Assistant Director of Community Life

The Assistant Director-Community Life is responsible for fostering a thriving community and assisting in CU’s mission to equip students for global Christian influence. Responsibilities include overseeing the student orientation program, leading a student activities program that supports CU’s learning objectives, partnering with academics in co-curricular initiatives, and leading a team of student leaders to plan campus activities that holistically engage students in CU’s campus life. As part of the Spiritual Formation and Christian Community (SFCC) professional staff, this individual will act as a minister of the Gospel as he or she integrates a biblical worldview into the responsibilities of this role. The core of Cornerstone University is defined and driven by its Christ-centered mission and Biblical confession.

CLASSIFICATION: Full-time, Salaried

REPORTS TO: Executive Director of Spiritual Formation and Christian Community

LOCATION: Grand Rapids, Michigan

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Recruit and develop leaders for the Orientation and CUSO (Cornerstone Student Offices) Programs
  • Organize and run the student hiring process for Orientation program leaders
  • Organize and run the student hiring process for CUSO program leaders, including student elections
  • Provide training, coaching, resources, and leadership for student leaders before and during the school year
  • Partner with academic leadership in the hiring of first-year experience program leaders
  • Lead students, plan events, and establish sessions to implement a strong orientation week to build community and prepare students to thrive at CU
• Strategically plan and carry out a student activities program that supports CU learning objectives and contributes to students’ capacity to thrive in CU’s campus community
  • Develop a yearly calendar of student programs and events while emphasizing diversity and creativity in building dynamic campus experiences and traditions
  • Oversee the planning, promotion, implementation, and assessment process for CU student activities programs
  • Execute high-quality events that engage the student community and offer compelling experiences, including for both residential and commuter students
• Facilitate thriving relationships with internal and external stakeholders for student engagement at CU
  • Facilitate thriving relationships with internal stakeholders for student engagement, including Community Life, Multicultural Affairs, Campus Ministries, Food Service, Academics, Admissions, Marketing, Alumni, Athletics, and Campus Services
  • Facilitate thriving relationships with external stakeholders for student engagement (such as event venues, vendors, and others)
  • Coordinate the CU campus events calendar in coordination with Marketing
  • Partner with Student Development and Academic leadership in the assessment of co-curricular programming
• Partner with the SFCC leadership and the student life leadership team to implement collaborative student leadership training
  • Identify and pursue opportunities for collaborative training events
  • Facilitate the logistics and execution of collaborative student leadership training events
  • Identify and implement collaborative training experiential opportunities in partnership with the student life leadership team
• Participate on the Care Team to support students in times of need.
• Oversee Intramural sports and student organizations
  • Hire and give oversight of intramural student leaders
  • Provide direction and accountability to student org processes and procedures
  • Lead student governance to review and accept student orgs per policies
  • Provide accountability towards student org advisors and budgets
• Oversee Cornerstone University’s events for commuting students.
  • Develop and implement events to serve and support Cornerstone’s commuting students, including student and student/staff events and programs in collaboration with Residence Life.
• Oversee the commuter operational budget.
• All Cornerstone University employees will regularly interact with students in a variety of projects, activities, and settings. As such all employees are expected to serve as Christian leaders and mentors by effectively living a gospel-centered lifestyle, ministering and discipling through a biblical worldview.
• Other duties may be assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES:

• Master’s degree or candidacy desired; Bachelor’s degree required
• A minimum of three years' experience in a similar ministry, student leadership role
• Exceptional interpersonal and organizational skills
• Ability to relate effectively with and minister to students
• Proven capacity for educational assessment, leadership development and project management
• Demonstrated understanding of the student experience in higher education
• Commitment to the principles of spiritual formation in higher education

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• A personal relationship with Jesus Christ and an active Christian commitment.
• A theology that supports the values and mission of Cornerstone University core commitments evidenced by an ability to affirm and sign the university’s doctrinal statement, “The Cornerstone Confession.”
• Four other foundational pillars, along with the university’s mission and confession, form Cornerstone’s Core Commitments.
  • The Cornerstone Christian World View
  • The Cornerstone Academic Vision
  • The Cornerstone Beautiful Christian Community
  • The Marriage and Human Sexuality Position Statement

These core commitments convey who we are, what we believe and how we live and work together in community. Employees are expected to faithfully attend an evangelical and biblical church whose core beliefs and practices are consistent with Cornerstone’s confession and core commitments.