Assistant Director of Residence Life

Salary/Position Classification

• $67000 Annual Dependent on Experience Exempt
• 40 hours per week
• This position will work onsite at UND Grand Forks ND campus.

Purpose of Position

This position will assist with overall leadership and direction for residence life and student development based educational functions and is responsible for creating and sustaining a vibrant residential community through implementation of professional best practices supervising full-time live-in Resident Directors including the collaborative development of living-learning communities serving as advisor to the residence hall association and acting as a liaison with various university offices in order to promote campus engagement and leadership opportunities for residential students.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Leadership and Campus Partnerships
  • Serve as primary advisor for Living/Learning Communities
  • Assist with research design and implementation of living learning communities based on current best practice as well as new innovative approaches
  • Attended national and regional conferences as directed.
  • Plan training events and activities for student leadership.
  • Provides motivation for student leaders and aids in goalsetting
  • Develops appropriate relationships with staff and volunteer student leaders.
  • Works to develop new student leaders.
  • Assess evaluate and update student leadership programs and services to match the vision of the department and core student learning outcomes.
• Supervision Staff Training and Community Development
  • Provide direct supervision mentorship and ongoing evaluation to four (4) full-time Resident Directors
  • Develop a comprehensive recruitment and retention program for professional and para-professional staff.
  • Ensure timely and effective selection training and evaluation of professional and para-professional staff.
  • Annually review update/revise and execute training programs in keeping with professional best practices university and departmental goals and to ensure compliance with life-safety issues university and federal guidelines/mandates.
  • Support professional development
  • Provide ongoing evaluation and feedback for staff.
  • Utilizing student development leadership and social equity theories and frameworks facilitate the intentional development of inclusive communities that strive to meet the needs of all students and residents
  • Oversee budget expenditures by all staff within scope of supervision.
  • Ensure fiscal responsibility for assigned areas by reviewing priorities and cost effectiveness of current programs/initiatives maximizing efficiencies and creatively leveraging existing resources for continuous improvement.
  • Ensure staff are appropriately trained and adhere to purchasing guidelines.
• Residential Experience Development
  • Assist in the development/delivery of student engagement and student leadership initiatives including coordination of workshops/training and student advocacy as well as partnerships with Student Life staff and campus partners
  • Assist with research design and implementation of academically supportive residential experiences based on current best practice as well as new innovative approaches
  • Partner with Associate Director of Residence Life to enhance our current residential experience (REX) to help student staff better connect with residents in a meaningful way
  • Work with Residence Life staff to find meaningful and intentional interaction points for our student staff
  • Train Residence Life staff on experience areas and how to effectively implement.
    • Create and/or enhance campus partnerships needed to make programs successful
• Conduct Public Relations & Collaboration
  • Assist the Associate Direct in reviewing Maxient cases assigning cases to Resident Directors and hearing informal resolutions with students.
  • Promote and maintain positive public relations with faculty staff students family members and other constituents.
  • Work proactively with students family members and other constituents to resolve issues quickly and effectively at the lowest possible level.
  • Participate as an active and supportive member of Housing & Residence Life.
  • Serve on University committees as assigned.
  • Foster and maintain effective collaborative relationships with campus departments including but not limited to Freshman Orientation Greek Advisor Student Involvement Student Success Center Counseling Wellness University Police Dining etc.
• Planning and Other Duties
  • Serve as a member of Housing Leadership Team and participate in strategic planning process and in establishing short- term mid-term and long-term goals.
  • Assist with preparation of residence life section of the annual report in final form according to established deadlines.
  • Partner with Associate Director of Residence Life and Education to develop assessment tools to be able to better share the story of student academic engagement
  • Maintain professional contacts through ACUHO-I NACURH MACURH and other professional organizations.
  • Perform related duties as directed or required that promote the goals and objectives of the Housing/Dining department
  • Serve on the on-call administrative team responding to emergencies during and after hours.

Required Competencies

• Supervision & Staff Development: Proven ability to lead mentor and train professional and student staff teams.
• Residential Experience & Engagement: Ability to apply student development theory to design and assess the residential experience. Skilled in advising and building rapport with students.
• Crisis Management & Sound Judgment: Demonstrated sound judgment and ethical decision-making in high-pressure situations. Experience managing student crises on-call rotations and escalated conduct.
• Inclusive Leadership: A demonstrated commitment to fostering welcoming supportive and inclusive communities for all students.
• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal presentation and written skills. Proven ability to build relationships and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders faculty and campus partners.
• Administrative Acumen: Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple complex projects departmental planning and budget oversight.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelors degree in Counseling Public Administration Social Work Business Administration or a closely related field.
  • May 2026 graduates will be considered.
• Two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in university residential life and housing administration or a closely related field.
  • Student and internship experience will be considered.
• Two (2) years of supervisory experience.
  • Student and internship experience will be considered.
• Successful completion of a Criminal History Background Check

In compliance with federal law all persons hired will be required to verify identityand eligibility to work in the US and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.This position does not support visa sponsorship for continued employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree in Counseling Public Administration Social Work Business Administration or a closely related field
• Demonstrated experience working in a campus environment and implementing intentional practices that support student retention and promote academic success for students living on campus
• Proven experience in the development implementation and management of Living-Learning Communities