Residential coordinator

Primary Position Objectives

The UWC-USA program - a two-year experience that integrates our Academic, UWC CAS, and Residential curricula - prepares students to serve as catalysts for greater unity, peace and sustainability in the world.

We support students in the practice of our mission during their two years on campus and challenge them to live our mission for a lifetime.

Residential Coordinators (RC) contribute to the school's mission across our full program. Within residential life, RCs are on the front-line facilitating and supporting students as they strive to live the UWC mission and values within one of the residential houses (40-50 students).

This includes supporting basecamp teams in our campus community. Basecamp teams are groups of staff and students who work together on campus facing projects such as trail crew, kitchen help and peer tutors.

Most importantly, RCs empower students towards the development of personal integrity, healthy adult-youth relationships, and constructive peer-to-peer accountability.

Beyond residential life, RCs sponsor signature program activities, lead expeditionary outings, and support the academic program in formal and informal ways.

RCs fulfill their responsibilities in accord with the UWC mission and values as well as the school's strategic plan, foundational documents, IBDP authorization, ISAS accreditation and best practices in teaching and learning.

All RCs are employed on a 10-month agreement that runs from late July to late May and paid over the course of 12-months.

Their summer and winter holiday travel plans should not interfere with their professional obligations at the beginning of August, mid December, early January, and late May.

This is a temporary position that will be from August 1, 2024 to December 20, 2024.

Position Responsibilities- Brief Description of Duties

Provide Pastoral Care for Students

• Coordinate student care in collaboration with the Director of Student Life, residential staff, counselors, health clinic staff, and faculty.
• Hold individual wellness planning sessions with each student twice a year.
• Communicate via REACH with relevant faculty regarding students of concern; respond to faculty and parent / family concerns.
• Submit pastoral reports as needed.
• Work with students to help resolve conflicts in the dorms such as roommate disagreements

Uphold the Quality of Community Life Among Students

• Proactively build a culture of safety, respect, engagement, and responsibility.
• Work collaboratively with the residential team to build community within the residential houses, consistent with the values and mission of the UWC movement.
• Build positive student relationships that contribute toward deepening the student experience.
• Uphold residential and community standards policies and procedures.
• Complete "check" as assigned and perform regular campus walk-throughs until midnight.
• Help maintain a healthy presence in the dining hall by monitoring one meal per week.
• Submit and follow-up with maintenance requests for assigned house.

Lead / Support Programming

• Supervise and assist in training faculty dorm team members and student Residential Assistants.
• Support RAs across all specialty areas by meeting with them biweekly, attending training and developmental workshops as assigned.
• Assist with orientation and the opening and closing of residential houses.
• Work with the Director of Student Life in coordinating programming to address student wellness. Working with students, plan and lead regular fitness oriented activities in the Fieldhouse and outdoors as part of personal and communal sustainability.
• Assist with Peer Educator wellness training, related to issues of consent, addiction and substance abuse prevention and mental health.
• Assist with major campus events including Annual Conference, MLK Day, UWC Day, Yule Ball, service days, retreats and student arrival and departures.
• Drive 14 passenger vehicles for student activities and events.
• Sponsor one RA specialty track (or similar) and one basecamp team.
• Lead an expeditionary trip (i.e., Southwest Studies or Project Week) and attend preparatory meetings.
• Participate in the academic program through IB Exam invigilation.

Serve as an Active Member of the Residential Team

• Work as a team to place incoming students with roommates to form a diverse, inclusive and collaborative residential hall.
• Attend all residential meetings and hold house team meetings on a regular schedule.
• Coordinate days off and shared supervision with the Director of Student Life.
• Maintain regular office hours.
• Complete administrative tasks on time and in a thorough manner including regular reports, credit card receipt tracking, and student data management.
• Actively address fire safety, work to prevent and address substance use and possession, and uphold other aspects of risk management.
• Complete annual certification in First Aid / CPR and Youth Mental Health First Aid.
• Participate in all professional development organized for the residential team and all faculty.
• Fulfill other duties as assigned by the Director of Student Life.

Leadership : In keeping with our basecamp ethos, RCs are asked to practice exemplary self and peer leadership while contributing leadership at the institutional level in support of the UWC mission.

Examples of leadership at the institutional level include but are not limited to :

• Actively participating and contributing to committee or task force assignments, providing leadership in campus-wide events or initiatives, strategic planning efforts, in the experiential education program, the dormitories, dining hall, and / or in physical plant initiatives.
• Initiating strategic discussions and sharing thoughtful and innovative ideas with your co-workers for carrying out the UWC mission and successfully completing day to day work assignments.
• Demonstrating a growth mindset by believing and acknowledging that intelligence, skills, learning and creativity can all grow with time and experience.
• In all interactions, upholding the UWC mission and values, and creating an environment that promotes and values diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Upholding institutional priorities such as advising students to follow the correct processes for absences, work as a member of the larger faculty team by attending meetings outside of regularly scheduled working hours and contribute to other program areas as needed.

Position Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Experience working within residential communities
• Must possess strong desire to work with 16-19 year-olds in a dynamic international boarding environment
• Keen understanding of issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Excellent organizational skills, relationship building skills, and communication skills required
• Desire to contribute creatively and effectively to the UWC mission and values
• Must be willing to drive fourteen passenger vehicles and possess a clean driving record and U.S. driver's license
• Ability to effectively work during evening and late night hours on a regular basis.
• Live within assigned residential house
• Desire to participate in campus community life, such as events and meals with students and staff
• Working knowledge of Google Suite, ability to learn other software as needed

Desired Qualifications

• Knowledge of the UWC movement
• Knowledge of trauma-informed care practices
• Experience working within an international community
• Experience with student disciplinary processes and procedures, particularly restorative justice
• Working knowledge of adolescent student development theory

Education and / or Experience Requirements

Bachelor's degree preferred with focus in counseling, leadership, education, or related field. Five or more years of experience with adolescents in a residential setting may be considered in lieu of education.

Working Conditions

• Living on the UWC-USA campus required
• RCs live in a private apartment inside the dorm building they supervise
• Evenings and weekends required, including on call flexibility
• Active work hours are primarily afternoon and evenings, with some late night responsibilities.

Last updated : 2024-03-27