OverviewThe Assistant Dean of Students for Residential Life provides strategic vision, leadership, and direction for the implementation and advancement of a comprehensive residential experience that meaningfully complements the academic mission of Macalester College. The role leads all aspects of residential life, including the residential curriculum, living-learning communities, housing operations, and strategic growth. This position is the senior housing officer for the College and serves as a key member of the Dean of Students leadership team, contributing to division-wide strategy and institutional decision-making. As the Assistant Dean of Students for Residential Life, the position leads the on-call and emergency response program. Key components of this role's success are measured in institutional occupancy goals, student learning, operational efficiency, equity and access, and alignment with institutional strategy.
Responsibilities & Qualifications25% Strategic Leadership for Residential Life- Provides executive-level vision and direction for residential life at Macalester.
- Establishes strategic priorities for the residential experience in alignment with Macalester's institutional strategic plan and Student Affairs divisional goals.
- Leads the educational value of the department through ongoing development, implementation, refinement, and assessment of the residential curriculum. Champions divisional and institutional curriculum adoption and alignment.
- Develops and oversees programs and processes that support students in their transitional and continued success, fostering learning and holistic development across the student experience.
- Leads planning and implementation for on-campus living, including occupancy, programming, and policy/procedural implications. Leads expansion of the housing program to a 3-year live-on requirement.
- Represents Residential Life in divisional and institutional capacities with particular emphasis on strategy, assessment, collaboration, and impact.
- Establishes and maintains positive partnerships across campus to serve student success and well-being and institutional goals.
20% Staff Leadership, Supervision, Development- Hires, trains, develops, and manages the effectiveness of a diverse residential life team, including supervision of two Associate Directors and one Assistant Director with indirect supervision of six Residence Hall Directors, and 60+ student staff.
- Provides informal feedback on an ongoing basis and formal feedback through the annual performance review process to develop talent and support professional growth.
- Collaborates with HR on employee processes including onboarding, corrective action, and position classification.
15% Housing Operations- Plans, operationalizes, and evaluates large-scale processes including move-in, move-out, and semester-transition operations.
- Leads the work to meet or surpass institutional occupancy goals. Ensures successful transition to a 3-year live on requirement with added occupancy.
- Documents and reviews policies, procedures, and planning timelines to ensure operational accuracy, efficiency, and a seamless student experience.
- Provides oversight for residential data systems and housing management technology. Partners with Institutional Research and Information Technology as appropriate to maintain and improve operational systems.
- Ensures accurate occupancy data, reporting, and analysis to inform decision-making and support enrollment management. Leverages data to assess residential outcomes and identify equity trends.
15% Student Care, Emergency Response, & Compliance- In collaboration with the Dean of Students, lead the student affairs on-call program.
- Serve as a member of the Student Affairs' 24/7 on-call rotation for the purpose of addressing significant student safety, well-being, and conduct issues that happen on and off-campus during non-business hours.
- Serves as a leader on the Scots Care Team, On-Call Rotation, Infectious Disease Task Force, the Threat Assessment Team, and other committees relevant to emergency response and compliance.
- Provides executive-level crisis response for high-stakes residential incidents.
- Coordinates residential emergency protocols. Ensures departmental compliance with the Clery Act (campus crime reporting, timely warnings, emergency notifications), VAWA, FERPA, and Title IX as they apply to the residential environment. Serves as a mandatory reporter under applicable Minnesota law and Macalester policy.
- Serves as a Title IX Deputy.
10% Equity, Belonging & Inclusion- Leads strategic efforts to advance equity, belonging, and inclusion across all residential communities.
- Designs and sustains affirming residential options.
- Actively works to close equity gaps in satisfaction and outcomes.
- Applies equity principles in all policy, programming, and community-design decisions.
- Actively engages in ongoing learning and practice of equity-centered leadership.
10% Administration, Budget & Key Partnerships- Manages the departmental operating budget.
- Set and monitor departmental goals; develop and implement assessment frameworks for the residential experience with emphasis on data-based storytelling.
- Serves as primary liaison for Residential Life with offices within and beyond student affairs including Facilities Management, the Business Office, Admissions, Public Safety, Academic Programs, Financial Aid, Institutional Equity, and other campus offices.
- Serves as a liaison with external constituents including families, community members, and vendors.
5% Other Responsibilities: - Completes other responsibilities as assigned.
- Participates as an active member of the team.
- Participates in department and college activities and supports implementation of shared goals and initiatives.
- Provides backup support to other members of the team.
Qualifications:- Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible experience in residential life and student affairs, with at least 3 years with full supervisory accountability.
- Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and assessing residential curricula and/or living-learning community programs.
- Experience managing departmental budgets and contributing to resource allocation decisions.
- Experience in emergency response and behavioral intervention at an institutional level.
- Experience collaborating across academic and student affairs units to advance student success.
- Experience at a small, residential liberal arts college preferred.
Compensation:
$97,393.00-$101,820.00 Annually
BenefitsAt Macalester, we are proud to offer excellent comprehensive employee benefits. Here are some highlights:
- 10% employer contributions to the retirement plan
- Outstanding vacation and sick time packages, plus an additional 10 holidays
- Competitive health, dental, vision, and life & disability insurance
- Generous employer contribution to Health Savings Account
- Tuition assistance which pays between 75% - 90% of eligible tuition for employee dependents at select institutions
- Free primary care for most services through Nice Healthcare when enrolled in a Macalester health plan
- Access to the athletics fitness facility, wellness coaching, and activities
These are just some of the great benefits Macalester has to offer! To see our full benefits packages and options, please visit our Benefits Page
Satisfactory completion of a criminal background check is a condition of employment.Application GuidelinesFor best consideration, please submit your cover letter and resume through the Macalester Employment Opportunities webpage by October 6th, 2026. Cover letters are required, and you cannot submit an application without one. We will not receive applications after the date above. Questions can be directed to:Timothy Davis Associate VP for Student Affairs and Dean of Students 
