The Director of Residential Life reports to the Dean of Community and supports an engaged, welcoming, and vibrant student community. Additionally, the Director provides administrative, emergency, and programmatic support to the Dean of Community, contributes to new student orientation, and supports student activities and student groups.
The Director is a student-focused, trauma-informed, and justice-oriented administrative role on our Craftsbury Common campus. Candidates must have a personal interest in our mission of ecological thinking and action and support the College’s vision of being a community in which people of all backgrounds and identities feel at home, where differences are embraced, and individuals take responsibility for furthering the dignity of all. Sterling College’s community care programming is trauma-informed and rooted in restorative justice.
Position Responsibilities
Coordinates housing accommodations for each block, semester, and/or special session.
Serves as an advocate for the student body and a liaison with stakeholders of the College.
Maintains an active, engaging, and supportive presence on campus.
Supports all community programming.
Supports student engagement and retention initiatives throughout the community.
Occasional responder for campus crisis response, emergency on-call rotation, and accountability procedures.
Supports Student Leader training and orientations prior to each semester and workshops throughout the semester.
Supervises Work Program students as appropriate.
Supports the College’s Title IX programs, responses, and reporting.
Supports and facilitates community transformative justice practices.
Supports A Sense of Place orientations in the Fall and Spring Semesters.
Serves on at least two committees and ad-hoc task forces and committees as needed.
Participates in All-College Meetings and Team/Staff meetings as appropriate.
Participates in College events, including All College Work Days, Alumnx Weekend, Opening Days, Admissions Open Houses and Visit Days, Expeditions, and Commencement Weekend.
Provides administrative, programmatic, and emergency support to the Dean of Community as needed.
This is a full-time, exempt, at-will position with frequent on-call and occasional emergency response responsibilities. This job will require in-person presence in Craftsbury Common, Vermont. Some weekend and evening responsibilities should be expected. Candidates must reside within 15 minutes of campus, or be willing to relocate. Position will remain open until filled.
To read the full position description and application instructions, visit: https://www.sterlingcollege.edu/employment
The ideal candidate will have:
3-5 years direct experience working in student life settings
Familiarity with Title IX legislation and reporting protocol
A nuanced understanding of different cultures, as well as the ability to interact successfully with college-age students and their families
Trauma-informed training and practice
Self-awareness, curiosity, and integrity
Strong conflict transformation and mediation skills
Excellent decision-making skills and the ability to remain clear-headed in crisis
Lived experience as a member of under-resourced communities
Teaching and facilitation experience
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to thrive in and support a collaborative team
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Exceptional organizational skills and ability to work under deadlines and at a fast pace
Acute attentiveness to detail on tasks and interactions, big and small
Adaptability to changing schedules or priorities
Care, concern, and congeniality in interactions with others
Humility and humor under pressure
Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. Masters degree preferred.
Founded in 1958 in Craftsbury Common, Vermont, Sterling College advances ecological thinking and action through affordable experiential learning, preparing knowledgeable, skilled and responsible leaders to face the ecological crises caused by unlimited growth and consumption that threatens the future of the planet. Undergraduate enrollment is limited to 125 students. Sterling is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, and is one of only 10 colleges and universities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a “Work College.”
The College has received national attention for becoming one of the first institutions in the U.S. to divest from fossil fuels. Sterling has been recognized for its sustainability initiatives by Sierra Magazine and has earned a STARS Gold Rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
