Job Title Resident Director

Job Description

Job Title Resident Director

FTE 0.7 (20 hours during office hours and the balance after hours)

Manager Shalom College Director

Organisational overview

Shalom College is more like a family than a University College. Shalom’s friendly and diverse residents want to succeed in their academic studies and personal goals supported by friends and a community.

·  With only 135 students and supportive staff, Shalom College is our residents home away from home right on campus overlooking the UNSW oval. Communal dining mealtimes and resident society activities bring everyone together. Our supportive staff go out of their way to make residents feel safe, secure and comfortable.

·  As an academic college we strive to help our residents achieve. Our 6 tutors as well as peers provide academic support to help residents succeed without leaving the college. Each year we have high performing students from all areas of study including medicine, engineering, law, business, arts and social sciences.

·  Shalom College is committed to diversity and seeks to create a friendly welcoming environment where residents can create life-long friendships. With students from across Australia and the world we encourage our residents to learn about others. Set up by the NSW Jewish Community, Shalom College values community, discussion and giving.

The Shalom College community proudly includes 20 students who are supported by the Shalom Gamarada Indigenous Scholarship Program which is a high-profile program amongst the university community. This program supports Indigenous Australians to complete long degrees including medicine and law. The program creates Indigenous professional leaders and by the end of 2017, it will have graduated 41 students including 23 doctors. Gamarada students typically come from disadvantaged backgrounds and require a focused and culturally appropriate level of guidance and support.

Shalom College is run by Shalom, a not-for-profit Jewish organization committed to community building. It curates educational and cultural programs for over 10k participants per annum. Shalom College also houses several other Jewish communal organisations. Our staff operate and function as a supportive and united team and are committed to excellence and professionalism in all endeavours

The wellbeing of residents and the resident community are a key part of the Shalom College offering. The Resident Liaison Director reports to the Shalom College Director and is accountable for the welfare of all residents within Shalom College. This is a live-in position. Residential accommodation is in a flat within the College. The capacity to live on campus and be available in the evening is required.

Role

Drive and deliver programs, procedures and interactions that provide a supportive family environment for residents and mitigate welfare risks. This role has primary responsibility for their wellbeing, safety, security and of the College community.

Key Responsibilities

1.  Train, guide and manage student leadership including the tutor team and Ressoc

2.  Drive and deliver programs and procedures to build a collegiate community and mitigate welfare risks

3.  Develop and deliver programs to maximise the academic performance of residents

4.  Manage and oversee welfare and behavioural issues of individual students

5.  Support the recruitment of residents and drive the recruitment of Gamarada scholarship students

6.  Be an active member of a high performing College team and work closely and collaboratively with the Shalom College Director and CEO, Shalom

Detailed Responsibilities

1.  Train, guide and manage student leadership including the tutor team and the Resident Society (RESSOC)

·  Lead the orientation and induction of Tutor and RESSOC training programs

·  Manage the tutor team including recruitment, reviews, training and development, counselling, and feedback

·  Coordinate and lead fortnightly meetings of the College Tutors and supervise Tutor responsibilities and regular reporting

·  Ensure duty roster is developed

·  Develop a Tutor training program

·  Meet monthly with each tutor to provide support, debriefing and guidance

·  Meet as required after difficult situations to provide support and debriefing

·  Conduct and collate Tutor surveys every semester

·  Co-ordinate training weekend for all Residential Communities staff

·  Support and ensure that RESSOC are adhering to College guidelines regarding risks

·  Assist RESSOC in organising their O Week program

·  Review Ressoc minutes from weekly meetings for risk or support

·  Regular meetings with members of the Residents Society re their plans for functions and any general problems arising

·  First contact for tutor team outside business hours

2.  Drive and deliver programs and procedures to build a collegiate community and mitigate welfare risks

·  Lead and coordinate orientation programs for new residents, RESSOC and Gamarada scholarship students

·  Include existing students where appropriate

·  Lead proactive communication with the residents on welfare

·  Drive community building and multi-cultural activities that support friendship, increased understanding and academic success within the College

·  Coordinate formal dinners and occasional events to commemorate holidays/festivals

·  Conduct and collate exit interviews for departing residents and develop/ deliver on an associated action plan for themes of opportunity

·  Organise the college’s contribution to UNSW open days (eg, Courses and Careers Day).

·  Identify, assess, prioritise and control risks to the health and safety of all residents and residential staff

·  Proactively identify opportunities for change and development

·  Set measurable targets and goals for the community

·  Create and update policies, procedures and associated communications to the resident population for the Colleges

·  Update the resident handbook each semester as required

·  Work with other UNSW departments to leverage services for Shalom College Residents

·  Be available during session unless on approved leave to oversight - O’week activities; regular student activities (e.g snack nights, sporting events), key social events

·  Specific outside business hours work includes:

·  Eating dinner during the week in the common room and engaging with residents

·  Supporting programs and individual situations in evenings as appropriate

·  Serving as the contact person if tutors require support after hours

·  Being a known presence in College after hours

·  Being in college on Sundays before each semester starts for orientation programs

3.  Develop and deliver programs to maximise the academic performance of residents

·  Review academic results of all residents after every semester to establish residents that require support or acknowledgment/ leadership opportunities

·  Regularly update Star Res with student issues and academic results

·  Work with tutors to identify common needs to support academic performance

·  Organise outside resources as required and in line with College business plan where appropriate and required

4.  Manage and oversee welfare and behavioural issues of individual students - both proactively and when they arise

·  Support tutors to oversee welfare and behavioural issues of individual students and where required step in to manage directly

·  Facilitate the referral of residents to specialist services where required e.g academic or personal support services

·  Liaise with residents, support services and emergency contacts of residents as appropriate in line with College guidelines

·  Create formal warning documentation for required issues

·  Maintain student housing management system, allocate rooms and conduct room inventories per semester to meet College objectives

·  Provide references for residents / Tutors when required

·  Meet with each Gamarada scholarship student individually at least twice per annum to provide ongoing mentoring and support.

·  Review contracts annually with existing scholarship recipients.

·  Work with other UNSW services to support scholarship students – Nura Gili, UNSW Counselling and Psychological Services(CAPS) and relevant faculties.

·  Maintain records of Gamarada students’ transcripts, achievements, progress, etc. and present an updated report of each student to the Gamarada Trust – including transcript – twice annually in August and February.

5.  Support the recruitment of residents and drive the recruitment of Gamarada scholarship students

·  Assist CEO/ Shalom College Director with resident interviews and selection

·  Lead the recruitment of Gamarada scholarship students

·  Drive the applications in association with Nura Gili and other sources, eg, the Aurora Foundation)

·  Receive applications and arrange for the selection committee to interview relevant candidates.

·  Manage all inquiries regarding Gamarada scholarships.

·  Complete and discuss scholarship contracts with each successful applicant.

6.  Be active member of a high performing College team and Gamarada Trust team

·  Work with Shalom College Director and Office manager on resident recruitment

·  Work with kitchen, maintenance and cleaning staff to identify welfare issues

·  Assist the Financial Controller with any follow-up she requires relating to student financial matters, eg, RCO and Centrelink (the Department of Human Services), etc.

·  Undertake other relevant tasks as agreed between the Gamarada Trust and Shalom.

·  Support the Shalom Gamarada Director with content for newsletters

·  Engage with Gamarada Trust team proactively and as required to support the welfare of the program residents and recruitment

·  Attending Shalom Gamarada Board and relevant committee meetings

Selection Criteria

·  Demonstrated understanding and experience with tertiary students in a residential college

·  A practical approach to residential life and the goals of residential living with a focus on safety, good order and students’ personal development

·  A demonstrated affinity with students and young adults, together with knowledge and understanding of the pressures affecting such students.

·  Experience working with multicultural communities with sensitivity and respect. Experience with indigenous students is advantageous

·  Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective relationships at all levels

·  Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to motivate, and manage teams

·  A proactive approach to developing solutions and new initiatives

·  A degree qualification or combination of experience with relevant understanding of academic and pastoral care programs in a student residential setting or equivalent

·  Must possess an ability to act in an independent, mature, confident, flexible, trustworthy and discreet manner, preserving the confidentiality of information

·  Demonstrated ability to manage personal/ professional boundaries especially as a member of a residential community

Applications including a CV and covering letter addressing the key skills and experience as well as the overall role should be emailed to Ms Michelle Kubie by Monday 11th December 2017 to .
The College reserves the right to shortlist and/ or appoint before the closing date or to extend the time for applications.