Assistant Director for Residence Life

Posting Details

Dickinson College is a premier four-year residential liberal arts institution chartered in 1783 and widely recognized as a leader in global and sustainability education. Dickinson College is located in Carlisle, named a “most livable city” by Forbes and is minutes from the state capital of Harrisburg. The campus is connected to a vibrant downtown that offers eclectic dining, shopping and entertainment options. Within a two-hour drive are Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.; New York City is three hours away.

Dickinson College offers full-time employees a broad range of benefits, including a comprehensive medical insurance plan, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, generous time off, parental leave, homebuyer assistance, and tuition benefits for eligible employees and dependent children under the age of 24. Upon eligibility, the College contributes 8% of an employee’s base salary to a retirement account with an additional .5% matching contribution; all money paid by the college into the employee’s retirement plan is immediately and fully vested in the employee.

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Position Department

Residence Life

Job Summary/Basic Function

Position Summary

Consistent with the college’s mission of providing a useful education for engaged citizens, the Assistant Director will play an integral role in the residential experience, developing and implementing community initiatives and overseeing an environment that supports students in the complexities of living together. The incumbent works with the fellow staff to create a vision for community development within a liberal arts setting that intentionally supports an engaging academic and intellectual environment for students beyond the classroom walls. This live-in position creates and facilitates distinctive conditions and programs throughout the residential experience that intentionally foster community, promote curiosity, and seek engagement from its members so that they are able to thrive throughout their experience. The Assistant Director reports to the Associate Director of Campus Life for Residence Life & Housing.

Essential Functions

• Provide leadership and oversight for a four-year residential community of approximately 500–700 students by fostering an inclusive, safe, and engaging living environment that supports student success and development. Maintain a visible presence through regular student engagement, which includes but not limited to, building walkthroughs, office hours, and community initiatives. Respond to student concerns by providing support, facilitating conflict resolution, coordinating room changes, making appropriate referrals, and collaborating with campus partners. Develop and implement programming aligned with the residential curriculum to promote student learning and community engagement. Maintain accurate records, monitor residential facilities with community advisors and resident advisors to address maintenance and safety concerns, and serve as a liaison among students, faculty, staff, and families to support effective residence life and housing operations. 

• Provide direct supervision, training, and evaluation of 1–2 community advisors (head resident advisors) and 18–22 resident advisors or 8 house and apartment managers through regular individual meetings, weekly staff meetings, and oversight of residential curriculum implementation. Manage administrative processes, purchasing, and budget reconciliation to support student staff programming and approved work-related purchases while ensuring compliance with departmental and institutional policies. 

• Serve as chair for one or more Residence Life and Housing committees, including Student Staff Selection, Student Staff Training, and Programmatic Curriculum, providing leadership in the planning, implementation, and assessment of departmental initiatives. Oversee one or more departmental focus areas, such as the First-Year Experience, Upper-Class Experience, or Housing Operations by developing strategies, coordinating initiatives, and collaborating with campus partners to advance departmental goals and enhance the residential student experience. 

• Develop and maintain collaborative partnerships with campus departments, community organizations, and external stakeholders to coordinate programs and services that enhance the residential experience. Collaborate with campus partners, including Public Safety, Facilities Management, and CASE, to support the effective operation of residential facilities, oversee residential key management, and ensure timely resolution of operational needs. Support and participate in Campus Life initiatives and maintain Residence Life and Housing website content to provide accurate and timely information to students and the campus community. 

• Provide 24/7 on-call crisis response and administrative support for the residential campus by participating in a four-person professional staff on-call rotation, serving as the college's Administrator on-call, and maintaining a required 30-minute response time while on-call. Assess and respond to student emergencies and critical incidents within the residential community, implementing appropriate crisis response protocols and collaborating with campus partners to ensure the safety, well-being, and support of students and the campus community. 

• Coordinate and oversee the opening and closing of residential facilities by collaborating with student staff to prepare buildings for occupancy, including the completion and management of Room Condition Reports. Supervise closing processes to ensure spaces are inspected, damages are accurately documented and assessed, and health and safety inspections are completed prior to residence hall break closings in compliance with institutional policies and standards. 

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• This position is a 12-month live-in position.

• Assist with Campus Life special event planning and coordination.

• Participate in departmental, divisional, or college committees as appointed.

• Participate in the student conduct resolution process by facilitating the informal resolution process and administrative hearings for assigned cases as needed.

• Other duties as determined or assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Not responsible for supervising others.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Counseling, Higher Education Administration, or related field, required.

• A valid driver’s license for the operation of a company-owned, rented or leased vehicle.

• Pennsylvania Act 153 Clearance consisting of the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Check, Pennsylvania Child Abuse Certification, and Federal Criminal History Record Information Check pursuant to Pennsylvania law and Dickinson College policy.

• Experience in Residence Life and Housing, specifically within first-year programming, hall support, etc., is preferred, but not required.

• Experience working with eRezLife is preferred.

• Strong customer service skills to deal with situations tactfully and promptly

• Flexible hours including nights and weekend commitments.

• Ability to routinely access student residence halls and other campus facilities, including walking throughout buildings and climbing and descending stairs in the course of performing job responsibilities, with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Work Experience

• 1-3 years

Independence of Action

• Results are defined and existing practices are used as guidelines to determine specific work methods and carries out work activities independently; supervisor/manager is available to resolve problems.

Equipment Used

• Standard office equipment.

Physical and Environmental Demands

• Ability to routinely access student residence halls and other campus facilities, including walking throughout buildings and climbing and descending stairs in the course of performing job responsibilities, with or without a reasonable accommodation.

• Office environment.

EEO/Diversity Statement:    

The College is committed to building a representative and diverse faculty, staff, and student body. We encourage applications from all qualified persons.