Associate Director for Residential Experience

Position Overview

Now Hiring! Associate Director for Residential Experience

Office of Student Life

Salary: $60,500 

Overview: The Associate Director of Residential Experience is essential in fostering an inclusive, engaging residential community that promotes student success, belonging, and leadership. This position directly oversees Graduate Assistant Hall Directors and indirectly 26 Resident Assistants. It collaborates with Student Engagement and Leadership Development, the Residence Hall Association (RHA), and campus partners to enhance student involvement, Living-Learning Communities (LLCs), and co-curricular engagement using Griff Connect. Responsibilities include cultivating welcoming residential environments, advising RHA and student leaders, upholding community standards, and using data-driven strategies to assess and improve student engagement and retention. As a key contributor to the student experience, this role ensures that residential life is an integral part of campus culture by promoting holistic student development and meaningful connections. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students, this full-time, exempt position holds essential personnel status is vital to shaping the residential experience at Canisius University. 

Community Development, Residential Engagement, and Curricular Approach – 40% 

• Lead initiatives that promote student belonging, identity development, and engagement, creating supportive and academically enriching residential communities. 

• Oversee Living-Learning Communities (LLCs) in collaboration with faculty and campus partners to integrate academic and co-curricular learning. 

• Support and advise the Residence Hall Association (RHA) and other residential student leadership groups to enhance advocacy, civic engagement, and leadership skills. 

• Partner with Student Engagement and Leadership Development (SELD) to align leadership programming, student development initiatives, and community-building strategies within the residence halls. 

• Implement a residential curricular approach that scaffolds student learning, engagement, and leadership development across their time in housing. 

• Develop and assess learning outcomes for residential engagement, tracking impact through Griff Connect to maximize student participation and connection. 

• Establish residential traditions, leadership programs, and signature events contributing to a vibrant and inclusive campus life. 

• Ensure community agreements, restorative practices, and student conduct processes are incorporated into residential learning initiatives. 

• Partner with campus stakeholders, including Admissions, Enrollment, and Communications, to market the residential experience at Open Houses, Accepted Students Days, and Orientation. 

Recruitment, Training, and Supervision of Residential Leadership – 25% 

• Oversee the recruitment, selection, training, and supervision of Graduate Assistant Hall Directors (GAs), Coordinator for Residential Leadership and Living Learning Initiatives (GA), and Resident Assistants (RAs) to build an engaged and well-prepared residential staff team. 

• Collaborate with SELD to streamline the selection process for Resident Assistants (RAs) and Orientation Leaders (OLs), aligning leadership competencies across student leadership roles. 

• Lead training and professional development for residential staff, focusing on community development, crisis response, conflict resolution, engagement, and inclusion. 

• Facilitate fall, spring, and ongoing in-service training to prepare residential staff to support students and uphold community standards. 

• Utilize Griff Connect to track staff training progress, leadership development experiences, and engagement in residential initiatives. 

• Provide one-on-one and group supervision for Graduate Assistants, guiding them in residential engagement strategies, student support, and staff management. 

• Oversee the coordination of summer conference staffing including summer interns and summer RA supervision. 

• Coordinate break duty coverage of RAs, GAs, and Student Life duty staff.   

• Recognize and celebrate the contributions of RAs, GAs, and OLs, fostering a culture of appreciation, retention, and continuous development within student leadership roles. 

Community Standards, Student Support, and Emergency Response – 20% 

• Educate and uphold community standards and university policies, promoting personal responsibility, respect, and accountability. 

• Lead hearings for housing violations, ensuring fairness, student development, and adherence to due process. 

• Collaborate with Campus Safety, the Dean of Students Office, and other university stakeholders to address behavioral concerns, student support needs, and incident follow-up. 

• Participate in on-call rotation to provide timely support, address crises, and ensure student and staff guidance outside business hours. 

• Assist in reviewing and updating residential policies to reflect best practices and evolving student needs. 

• Ensure residential health and safety compliance, overseeing fire safety, building inspections, and housing policies. 

• Refer students to appropriate campus resources for wellness, counseling, and academic support. 

• Serve as a Title IX investigator or hearing panelist as assigned, ensuring compliance with university policies, fair process, and appropriate resolution of cases involving residential students. 

Housing Occupancy, Assignments, and Operations – 15% 

• Collaborate with Student Life and the Director for Campus Housing Operations and Community Standards to support housing occupancy processes and applications. 

• Assist in monitoring room condition records, housing break requests, and residential space utilization. 

• Support key asset management, including residential key inventory systems and access control. 

• Help maintain and update Student Life web and portal pages to ensure transparent communication about housing processes. 

• Assist in summer housing assignments, conference housing, and revenue-generating residential opportunities. 

• Collaborate with Communications, Admissions, and Student Life to develop targeted marketing strategies to boost occupancy. 

• Train staff on housing software and document operational processes for efficiency and future improvements. 

Other Duties 

• Participate in Student Life working groups for key processes and functions. 

• Participate in Cura Personalis team meetings.  

• Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with the Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students. 

The successful candidate will possess: 

• Excellent written and oral communication skills. 

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well in a team and individually. 

• Strong analytical and financial forecasting skills. 

• Experience training and supervising graduate-level staff.  

• Skill and sensitivity in interacting with individuals from other cultures.  

• Excellent leadership skills, organizational skills, and attention to detail.  

• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.  

• Familiarity with computer applications and ease and comfort with technology. 

Required Qualifications: 

• A master's degree, preferably in higher education administration or a related field  

• 2-3 years of full-time work experience in student affairs or related office. 

• Supervise graduate staff or professional staff or equivalent supervisory experience. 

• Must be eligible to work in the United States. 

Physical Requirements: 

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. 

• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times. 

• Must be able to travel to and navigate various locations across the campus as needed to research and promote continuing education opportunities. 

Canisius University, a Catholic and Jesuit University, has the fundamental values of academic excellence, leadership, faith, and social justice as its foundation. Canisius is committed to educating and preparing people to become leaders in their professions and their communities and in service to humanity. The University is an equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting, supporting, and fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff and students. 

Compensation and Benefits: 

Salary: $60,500 

Please note that the compensation information is a good faith estimate of the base pay for this position. The selected candidate’s actual base pay will be based on job-related, non-discriminatory factors including experience. Information about the total compensation package for this position will be provided during the interview process. 

This is a full-time, 12-month position. Benefits are available the first of the month after the full-time employee’s date of hire and include – health, dental and vision insurance, life and long-term disability insurance, and retirement plan enrollment is available to full-time employees with contribution from the University after one year. Paid holidays, vacation, personal leave and sick leave. Tuition benefits are also available for full-time employees and their qualified dependents. 

Posted Range

Salary : $60,500