Resident Director

Job Description

Department: Newman Hall Staff
Reports to: Director of Operations & Finance
Head Chaplain
FLSA Status: Exempt
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Job Summary and Objective

The Resident Director is a key position that supports the residential experience and student culture of Newman Hall at St. John's Catholic Newman Center. Newman Hall is a premier student residence hall at the University of Illinois known for its superior living experience, vibrant community, and supportive Christ-centered environment. The Resident Director helps form student leaders, fosters authentic Catholic community, and helps to integrate the mission of St. John's Catholic Newman Center into daily resident life.

The Resident Director serves as the primary supervisor and mentor for the Resident Advisor team, cultivating a culture of servant leadership, accountability, hospitality, and care for residents. Through intentional leadership development, community-building, crisis response, and collaboration with campus ministry staff, the Resident Director helps create an environment where residents are known, supported, challenged, and invited into deeper community and faith. This position works closely with Newman Hall and SJCNC leadership, pastoral staff, and university partners.

We are seeking a relational and mission-driven leader who:
• Thrives in mentoring and developing college student leaders
• Can balance compassion, accountability, and professionalism
• Values community-building and student formation
• Is energized by collaborating within an integrated Catholic campus ministry environment
• Demonstrates initiative, maturity, sound judgment, and strong communication skills
• Understands the unique developmental opportunities and challenges of college students
• Desires to contribute meaningfully to the spiritual, personal, and leadership growth of residents and student staff

Duties and Responsibilities:
Leadership, Staff Development & Training
• Supervise, mentor, and support 19 Resident Advisors and 1 Assistant Resident Director through ongoing communication, leadership development, and servant leadership formation.
• Act as a positive role model both on and off campus.
• Works closely with the RA hiring committee to recruit, interview and hire outstanding individuals for the position of Resident Advisor and Assistant Resident Director.
• Responsible for clearly communicating the Mission of SJCNC and the important role of the Resident Advisors in achieving the goals of the mission.
• Works closely with University & PCH staff and SJCNC Administration to coordinate formal Resident Advisor Training, and provides ongoing training, supervision and development of the Resident Advisor Staff.
• Ensures that the RA's are well trained in all Newman Hall policies and procedures.
• Assigns duties and oversees the day to day activities of the RA Staff, and manages RA On Call schedules.
• Provides excellent communication through weekly staff meetings and regular 1-1 meetings with individual RA's.
• Evaluates job performance and provides feedback for each RA. Consults with RA's about real and potential concerns and provides support for proactive approaches to resolution.
• Ensures the appropriate training and implementation of the Emergency Response Plan.
• Acts as liaison between SJCNC Administration, Ministry team and Resident Advisors.
• Builds teamwork and creates a positive work environment in keeping with the SJCNC Mission.
• Works with RA staff to manage and administer the Resident Advisor Budget.
Resident Support & Community Development
• Provides outstanding customer service and support to University of Illinois and Parkland college students that reside at Newman Hall and their families.
• Maintains a strong physical presence and high level of visibility within the residence hall community.
• Builds relationships with residents and serve as a resource and referral for University-related information and support.
• Works collaboratively with Resident Advisors to plan, implement, and evaluate educational, social, and community-building programming.
• Encourages and support Resident Board activities, events, and resident engagement initiatives.
• Provides proactive educational interventions to minimize behavioral and community issues.
• Work closely with SJCNC leadership and ministry staff to promote the mission, values, and ideals of the St. John's Catholic Newman Center within Newman Hall through programs and opportunities that foster spiritual growth, evangelization, and servant leadership within Newman Hall.
• Maintains ongoing collaboration and communication with Newman Hall staff and SJCNC ministries.
Conduct, Crisis Response & Policy Administration
• Ensures compliance with all Federal and State laws, and University regulations and standards.
• Ensures Newman Hall policies and procedures are enforced fairly and consistently.
• Anticipates potential resident issues and coordinate proactive intervention efforts with staff and administration.
• Documents disciplinary actions, incident reports, and follow-up communication accurately, thoroughly, and in a timely manner.
• Provides leadership and coordination during crisis situations.
• Participates in and coordinate the on-call Resident Director coverage rotation.
Operations & Residence Hall Management
• Assist in coordinating move-in, move-out, and residence hall closing procedures during University break periods.
• Work with operations staff to maintain high resident satisfaction and retention rates.
• Supports marketing and retention initiatives to attract and retain residents.
Qualifications:
• Passionate about the Catholic mission of SJCNC
• Bachelor's Degree (preferred in Residential Life or related field.)
• Previous work experience in campus housing or residential life.
• Previous Student Affairs experience preferred.
• Prior experience with mediation, conflict resolution and crisis management.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent leadership, critical thinking and human relations skills.
Working Conditions

This position is a full-time, live-in, 2+ year commitment. The Resident Director must tolerate late-night hours and resident or external disturbances. The Resident Director has extensive contact with residents, personnel in various Newman Center departments, and community affiliates. The Resident Director also has contact with parents of prospective and current students, and University of Illinois and Parkland College administration. Mentally, the position requires good judgment and clear thinking in emergency situations in accordance with Newman Center policies. It also requires excellent time management and ability to work under occasional high-stress situations.

About the Employer

St. John's Catholic Newman Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign exists to equip college students for sustaining a lifelong connection to Christ and His Church, through the sacraments and a vibrant, inviting community. As one of the largest and most active Newman Centers in the nation, St. John's Catholic Newman Center is comprised of St. John's Chapel and Newman Hall, a 586-bed private certified student housing facility.