"Assistant/Associate Director of Residence Life"

Job Description

Position Summary

Grinnell College is seeking a dynamic and collaborative leader to join our Student Affairs team as the Assistant/Associate Director of Residence Life. This role is all about shaping a vibrant residential experience where students feel a sense of belonging, engage deeply with their communities, and grow through meaningful learning outside the classroom.

As the Assistant/Associate Director, you will:

• Lead and mentor a talented team of live-in professional staff and a large, dedicated student staff.
• Champion our residential curriculum, with a focus on inclusive community building, civic engagement, and restorative practices.
• Partner with colleagues across campus to foster student success and well-being.
• Support our student conduct processes, ensuring they are rooted in fairness, accountability, and care.

Because this is a highly relational and responsive role with on-call responsibilities, the Associate Director is required to live within 20 minutes of Grinnell city limits.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead with vision and care: Provide direct supervision, coaching, and support to professional Residence Life Coordinators and indirect supervision to student staff. Help the team grow by setting clear expectations while amplifying individual strengths.
• Shape the student experience: Oversee student staff recruitment, selection, training, and the design and implementation of the residential curriculum.
• Collaborate across campus: Represent Residence Life on institutional committees, forging partnerships that advance departmental and divisional goals.
• Be part of the leadership team: Work closely with the Assistant Dean of Residence Life and Student Conduct and the Assistant Director for Housing Operations to set and achieve the strategic vision for the on-campus residential experience.
• Respond and support: Address student needs directly and mobilize staff to support care responses. Assist in student conduct processes, maintaining Maxient records, and meeting with students before and after hearings.
• Engage in on-call rotation: Serve weekly as part of the “Dean on Call” rotation, providing guidance and assistance to staff responding to student issues.

Qualifications

What We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate is a collaborative leader who thrives in a student-centered environment and is excited to shape the residential experience at Grinnell. To succeed in this role, you should bring:

• A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and at least one year of experience living and working in residence halls after graduation.
• Three years of related experience (assistant level) or five years or more (associate level).
• A willingness to live within 20 minutes of Grinnell city limits to meet on-call responsibilities.
• A demonstrated commitment to the College’s mission and core values, with a passion for building inclusive communities.
• The ability to work well in team-based environments, showing collaboration, care, and civility with colleagues, students, and staff.
• Strong skills in organizing people and activities effectively to achieve shared goals.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing or implementing a residential or educational curriculum.
• A background in higher education administration, college student personnel, counseling, or related student affairs areas.
• A master’s degree is preferred.

Employment Category

Regular

Employment Status

Full-time

Work Location Type

Full Time Onsite

FLSA Category

Exempt

Career Level

P2S

Anticipated Hiring Range

$54,000-$62,000/year for Assistant level