Careers at UMass Amherst

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The Associate Director of Residential Life for Assignments provides leadership for the implementation of business practices related to occupancy management, housing assignments and applications, billing, customer service and the housing licensing process. Implements communication plans, procedures, and protocols for efficient and effective management of all student housing assignments for university owned and operated housing.   

Essential Functions

• Serves as a member of a five member Residential Life Senior Leadership team, participate in developing strategic direction of a comprehensive residential life program, execute and implement best practices, and act in place of the Director of Residential Life and represent Residential Life as assigned. 
• Provides primary leadership for Residential Life processes related to occupancy management for university owned and operated housing, over 13,500 beds across residence halls, apartment style housing, and family housing units. Develops and operationalizes the annual business cycle for occupancy management and room selection, including routine best practice reviews.  Utilizes data to forecast future demand projections and recruitment and assignment strategies to maximize space and revenue.  Maintains focus on practices that support student wellbeing and success.  Ensures compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other legal requirements as they relate to the housing assignments processes.
• Provides primary leadership for the development, review and implementation of Occupancy License Agreements including periodic review and updates. Develops and evaluates policies related to housing administration within the Occupancy License Agreements such as financial liability, cancellation fees, housing eligibility, and occupancy expectations.
• Provides leadership for housing billing and refund processes, including appeals processes, cancellation fee schedule and related fees.  Develops and presents annual recommendations for housing rates and related revenue.
• Develops expert knowledge of, and leads department on the use of associated web-based technology support occupancy management, customer service. Ensures regular audit and archiving of data and standards of privacy. Partners with information technology staff to implement the housing application, self-selection, assignments, and billing processes to ensure accuracy.  Maintains assignments records in compliance with university records retention expectations.
• Supervises the development and implementation of plans that establish positive, sustainable family housing communities rooted in mutual respect, civility, appreciation and celebration of differences, individual and community support of and adherence to established community living standards.  Delivers a range of programs and initiatives that support university priorities through a residential curriculum framework. 
• Provides high quality supervision and evaluation for assigned residential life assignments and family housing staff. Leads staff to provide high quality customer service and communication in all interactions with students, their families, and campus partners. Ensures staffing coverage for the Residential Life assignments office.  Demonstrates expert knowledge of applicable collective bargaining agreements (CBA) for applicable collective bargaining units (CBU) in the supervision and leadership of staff.
• Develops and delivers training and development for Residential Life staff related to assignments and occupancy management. Participates in recruitment and search processes.
• Leads and implements assessment focused on family housing, assignments, and customer service. Creates and contributes to assessment and annual reports. 
• Provides on-call, after hours coverage and response for the campus residential community, including during University break periods and holidays. On-call includes being accessible via department issued cell phone 24/hr. day, and the ability to coordinate an effective emergency preparedness response, including appropriate coordination with campus partners and/or emergency services.
• Establishes and maintains collaborative and effective working relationships across the Student Affairs and Campus Life Executive Area and the University as a whole. Serves as Residential Life’s primary representative to the Enrollment Management team and Move-in planning team. Collaborates with campus partners including but not limited to Athletics, Bursars Office, Dean of Students Office, Disability Services, Enrollment Management, Information Technology, International Programs Office, Office of General Counsel, Student Affairs and Campus Life Finance and Student Success staff to support occupancy management and billing processes.
• Supports the department’s marketing and communication strategy. Develops and implements annual internal and external communication plans and strategies in areas of position responsibility.
• Sets, prepares, monitors and evaluates budgets associated with the assignments office and family housing in excess of $100,000. Ensures financial resources are utilized in accordance to established policies and procedures. Participates in the development of annual department budget recommendations to support strategic initiatives and goals.
• Engages in professional development activities related to Residential Life and position responsibilities. Participates in required training programs and initiatives related to position. Remains current in related best practices and relevant trends.

Other Functions

• Performs related duties as assigned or required. Understands responsibilities with respect to Title IX, Clery and other compliance requirements.
• Demonstrates capacity, skill, and willingness to engage students and contribute to student success.
• Understands responsibilities with respect to conflicts of interest and behaves in ways consistent both with law and with University policy.
• Contributes toward creating a positive and respectful workplace. Uses access to sensitive and/or not yet public university related information only in the performance of the responsibilities of position and exercises care to prevent unnecessary disclosure to others.
• On an as needed basis, signs out and operates University golf cart or vehicle.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Master’s degree in a related field, including but not limited to higher education, business management, or hospitality management.
• Five (5) years of directly related full time progressively responsible experience in college/university housing management. 
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Demonstrated skills and ability to establish and lead a collaborative team.
• Proven ability to work independently within broad scope of established expectations/policies/practices.
• Superior project management skills. Experience managing multiple concurrent responsibilities and priorities. Experience managing large department projects and committees.
• Evidence of successful collaborations with a wide range of stakeholders within and outside the university.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret, apply and explain university policies. Demonstrated ability to analyze complex situations and implement solutions effectively. 
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.  Demonstrated skills in supervising a diverse staff; self-awareness of own social identities; the ability to collaborate with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds; ability to enact (or direct) equitable and inclusive policy and practice.
• Demonstrated experience in using technology.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Work experience in medium to large residence life program (min 5,000 beds) at a public institution.  
• Experience in developing housing portal processes in a web-based platform.
• Experience developing housing agreements, policies, and business practices.
• Professional staff supervision experience.
• Experience working in a unionized work environment. Understanding of collective bargaining process and agreements. 

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Typical office environment within a residential setting.
• Ability to lift boxes and materials that weigh up to 30 lbs. for transport and set up.
• Ability to access and reach residence halls throughout the campus for purposes of responding to incidents and meeting with staff, students and groups of students.

Work Schedule

• 37.5 hour work week.
• Monday – Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
• Required to work occasional nights & weekends.
• Required to be accessible via department issued cell phone 24/hr. day, and provide on-call coverage and response for the campus residential community.
• This position is designated as essential personnel by Residential Life in the event of emergencies.

Salary Information

Level 29

PSU Hiring Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.