Assistant Director for Training and Development, Housing and Residence Life

The Assistant Director for Training and Development leads the educational and administrative efforts for one area of campus within Housing and Residence Life. 

This position is a key coordinator for the formulation of student learning outcomes; retention, progression, and graduation of students; providing educational opportunities to students, and assessing that learning in a systematic way, consistent with SACSCOC requirements. 

Staff Hiring & Supervision

• Coordinates or assists with the recruitment processes for 7 Resident Directors, full-time administrative staff, 104+ Resident Assistants, other student staff, and Graduate Assistants
• Supervises, hires, trains, and evaluates 1-4 full-time Resident Directors
• Oversees the supervision of up to 2-6 Administrative Assistants, up to 3 Graduate Assistants or 1-2 summer graduate interns, approximately 40-60 resident assistants, 15-30 desk assistants and 14- 20 conference assistants
• Trains and supervises 1-5 full-time Conference Managers (Resident Directors) during the summer
• Coordinates and manages staff payroll
• Conducts individual meetings, staff meetings, and regular staff evaluations
• Coaches employees utilizing positive and constructive feedback, motivating staff in the role as well as holding staff accountable
• Maintains accurate and up-to-date personnel records for all staff levels, including but not limited to position descriptions, agreements/contracts, and disciplinary records
• Researches, designs, creates and implements ongoing training and staff development for student and professional staff that align with professional standards and best practices

Student Development & Education

• Responsible for designing, implementing, and revising a curricular approach to residential education, using an outcomes-based learning model, to support student retention, progression, and graduation
• Researches best practices, assesses resident needs and develops a community development plan that aligns with the residential curriculum and assists a diverse population of residents in their development
• Supervises staff to ensure that requirements are met for the residential curriculum
• Provides and participates in the assessment of programs and educational strategies within supervisory areas, participates and supports department wide initiatives
• Responsible for co-maintaining Living and Learning Communities, by way of supervision of Resident Director, staff hiring, day-to-day supervision, and problem-solving
• Works in collaboration with Housing and Residence Life, Academic Affairs, and Student Develpment, as appropriate
• Advises or assists with Residence Hall Association (RHA), Community Councils, and Resident Assistant Council (RAC)

Administration

• Attends various meetings, oversees departmental committees, and serves on university committees as needed
• Manages short and long-term projects and sees them through implementation
• Collaborates with other departments and offices on and off campus
• Reviews and revises publications including Residence Life training materials, the housing web page, and others
• Assists in the development and implementation of policies and procedures
• Responsible for procurement processes for area and committee budgets of $12,000 to $55,000, following department and state purchasing guidelines
• Designs reports for various stakeholders
• Maintains, organizes, tracks inventory, and orders supplies
• Utilizes electronic systems and databases (including but not limited to StarRez, IRIS, Concur, Maxient, Res Apps, and Microsoft Office Suite) as expected in completion of work tasks in a timely, thorough, and accurate manner
• Performs other duties assigned, including autonomous decision making and authority in regards to Residence Life matters in the Associate Director’s absence

Training & Development

• Responsible for overseeing competency-based, comprehensive, and effective professional staff and student staff training processes for full-time Resident Directors, Resident Assistants, and Graduate Resident Directors
• Chairs the Professional Staff Training and Development Committee
• Designs, plans, and implements Resident Director and Graduate Resident Director training in December/January and July
• Engages in benchmarking and creates proactive professional development initiatives
• Designs, plans, and implements a year-long professional development series for the professional staff members in Residence Life
• Chairs the Student Staff Training and Development Committee
• Designs, plans, and implements student staff training and in-services during Fall, Spring, and Summer
• Develops, administers, and reports on assessments from Residence Education competency-based trainings and developments
• Develops and implements new staff orientation processes for all professional staff and student staff positions
• Collaborates closely with colleagues across the department and university to ensure that all training procedures align with institutional standards for professional staff and student staff

Crisis Management & Conduct

• Available for crisis situations and offers immediate support and resources to students and staff
• Serves in an on-call rotation (nights, weekends, and holidays)
• Updates appropriate supervisors in a timely manner regarding situations that arise
• Advises individual residents, students, and student staff of resources
• Meets with individuals regularly for conflict mediation/resolution, discusses concerns, or disciplinary action 
• Makes sound judgments about various issues and refers to the appropriate resources, if necessary (e.g., Counseling, Dean of Students, Office of the Registrar, and Bursar)   
• Available during scheduled and unscheduled university closures as essential personnel
• Ability to critically think through emergency procedures to assess functionality and feasibility for staff response, and is prepared to implement all emergency procedures
• Monitors staff conduct and case load, and ensures they follow proper policies and procedures; tracks Clery violations; and serves as a conduct hearing officer
• This position is designated as a Title IX Responsible Employee and as a Clery Act Campus Security Authority and must understand the associated responsibilities and compliance requirements

The ideal candidate will possess the following: 

• Advanced skills in computer/software design and setup are required
• Knowledge of or the ability to learn, department and university policies and procedures
• Knowledge of effective communication strategies and marketing practices and procedures
• Knowledge of how learning occurs (Bloom's taxonomy, etc.)
• Knowledge of the tenets of a residential curriculum
• Knowledge of student development theory and techniques
• Knowledge of StarRez or similar housing software
• Must have excellent ability to handle high-volume administrative tasks in a timely manner
• Ability to work within a collaborative environment 
• Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and think critically in making decisions
• Ability to diffuse and respond effectively to crisis situations as well as react quickly and calmly in emergency situations
• Ability to train and supervise others
• Ability to observe and detect unusual occurrences and policy violations
• Ability to manage sensitive information

Review of applications will begin October 6, 2025, and continue until the position is filled.  Applications received by this date will receive priority consideration.

Minimum: Requires a bachelor’s degree in higher education, college student personnel, counseling, education, or other relevant field; (4) years of full-time experience in Housing & Residence Life or Student Affairs (Student Conduct, Student Activities, Leadership Development, or related); and supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. 

Preferred: A master’s degree and experience working with faculty and staff training for both student and professional staff is preferred.