Associate Director of Residence and Education

Overview

Rhodes College is a private, residential liberal arts institution located in Memphis, Tennessee. The College is committed to graduating students with a lifelong passion for learning, compassion for others, and the ability to translate academic study into meaningful leadership and action. Residence Life plays a vital role in advancing this mission by creating intentional residential communities that support student learning, engagement, and belonging.

The Associate Director of Residence Life and Education (ADRLE) provides leadership for the residential program’s educational mission and plays a central role in cultivating inclusive, engaging, and developmentally focused living-learning environments. The ADRLE also supports the effective administration of residential operations. Reporting to the Associate Dean of Residential Experience & Community, this position oversees the residential learning model, supervises professional and student staff, and supports student success through intentional programming, assessment, and crisis response.

Working in a highly collaborative and student-centered environment, the Associate Director partners with campus stakeholders to foster communities that support academic achievement, personal growth, and holistic well-being.

This full-time, 12-month position is required to live on Rhodes College’s campus in designated housing. The Associate Director is required to serve in the on-call rotation, which includes evenings, weekends, and holidays.

• Bachelor’s degree, required;
  Master’s degree preferred in Higher Education, Student Affairs, College Student Personnel, Counseling, or a related field.
• Five (5) years of full-time professional experience in higher education administration or residence life, required.
• Demonstrated experience with housing management and student conduct software systems (e.g., Star Rez, Symplicity, Maxient, eRezLife, or comparable platforms), required.
• Demonstrated experience in residence education, leadership, supervisory, and organizational skills, required.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, required.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment with attention to detail, required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and related administrative systems, required.
• This position requires a valid driver’s license, a good driving record, and must be insurable by the College’s insurance carrier.

• Extensive knowledge of residence life best practices, student development theory, risk management, and applicable laws and policies.
• Demonstrated ability to lead with empathy, professionalism, and cultural competence.
• Strong problem-solving, mediation, and crisis response skills.
• Ability to build effective partnerships with students, faculty, staff, and families.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and student-centered campus environment.

• Develop, implement, and assess a comprehensive residential learning model that promotes student success, retention, engagement, and personal/identity development.
• Establish learning outcomes and educational priorities for residential communities aligned with Rhodes College’s mission and Student Life goals.
• Oversee intentional residential programming and educational initiatives that promote academic success, identity development, wellness, and personal responsibility.
• Serve as the primary liaison for residence-based educational initiatives, collaborating with academic affairs and other campus partners.
• Foster inclusive residential communities that value diversity, belonging, and civic responsibility.
• Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and evaluate Residence Life Coordinator staff, emphasizing coaching, leadership growth, and accountability.
• Recruit, select, train, supervise, and evaluate student support staff. Provide daily supervision for 6-10 resident assistants serving approximately 420 students.
• Provide strategic leadership for the recruitment, selection, training, supervision, and evaluation of Resident Assistants and other student staff.
• Lead professional development initiatives aligned with ACUHO-I, NASPA/APCA…