Assistant Director of Residence Life- UM Western

Assistant Director of Residence Life 

Department:Residence Life
Position: 12-month contract with complete benefit package
Salary:$42,000 + House + Meal Plan
Union Affiliation: None
Starting Date: ASAP
Benefits Include:
* Insurance package.
* Mandatory retirement plan.
* Dependent partial tuition waiver.
* Faculty/staff tuition waiver.
* Wellness program.

Description

As an essential member of the senior leadership team within Residence Life, the Assistant Director directly reports to the Senior Director of Auxiliary Services. This 12-month live-in position, situated in a campus-owned house (distinct from the residence halls), carries the responsibility of developing and administering a comprehensive residence life program tailored to serve approximately 350-400 residential students. The primary objective revolves around nurturing an environment that promotes academic achievement, prioritizing a stress-free, secure, vibrant, and enriching campus experience for students.

Position Duties:

• Will spearhead the oversight of all residence life processes and timelines, guaranteeing seamless service delivery to our residents.
• Assisting in administrative responsibilities for residence halls, including opening and closing procedures each semester and summer.
• Planning, executing, and refining the recruitment, hiring, and training process for residence life staff.
• Developing short and long-term growth plans for student employees.
• Enhancing the personal and professional development of staff.
• Organizing and leading training sessions, in-service meetings, and developmental gatherings for staff in coordination with senior staff.
• Assists the Director in coordinating all facets of summer conference housing, ensuring adequate services for summer guests.

Community Development:

Fostering student community building by:

• Overseeing co-curricular and extra-curricular programming in residence halls to enrich student experiences and support academic success.
• Collaborating with Area Coordinator to monitor programming requirements and effectiveness, organizing regular and annual events.
• Advising committees or special project groups upon request.
• Cultivating positive, inclusive communities among students.
• Creating a safe and welcoming environment within housing facilities.
• Addressing community issues by meeting with hall staff and student leaders.
• Assisting the Director in handling cases of Student Code of Conduct or Residence Hall Policy violations.
• Collaborating with professionals on campus recruitment and retention programs.
• Regularly attending floor and hall wide programs and consistently dining in the residence hall.

Emergency & Crisis Response:

Preparing for emergencies by:

• Responding to emergency situations within university housing.
• Participating in on-call duties for at least one week monthly.
• Contributing to emergency planning for supervised areas and communicating plans to staff.
• Serving on the Conduct Review Team and maintaining accurate records of Student Code of Conduct cases.
• Actively engaging with the Dillon Police Department regarding safety concerns.

Other Duties as Assigned:

Completing additional responsibilities assigned by the supervisor, such as:

• Weekly meetings with senior staff.
• Assisting with Orientation and other campus activities.

General Information:

The Assistant Director of Residence Life must exercise quick and accurate judgment in crisis situations, utilizing campus and community resources when necessary. Flexibility in working hours, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and transitional periods, is required. Physical agility and unrestricted mobility within residence halls during emergencies are essential. The role’s accountability is crucial to the overall program’s effectiveness.

Required Qualifications

·        

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Comprehensive understanding of student and human development theories
• Minimum of two years of progressively responsible experience in residence life or higher education.
• Proven leadership, organizational, and management abilities.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, adeptness in collaborating with diverse individuals and constituencies.
• Proficiency in public speaking, public relations, and both written and oral communication.
• Track record of expertise in programming, student advising, conflict mediation, and crisis response.
• Successful experience in fostering a collaborative, collegial, and teamwork-oriented work environment.
• Ability to drive activities through effective supervision and leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

     • Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in higher education, counseling, education, or a related field.
• Proven experience with learning communities and specialized interest housing.
• Demonstrated history in advising student groups and conducting hearings as a hearing officer.
• Comprehensive understanding of student and human development theories.

The University & Dillon Area

The University of Montana Western is a dynamic, innovative, undergraduate university with over 70 full-time faculty and more than 1,200 students. It is located in Dillon, Montana in the scenic Rocky Mountains and has been awarded numerous top national rankings for delivering high quality, affordable education.

Montana Western is the only public four-year college in the nation offering Experience One (X1), experiential learning delivered on the block schedule. Class sizes are small and students take a single course at a time, three hours each day for 18 days, before moving on to the next course. Each course is four credits and four blocks are offered each semester. The block schedule facilitates field and lab work, undergraduate research, study travel, and interdisciplinary teaching. Montana Western’s faculty strongly believe in mentoring and inspiring students, and assisting them in the transition from university life to professional careers.

The University of Montana Western is an integral part of the Dillon Community. With a population of 5,000 people, Dillon is known for outstanding public schools, safe environments, recreational opportunities, and an excellent quality of life.

The University of Montana Western is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from qualified women, minorities, veterans and people with disabilities. Criminal Background Investigation is required prior to the Offer of Employment In accordance with University regulations, finalists for this position will be subject to criminal background investigations. ADA/EOE/AA/Veteran’s Preference Reasonable accommodations are provided in the hiring process for persons with disabilities. For example, this material is available in alternative format upon request. As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, we encourage applications from minorities, veterans, and women. Qualified candidates may request veterans’ or disabilities preference in accordance with state law. References: References not listed on the application materials may be contacted; notice may be provided to the applicant. Testing: Individual hiring departments at UMW may elect to administer pre-employment tests, which are relevant to essential job functions. Employment Eligibility: All New Employees must be eligible and show employment eligibility verification by the first date of employment at UMW, as legally required (e.g., Form I-9).

Application

Review of applications will begin immediately, but will remain open until the position is filled.

A complete application Includes:

1.      Letter of Interest – addressing your qualifications and experience related to the stated required skills for the position. A general letter salutation such as “Dear Search Committee” or “Dear Hiring Manager” is acceptable.

2.      Detailed Resume – listing education and describing work experience.

3.      Professional References – names and contact information for three (3) professional references.

Questions regarding this position should be directed to Michael Piazzola via email at [email protected] or by calling 406-683-7565.

Dillon, Montana, United States