Department
CSL North Campus Community Life
About the Department
The University of Chicago is one of the nation’s leading institutions of higher education and research. Campus and Student Life (CSL) is a division comprised of 20 departments that serve the University’s 17,000 college, graduate, and professional school students, as well as the campus community more broadly. CSL is importantly charged with the dual task of supporting all students in the University, graduate and undergraduate, and managing multiple campus departments and services that serve the entire campus community. CSL’s programs and services focus on supporting student academic success, providing opportunities for personal growth and leadership development, developing community and engagement through the residential housing and dining program, and in areas such as artistic expression, community service, spiritual exploration, and athletic competition. The University of Chicago community includes approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 10,000 graduate, professional, and other students and there are over 300 recognized student organizations working together to create a vibrant and dynamic student life. The University of Chicago is located in the Hyde Park/South Kenwood neighborhood, a racially and economically diverse residential community of 43,000 people on the shores of Lake Michigan, about fifteen minutes south of downtown Chicago. The core mission of Housing & Residence Life is to help develop and support inclusive communities that engage residents in exceptional living experiences within secure and well-maintained environments that foster a sense of belonging and support the academic initiatives of the University. The primary strategy for the delivery of such an environment is through a residence life program that which aims to develop strong residential communities that are self-regulating, supportive of academic success; provide a strong sense of belonging, and rich opportunities for personal, cultural, social and intellectual development. The leadership of residential faculty and adult staff in fostering these experiences is key to the success of the mission.
Job Summary
Reporting to the Associate Director of Residence Life, the Assistant Director of Residence Life (ADRL) provides leadership and management for an assigned portfolio of residential communities while leading a designated Residence Life functional area. The ADRL directly supervises assigned Community Directors and Resident Heads, partners closely with Resident Deans, provides higher-level consultation and decision-making for complex student and community matters, manages assigned resources and operational priorities, and leads department-wide projects and initiatives.
Assistant Directors are assigned primary responsibility for one of four functional areas: Training & Development; Student Leadership & Engagement; Residential Learning & Assessment; or Recruitment & Selection. Functional assignments are determined by departmental priorities, organizational needs, and the skills and experience of the Assistant Director team and may change over time. ADRLs are expected to collaborate across functional areas, contribute to department-wide initiatives, and provide leadership or interim support in other areas as needed.
The ADRL participates in a 24-hour on-call rotation and routinely supports evening and weekend responsibilities. The role requires sound judgment, effective communication, consistent follow-through, and the ability to manage multiple priorities across staff supervision, student support, community leadership, operations, and departmental initiatives.
Responsibilities
Supervision and Staff Leadership:
Directly supervise assigned Community Directors and Resident Heads, providing ongoing coaching, feedback, accountability, performance management, evaluation, and professional development.
Establish clear expectations for assigned staff, monitor performance and follow-through, address…