a very active summer schedule. These groups include Pre-College, Summer Studies and Conferences. Coordinate these efforts with program sponsors such as Continuing Education.
• Divisional Support: Actively support and participate in the work of the Division of Student Affairs and its different departments to realize the goals of the Division including but not limited to committee membership and presence at divisionally sponsored events.
• Additional Responsibilities: Perform other related duties as deemed appropriate.

Knowledge/Skills/Experience

• Bachelor's Degree required. Master's degree in student personnel, higher education administration, counseling, or related field of study preferred. Demonstrated success working with a diverse group of students needed.
• Previous supervisory experience, an awareness of social justice principles, and an appreciation for art and design developed through employment, education or personal interest are highly desirable.
• A positive attitude and the ability to create enthusiasm, demonstrate flexibility, and maintain composure in stressful situations required.
• Physical ability to respond to crises or emergency situations in all buildings necessary (many areas are not wheelchair accessible).
• Past Residence Life experience preferred. Familiarity and understanding of curriculum, facilitation, and assessment best practices preferred.
• Familiarity with common office software and/or college information management systems such as Workday and housing management systems such as StarRez preferred.

Union:

No

Work Schedule:

Please see "On-Call Rotation" above in Essential Functions.

Will disclose more details during the interview.

Employment Status:

Full-time; Exempt.

One-year term

Grade:

510EX

Documents Needed to Apply:

Resume (required)

Cover Letter (required)

Salary Grade Structure

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please upload all required documents.

The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements.

RISD recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its learning community and integral to an art and design education. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.