SUMMER PRE-COLLEGE RESIDENT DIRECTOR JOB DESCRIPTION

The Skidmore Summer Pre-College Program offers academically advanced high school students from the US the opportunity to enroll in undergraduate courses for credit, primarily as residential students. The Pre-College Resident Director (RD) is responsible for supervising all aspects of the residential experience for Skidmore's five-week Pre-College Program, assuming the principal role as the residential leader carrying out the Pre-College mission and ensuring the success and safety of enrolled students. As program participants are predominantly minors, this position assumes the highest level of responsibility and oversight for the conduct, safety, and wellbeing of the high school students in residence. The position requires living on campus in the residence hall with students and leading a residential staff team to create and foster a positive living-learning community for program participants. Reporting to the Pre-College Program Director, the RD supervises the Assistant Resident Director (Assistant RD) and a staff of Skidmore undergraduates serving as Resident/Academic Assistants (RAAs), and bears primary responsibility for the smooth operation of the residential life component of the program. The RD co-facilitates the RAA training one week prior to student arrival and supervises, supports, and communicates with the residential staff team daily. The RD leads weekly meetings with students and staff and provides regular feedback to the Pre-College Director. The RD works closely with the Pre-College Program Director, Assistant RD, and other College departments (Campus Safety, Facilities, etc.) to foster a residential environment of academic success, personal growth, and wellbeing. The RD maintains close and regular contact with staff and students, plans and conducts co-curricular activities, directs crisis management for student medical/safety emergencies, mediates acute conflicts, enforces program policies and procedures, and provides staff supervision and development. The RD oversees the resolution of high-level student conduct matters in the residence hall and ensures that all issues are promptly addressed. This is a rigorous and rewarding position that requires working nights, weekends, and daytime on-call coverage. 

Responsibilities include:

• Living in the residence hall throughout the program duration (June 23-Aug. 3)


• Co-facilitating the residential staff training program (June 24-27).


• Managing overall residence hall operations and taking the lead on all residential related issues.


• Developing positive, appropriate interpersonal relationships with and among students and staff.


• Being a visible and accessible presence to all program participants and staff members.


• Cultivating a respectful community that fosters academic success and responsible conduct.


• Ensuring the enforcement of all College and program policies, standards, and Protection of Minors protocols by students and staff.


• Advising and supporting students as needed and responding to parent inquiries.


• Co-coordinating student Arrival Day (June 30) and Departure Day (Aug. 2).


• Providing daily supervision of Assistant RD/RAA staff and on-site Health Director, conducting weekly individual and group staff meetings, performance reviews, and related support to ensure staff meet job expectations.


• Overseeing RAA academic and interpersonal mentoring with students.


• Being accessible on-call daily for emergencies and urgent program and student needs.


• Recognizing and responding promptly to crises, emergencies, and conduct matters; accompanying students to off-site Urgent Care/ER via Campus Safety escort.


• Informing the Program Director of important student/staff conduct, personal, or medical issues. 


• Documenting policy and conduct violations and managing student permission requests.  


• Overseeing program reporting, records, and evaluations (incident reports, activity logs, etc.) 


• Tracking and managing expenditures within the programâ™s budgetary limits.


• Performing other duties as assigned.

The Pre-College Resident Director reports to the Pre-College Program Director. This is a temporary, full-time residential position from June 23-August 3 that requires living with students and working nights, weekends and daytime on-call. Compensation: $7,500 plus single occupancy room in Pre-College residence hall and full dining hall meal plan included while on contract.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelorâ™s degree or higher. The successful candidate must have prior residential life experience in comparable programs; previous experience working with high school students and academic professionals in higher education; demonstrated leadership, supervisory, organizational, and budget management aptitude and experience; excellent communication, decision-making, problem-solving, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills. The demonstrated competencies to work effectively with and support the needs of a diverse student body and provide a high degree of confidentiality and discretion are essential. The candidate must be able to manage on-call and variable weekly work schedules and high stress situations and to thrive in a constantly changing work environment. This is a full-time position with a high level of responsibility and oversight; therefore, candidates cannot hold another job during the program duration. Days off are not permitted during specified program dates, including staff orientation, Arrival/ Departure days, and the first week of the program (including July Fourth holiday). Due to Protection of Minors guidelines, all residential staff must sleep in the residence hall each night of the program, even when not formally on duty, and are not permitted to have visitors or guests inside the residence hall at any time during their Skidmore Pre-College employment.

Preferred Qualifications:

Masterâ™s Degree in higher education, student affairs, or related field. Strong supervisory Residential Life and/or teaching experience working with high school students in an academic environment is preferred. 

Required documents needed to apply:

• On-line application


• Cover Letter


• Resume


• List of Three References

Pay Rate: $7,500

EEO STATEMENT

Skidmore College is committed to being an inclusive campus community and, as an Equal Opportunity Employer, does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, domestic violence victim status, familial status, dating violence, or stalking, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

Employment at Skidmore College is contingent upon an acceptable background check result.

CREATIVE THOUGHT MATTERS.

About Skidmore College

Skidmore is a highly selective liberal arts college with a reputation for its creative approaches to just about everything. With its relatively small size and student-faculty ratio, the College is a close-knit academic community. Skidmore is known for its faculty of teacher-scholars devoted to the instruction and mentoring of undergraduates; approximately 2,400 talented men and women from some 47 states and 46 countries.In the universe of selective, private liberal arts colleges, Skidmore's distinctiveness is expressed in the statement that "Creative Thought Matters". This idea reflects not only the historical strength of the College's programs in the fine and performing arts but also the understanding that creativity is required for achievement in any area of human endeavor.The city of Saratoga Springs is widely recognized as one of America's great communities. It is located in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, within a three-to-four-hour drive from New York City, Boston or Montreal. Travel & Leisure calls Saratoga Springs one of "America's Greatest Main Streets" as well as "one of the best college towns in the nation," Money Magazine says it's one of the nation's top 100... places to live, and Princeton Review describes it as a "perfect college town." It's a community rich in history and tradition. Famed mineral waters, a Revolutionary War battlefield, and the nation's oldest thoroughbred racetrack represent portions of that history. Also, it's a community of arts and culture. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) is the summer home to the New York City Ballet, Philadelphia Orchestra, and a performing venue for top rock and jazz musicians.The Skidmore College community awaits your arrival, so if you welcome challenges and are interested in making a difference, come join us!

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