Job Information
Vanderbilt University Assistant Director of Selection & Training, Residential Experience in Nashville, Tennessee
Position Summary:
The Assistant Director for Selection and Training is part of the Residential Experience team within Housing and Residential Experience in the Student Affairs division at Vanderbilt University and is responsible for the oversight of designated residential and functional areas. This position assists in guiding the Residential Experience team to fulfill the departmental mission of building safe, engaging, and educational residential communities, thus contributing to the intellectual, cultural, and social growth of Vanderbilt students. Reporting to the Associate Director of Residential Experience, the Assistant Director will lead in progressing the Residential Experience vision, execution, and impact in two key functional areas: student staff selection and training.
As the selection and training lead, the Assistant Director is responsible for overseeing comprehensive and effective student staff recruitment, selection, and training processes for undergraduate Resident Advisors, Head Resident Advisors, and Graduate Area Coordinators. Collaborating closely with colleagues across the department and university, this role ensures that all selection and training procedures align with institutional standards and promote a fair and inclusive work environment for student staff. The Assistant Director is responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date student staff records, including employment history, academic records, and citizenship status, and serves as the primary administrator of student staff performance concerns, providing clear coaching expectations and accountability structures. To promote ongoing growth in the student staff experience, this role develops and implements innovative training programs, including bi-annual training curriculum development, online modules, and monthly in-services, enhancing competencies and fostering a dynamic and supportive environment for student staff.
The Assistant Director is also responsible for engaging in benchmarking and proactive professional development initiatives; representing the Assistant Director level in the campus on-call rotation and crisis response; and facilitating training and programmatic efforts across the department. Additional duties may include collaborating with faculty and staff in Residential Colleges, providing mentorship and accountability to graduate and undergraduate student staff, and leading and participating in divisional and departmental committee work to promote student success.
The Assistant Director for Selection and Training will supervise two Area Coordinators, including oversight of two Graduate Area Coordinators and two teams of Resident Advisors, and develop and maintain relationships with key campus partners.
About the Work Unit:
Housing and Residential Experience provides safe, secure, comfortable, accessible, and healthy housing for its residents. Programming for residents builds engaged communities in which students’ social needs for belonging, friendship, recognition, respect, and dignity are met. These communities foster learning, personal development, academic achievement, and successful transitions for both new students and graduates.
About Student Affairs
Student Affairs serves a central role in student learning and development at Vanderbilt, advancing the University’s mission of teaching, research, and service by fostering academic and social networks through which students develop as intentional learners and global citizens. Student Affairs creates opportunities to involve students, faculty and staff in diverse learning communities and provides a critical support structure for enriching the overall student experience. We achieve these ends through strategic alignment, both internally and in concert with other university departments. We care deeply. We educate completely. We lead with excellence. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and mental health are top priorities for the institution and by extension the offices of Student Affairs. Our staff are committed to continued growth in knowledge, awareness, skills, and experience engaging with these priorities in a higher education environment.
Key Functions and Expected Performance:
Leadership and Oversight
Assist in recruiting, hiring, and training Area Coordinators, administrative staff, and other student workers.
Directly supervise two Area Coordinators and support two Graduate Area Coordinators and two teams of Resident Advisors.
Collaborate with Residential Colleges staff and Faculty Heads of House across ten residential halls to assist in achieving the goals of the Residential College System and Hall Governance.
Provide financial oversight for the Residential Experience allocation as needed, including full responsibility for the preparation and management of relevant budgets to ensure proper stewardship of university resources.
Foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment that promotes communication, accountability, and excellence.
Ensure professional and paraprofessional staff display a positive and professional image and that Residential Experience staff respond appropriately to the many stakeholders served (students, parents/families, administrators, campus partners, etc.).
Partner with other Assistant Directors in advancing departmental professional development opportunities and training for Residential Experience professionals and graduate staff.
Utilize evolving technologies to better connect with students, campus, and the community.
Recruitment and Selection
Develop and implement effective recruitment strategies to attract a diverse and highly qualified pool of candidates for Resident Advisor positions.
Oversee the selection process, including evaluation rubrics, application review, interviews, and individual staff selection, to ensure the hiring of exceptional RAs who align with the department's mission and values.
Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of RA recruitment and selection strategies to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions.
Stay up-to-date on industry trends and best practices in RA recruitment and selection to inform decision-making and program development.
Foster a positive and inclusive environment for RA candidates and staff members, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the selection process
Training and Student Staff Oversight
Serve as an advisor to the student staff supervisory teams within the department, ensuring all staff employment action is consistent, timely, and equitable.
Maintain knowledge of university, state, and federal regulations as it relates to student employment and appropriately align departmental hiring and training processes.
Develop and maintain a performance management system that aligns with institutional goals and provides clear expectations and timely feedback for RAs.
Implement a system of regular performance reviews with RAs to assess their progress, identify areas for improvement, and provide support and guidance.
Implement a system for tracking and evaluating the RA role to identify trends, measure effectiveness, and inform program improvements.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date student staff records, including employment history, academic records, and citizenship status.
Design and implement a comprehensive, multi-track RA training curriculum that address both foundational and advanced skills.
Foster a culture of continuous learning by providing ongoing professional development opportunities for RAs, such as in-services and online modules.
Collaborate with campus partners to offer cross-functional training opportunities that enhance student staff understanding of campus resources and services.
Develop and maintain a library of training resources for RAs to access at their convenience, including handouts, presentations, and videos.
Divisional Responsibilities
Serve on divisional committees and working groups to enrich the experience and resources available to staff across the division.
Participate in division-wide events as needed (Move-In Day, Rites of Spring, Diverse ‘Dores Day, MLK Day, etc.) to support colleagues and campus partners.
Maintain an understanding of institutional and departmental financial policies related to areas such as travel, procurement, expense, and time reporting to ensure compliance and proper stewardship of university resources.
Collaborate with colleagues across the division to implement divisional goals and strategic priorities which align with Student Affairs values.
Supervisory Relationships:
This position supervises two professional staff providing clear performance expectations, effective and on-going feedback, regular and annual evaluations, and professional development opportunities to ensure staff understand expectations of them and are successful in fulfilling their job functions. This position also indirectly supervises at least one Graduate Area Coordinator and a team of undergraduate student staff members. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Associate Director for Residential Experience.
Education and Certifications:
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is necessary.
A master’s degree is strongly preferred focusing in Higher Educational Administration, Counseling, or Student Personnel Services.
Experience and Skills:
3 years of experience in residential higher education is necessary. 5-7 years of experience is preferred.
Experience creating and implementing student staff training curriculum, programs and initiatives within a higher education setting is preferred.
Experience developing recruitment and hiring processes for student staff is preferred.
Experience working with live-in faculty is preferred.
Experience supervising professional staff is preferred.
Experience with Maxient software system is preferred.
Experience presenting training programs for student and professional staff is preferred.
Experience being in an on-duty rotation responding to crisis situations and conflict mediation is preferred.
Strong written and verbal communication skills are preferred.
Strong collaboration and partnership-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with various campus departments, student organizations and community stakeholders is preferred.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously is preferred.
Experience working with students from diverse backgrounds attending a highly selective institution with a broad range of campus groups, departments and organizations is preferred.
Strong interpersonal/human relations skills including ability to develop and cultivate professional relationships is preferred.
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education. Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities, and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.