Assistant Director, Residential Operations & Services

Department: Residential Ops & Services
Salary/Grade: EXS/7

Northwestern University's Residential Services helps build a community environment for students through housing-related services, intentional learning opportunities and residential settings that include residence halls, residential communities, and residential colleges. Learn more about the Residential Services department and the Operations and Services team here: https://www.northwestern.edu/living/

Job Summary:

Under direct supervision of the Director, Operations and Services, the Assistant Director provides team leadership and management for complex residential operations and services that include these key responsibilities:

Oversight of the Mail and Package Centers, Desk Services and Access Control, and Summer Program and Guest Services, which requires strong proficiency and understanding of, but not limited to, systems and processes, client management, logistics management, financial and billing management, communications management, vendor management, and a commitment to enhancing existing and new services through new technical solutions.

The Assistant Director provides direct supervision to 3 full-time professionals and has oversight of 6 additional professional staff and approximately 65 student staff. This position requires strong written and verbal communications skills and technical skills to lead the team effectively and thoughtfully; and partner, coordinate, and liaise with key departments, including academic departments, the Wildcard Office, NUPD, various offices within Student Affairs, and vendors of importance (e.g., Assa Abloy).

Human resource management, overall risk management and program compliance within the position's purview. The Assistant Director also is a key stakeholder and contributor in department planning, policy formation and program development.

This position serves on a 24-hour duty rotation during the summer and may be contacted on nights and weekends during the academic year to support student & guest safety.

Pay Range: $68,000 to $72,000 depending on experience, skills, and internal equity.

Principal Accountabilities:

Administration 35%

• Oversees and ensures that day-to-day operations of Mail and Package Centers, Area Desks including access management, and Residential Summer Programs and Guest Services are appropriately managed, efficient, and effective.
• Operationalizes goals and objectives; ensures that resources are created or obtained.
• Manages customer service; creates associated practices and procedures and metrics to measure success.
• Analyzes data and recommends and implements changes and improvement to better ensure attainment of mission.
• Provide year-round oversight to indoor and outdoor space reservations within residential inventory, including seminar rooms and dining halls.
• Provide year-round oversight to management of on-campus guest suites
• Oversees documentation of agreements between NU and partner institutions, ensuring that agreements are complete and reviewed by all necessary NU officials.
• Participates in developing IT strategy to meet the mission and needs of program/project.

Supervision 15%

• Provide direction and leadership (e.g., set deadlines, establishes priorities, staff planning for projects and peak periods).
• Directly supervise 3 full-time employees
  • Meet regularly to provide on-going coaching, feedback, and conduct annual performance evaluations
  • Work with staff to promote student well-being, safety, and security including indirect management of all access to residential facilities and overnight security program iii. Provide leadership to the desk services program and mail and package centers including review of processes and service evaluation
• Indirectly supervise 4 Desk Clerks, 2 Office Clerks, 45 student staff members at the undergraduate and graduate mail and package centers, and 20 student staff members for summer programs.
• Work with staff to develop annual professional development plans.

Budgets and Financial 10%

• Ensures that the program/project meets associated revenue and expense goals.
  • Identify opportunities to maximize revenue related to space reservations and the conference program.
• Develops and implements ideas for improving business processes and increasing program/project revenues and margins.
• Responsible for billing approximately 5M in annual revenue (conference billing, lost temp cards, etc.), budgeting practices and decisions (i.e., supplies, shirts, temp cards, etc.)
• Manage and oversee conference services operating and personnel budgets, including the billing process for all services

Human Resources 10%

• Oversees recruitment and selection process; Performance Excellence plan for each employee; and merit increase process.
  • Recruit and hire top candidates to ensure program objectives are met; train, coach, and evaluate staff members to ensure program objectives are met. Prepare and deliver verbal and written performance-based feedback to direct reports and staff teams.
• Manages and provides consultation regarding complex performance problems and issues; administers leaves; approves timesheets and oversees completion of annual staff Conflict of Interest survey.
  • In compliance with Human Resources, provide University benefits resources and information, including payroll and schedule management.

Strategic Planning 5%

• Creates and leads a coordinated program of activities designed to increase program/project objectives.
  • Develop and implement an internal and external rental program for campus spaces.
  • Develop and manage process for workflow, scheduling, and training.
• Provide leadership for the process, operations, and systems that provide summer conference housing for over 5000 annual guests.

Evaluation 5%

• Oversees development and implementation of evaluation processes, quantitative and qualitative measurements that ensure that program/project benchmarks are successfully attained and communicated in a timely and efficient manner.
  • Develop, analyze, and update schedules and procedures to ensure program effectiveness.
• Manages evaluation processes; recommends and implements changes for enhancement; monitors effectiveness through follow-up evaluation studies.

Regulatory Compliance 5%

• Oversees development and implementation of processes and procedures for all safety, security and compliance programs.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, local and NU laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Oversees creation and/or implementation of associated training.

Events 5%

• Provide leadership for marketing, contracting, budget management, and supervision of groups while on campus. Manage and direct the activities of staff members assigned to Conference Services.
• Intervene and assist in the resolution of staff, student, and guest concerns and emergencies 24/7 while conferences are in session.

Communication, Outreach, and Recruitment 5%

• Builds and maintains collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders to increase program profile, reputation, visibility, and support.
  • Provide leadership, management and key communication with internal and external stakeholders to ensure program excellence
  • Partner and liaise with, but not limited to, Northwestern Dining, Dean of Students, University Police, Student Affairs Information Technology, Central Facilities, Athletics, Academic Schools, Risk Management and Central Facilities Management, where applicable, for portfolio.
  • Partner and provide key advisement and expertise to all Residential Services staff teams for residential housing programs and services.
• Creates plan to drive awareness of program/project in appropriate markets.
  • Create and disseminate frequent and robust communication to department and campus partners, ensuring collaborative means of working across all constituencies.

Misc. 5%

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 4 years program/project administration or other relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Higher Education preferred
• Residential Life, Housing, Project Management, and Conference Programs experience preferred.
• Highly skilled in leading staff independently.
• Able to work effectively in busy and stressful situations with minimal direction.
• Experience working with a variety of different populations in a college setting
• Experience in leading large complex teams and projects
• Strong experience and proficiency in managing schedules and budgets.
• Experience in maintaining inventories through systems and controls.

Competencies

• Excellent interpersonal communication, organization, and administrative skills.
• Crisis intervention and management, conflict resolution
• Effective written and oral communication
• Possess skills in developing and managing budgets, inventory systems and procedures in a creative, organized manner.
• Subject matter expert in student and conference services processes and systems.
• Project management experience.
• Excellent interpersonal communication, organization, and administrative skills.
• Experience managing conference summer housing, such as residence halls or apartment-style buildings.
• Experience introducing new standards, trainings, and technology to staff teams.
• Crisis intervention and management, conflict resolution.
• Effective written and oral communication.
• Knowledge of university policies and procedures related to financial and administrative management and student records management.
• Strong ability to use Microsoft Office Programs, including Word and Excel.

Benefits: At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness: Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles. We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth and Development: Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.