Job Description Summary

The Associate Director of Housing leads the oversight, management, and development of the Housing operations in the Residence Education and Housing Services department. The Associate Director will partner with the Director and fellow senior housing staff in ensuring the Housing operations and systems fulfills departmental and divisional goals, ensuring all operations are creating a seamless dynamic living-learning environment for students and meeting our educational priorities. This senior REHS staff member is a champion for efficiency, attention to detail, and accuracy, ensuring that all operations and housing transactions are running optimally and are supporting the student development goals of the department. This role requires strong investment and mastery of housing management software to ensure that its services are being maximized to improve the satisfaction of students and other campus stakeholders. It leads the Housing team on a variety of operational projects that are relevant to the goals of the department and division and assists with planning facility enhancements that improve the student experience. The Associate Director of Housing also serves as an educator and is expected to constantly examine Housing Operations to ensure our practices are meeting our educational priorities.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities (other duties may be assigned)

Core functional position-specific duties

1. Oversee all aspects in the leadership and management of day to day housing operations (assignments, contracts, occupancy, opening/closing, services etc), ensuring optimal levels of accuracy and efficiency for a campus residential program that houses over 3000 undergraduate and graduate students
2. Directly supervise, train and recruit two full- time professional Housing staff and provide indirect leadership to ten professional staff and over sixty student staff
3. Serve as a senior REHS officer and partner with departmental leaders in the execution of a seamless Residence Education and Housing Services program in fulfilling it’s student learning outcomes and educational priorities
4. Manage the development, accuracy, and review of all housing contract language and interdepartmental agreements
5. Initiate and lead the Housing teams efforts in the management of all room assignment-related processes for new and returning students including residence hall assignments, recontracting, room change requests, apartment leasing
6. Manage all systems and processes related to campus occupancy and maintain efficient processes that will ensure accurate records
7. Oversee the departments implementation of housing management software in all aspects of operations and maximize its utilization for students and campus stakeholders to improve efficiency
8. Serve as the resident expert in all aspects of the department’s housing management software and liaison with the vendor to successfully implement new software solutions into the campus as they come available
9. Assist the Director of Housing Auxiliary Operations and Residence Education in the oversight and creation of a short term and long term facility management/upgrade plan that enhances the residential environment
10. Ensure department legal compliance with FERPA, Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Fair Housing Act by continually reviewing Housing practices to ensure non-discrimination and seek improvements for equal access
11. Partner with the Director of Housing Auxiliary Operations and Residence Education on the regular review of departmental policies and procedures to ensure equity in all systems and improve efficiency for stakeholders
12. Lead the Housing team in the oversight and execution of the contract release and merit waiver process
13. Lead Housing staff in the organization and execution of transition period processes (break periods, academic term transitions) as well as coordinating procedures with necessary stakeholders regarding check-in, check-out, early arrivals, late departures, and approvals to stay during the break
14. Provide leadership oversight, support, and ensure successful execution of various housing services including: front desk operations, Quad Core fitness center, summer conferencing, off campus education, and other services provided to stakeholders
15. Assist the chief housing officer with the recommendation of room and board rates and when approved by the Board of Trustees, partner with SAIS to apply the rates to University systems
16. Collaborate with the Director of Housing Auxiliary Operations and Residence Education and lead the housing team in assembling several smaller scale project management tasks as needed

Additional Duties and Responsibilities for all Student Affairs non-union staff
1. Apply safety-related knowledge, skills, and practices to everyday work.
2. Actively engage in creating an inclusive, welcoming, and professional work environment for staff, students, and visitors.
3. Collaborate with appropriate stakeholders to ensure that services delivered to students are audience-specific, timely, culturally-relevant, needs-based, aligned with leadership’s priorities and student learning outcomes, and can be evaluated.
4. Leverage relevant social media platforms and other marketing and outreach strategies to promote and increase attendance at events and services.
5. Identify and propose appropriate professional development opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills.
6. Collaborate with supervisor and division leadership to enhance the visibility of Student Affairs achievements by, for example, exploring and submitting proposals to conferences to showcase effective programs that may be replicated within the profession.
7. Develop, propose, and manage approved programming and/or service delivery budgets based on data and event requirements.
8. Recruit, hire, supervise, and evaluate approved and assigned student employees.
9. Participate and actively engage in University continuous improvement initiatives and strategies and apply knowledge to everyday work.
10. Assist with collecting program data and other evidence to better understand student needs, student learning, and programmatic formative and summative outcomes.
11. Ensure that record-keeping systems are updated, accurate, and audit-ready.
12. Submit monthly, annual, and ad hoc productivity reports.
13. Perform other mission-critical and position-specific duties as requested based on operational needs (e.g., all-hands-on-deck events such as orientation, welcome week, homecoming, commencement, and other university traditions).

Required Education, Certifications, Licensures (minimum requirements)

● Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, College Student Personnel, Counseling, or a related field.
● Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree (no Masters) that have accumulated at least six years of full time professional housing operations experience demonstrating successful progression and leadership within housing administration may be considered in lieu of a Masters.

Required Experience (minimum requirements)

● Four years minimum full time professional experience showing progressive leadership and increasing responsibility in housing administration
● Experience supervising full-time professional staff (indirect supervision can be considered)
● Five year experience using personal computers and data management software packages.
● Experience in positions with tasks requiring strong attention to detail and a focus on maximizing efficient operations

Desirable Education and/or Experience

● Strong preference for individuals with three or more years of experience utilizing housing management software.
● Strong preference for individuals with six or more years showing progressive leadership and increasing responsibility in student housing within student affairs
● Successful candidates must be comfortable with investing in learning selected housing management software vendor (currently Adirondack/THD) to serve as resident expert of the software for the department
● Demonstrated understanding of student development theory and a commitment to student growth
● Working knowledge of general higher education and housing laws/regulations
● Experience working effectively with both administrative and academic sides of the University
● Experience supervising full-time professional staff (indirect supervision can be considered)

Required Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities (minimum requirements)

To maximize our effectiveness and success as a Division and to serve as campus leaders in developing staff talent, Student Affairs at Michigan Tech adopts the following core required knowledge, skills, and/or abilities for all positions:

Skills

1. Effective written and oral communication skills as demonstrated through application materials, interview, and/or reference checks.
2. Self-management skills: ability to manage time effectively, learn and contribute to overall departmental tasks and goals.
3. Project coordination skills: ability to lead or contribute to planning or organizing projects, programs, services, etc.
4. Conflict resolution skills: ability to use interpersonal skills to develop and maintain positive professional relationships and resolve conflict in a team environment and with individuals from various diverse backgrounds and experiences.
5. Analytical skills: ability to analyze information and offer sound recommendations.
6. Computational skills: ability to perform basic mathematical computations to assist with financial operations and/or data collection, analysis, and reporting.
7. Computer skills: proficiency with word processing and spreadsheet software, preferably Microsoft Office or Google Suite. Candidate will be expected to develop expert knowledge, application, and oversight of housing management software and must have necessary computer skills to achieve this.

Abilities

1. Ability to adhere to work attendance requirements.
2. Ability to model self-care and well-being for colleagues and, most importantly, students.
3. Ability to manage emotions, function effectively, and make sound decisions in stressful and crisis situations.
4. Ability to handle multiple projects, services, activities, etc. in a timely and professional manner in a fast-paced and results-oriented environment.
5. Ability to promote and achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion of multi-racial/ethnic, low-income, LGBTQ+, veteran, non-traditional, online, disability, first-generation, and others.
6. Ability to be flexible, diplomatic, patient, service-driven, and a self-starter.
7. Ability to work independently under limited supervision and in teams.
8. Ability to make reasoned administrative and procedural decisions and judgments on sensitive and confidential issues.
9. Ability to work evening and weekend hours based on operational need.

Possession of a valid driver's license and ability to comply with Michigan Tech vehicle-use requirements.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

To maximize our effectiveness and success as a Division and to serve as campus leaders in developing staff talent, Student Affairs at Michigan Tech adopts the following core desired knowledge, skills, and/or abilities for all positions:

1. Housing Management Software: Previous experience utilizing housing management software or a strong desire to learn (Adirondack is preferred but experience with any software solution is desirable)
2. Database software experience: Previous experience utilizing multiple database software systems and working with various stakeholders to get them to work together efficiently
3. Preparatory knowledge: coursework, military, or work-based knowledge of student development theories, learning theories, and other theories related to profession.
4. Student knowledge: knowledge of generational college students and the ability to design generation- and audience-specific programs/events/services.
5. Accountability: experience with applying formative, summative, qualitative, and/or quantitative methodologies to assessing student learning outcomes and/or evaluating programs and services.
6. Multimedia experience: ability to collaborate on or design brochures, event flyers, and/or newsletters and develop and manage social media accounts.
7. Reporting experience: experience with program databases or software programs used to track, monitor, and report services to students.
8. Ability to plan and execute programs and services based on social justice, cultural responsiveness, anti-racism, and civility.

Work Environment and/or Physical Demands

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
● Moving small- to medium-sized boxes of materials in and out office during special events
● Driving personal or university vehicles or golf-cart during special events to transport materials and supplies to events
● The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate
● Fast-paced
● Results-oriented
● Accountability-driven
● Agile culture
● Day to day work occurs in an office situated in an undergraduate residence hall setting amongst living spaces for students.
● As a senior staff position, evening and weekend hours for this position may be required intermittently throughout the year for emergencies, crisis events, and during peak housing periods such as opening (fall, spring, summer), break periods (Thanksgiving, winter, and spring breaks), and closing (fall, spring, and summer). During the month of August, staff should anticipate a high demand workload in preparation for the opening of the academic year. Time off requests for the month of August are typically unable to be approved.
● After hours phone calls and callback support to provide operational assistance may be required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Training and Other Conditions of Employment

Every employee at Michigan Technological University will receive the following 4 required trainings; additional training may be required by the department.

Required University Training:

• Employee Safety Overview

• Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Training

• Annual Data Security Training 

• Annual Title IX Training

Required Departmental Training: 

• Adirondack Housing Management Software
• All applicable trainings as directed

Background Check:

Offers of employment are contingent upon and not considered finalized until the required background check has been performed and the results received and assessed.

Other Conditions of Employment:

The successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment. Visa sponsorship is unavailable at this time. This is not an E-Verified Position.

Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities

1.00

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Rate/Salary

Negotiable based on education/experience, no less than $60,000

Title of Position Supervisor

Director of Housing Auxiliary Operations/Residence Education

Posting Type

Special Instructions to Applicants (if applicable)

Please upload a cover letter that addresses required and desired qualifications, knowledge, skills, and abilities; a résumé with starting and ending month and year for each job; and contact information for three references (preferably one should be supervisory). Position will remain open until filled.

The screening process may also include a self-assessment of required and desired skills, abilities, and experiences.

Additional Information

Examples of Critical Measures of Success
1. Ensures all occupancy processes result in reports that provide accurate assignment information 95% of the time or above.
2. Ensures administrative transactions such as billing, assignments, etc are automated and require limited manual entry and resulting in minimal errors
3. Ensures a student satisfaction rate with Housing operations where 7 out of 10 students indicate being satisfied with operational practices.
4. Ensuring all housing student service operations (including residence hall assignment process, apartment assignment process, Quad Core, and Front desk) are running efficiently and are accurately following the policies and procedures.

Michigan Tech is an internationally renowned doctoral research flagship university located in Houghton, MI. Houghton is located in Michigan's scenic Upper Peninsula on the south shore of Lake Superior. The area provides a unique setting where natural beauty, culture, education, and a diversity of residents from around the world come together to share a superb living and learning experience.

We embrace our winters and cherish our summers with an unapologetic spirit of resilience and adventure. We attract students and employees who love “the great outdoors” and are comfortable with not having amenities usually associated with large communities. Interested individuals are strongly encouraged to research the geographical area carefully before applying.

The Character of the two Divisions

Residence Education and Housing Services thrives under the partnered leadership of both the Divisions of Student Affairs and Administration/Auxiliary Services. The partnership between the Division of Student Affairs at Michigan Tech and Auxiliary Services is devoted to student success from enrollment to commencement. We are dynamic, agile, and culturally-responsive. We guide, support, and, on occasion, challenge students as they develop, refine, and pursue their academic, career, and personal endeavors. All staff are responsible for creating a safe, welcoming, diverse, inclusive, respectful, and caring environment for students, colleagues, and visitors. We seek skilled and diverse colleagues who are student-focused, nimble, self-motivated, and will embrace and respect who we are and what we do. We also seek colleagues committed to moving the Division forward towards prominence and influence on campus, nationally, and within the Student Affairs profession. Titles and responsibilities are subject to change in accordance with university policies and procedures to meet the needs of our students, the university and division, the state of Michigan, employers, and the profession.

Before applying, we encourage interested individuals to spend time learning more about who we are, our values, and what we do: https://www.mtu.edu/student-affairs/ and https://www.mtu.edu/administration/