Community Development Assistant Jobs in Minnesota

This position works in-person in Rochester, MN. This role is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship. This position is contingent upon confirmed student enrollment for the upcoming term. 
The Community Life Coordinator (CLC) for Returning Student Communities is a full-time, livein professional responsible for cultivating supportive, inclusive, and developmentally focused residential communities for secondyear and upperdivision students at the University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR). The CLC is a key member of the Residential Life team within the Student Life unit and which includes the Senior Director, Assistant Director, the Community Life Coordinator for FirstYear Students, and the Living Learning Communities (LLC) Coordinator to promote wellbeing, belonging, and academic success across the residential experience.
This role supports upperdivision community development, student staff supervision, and operational processes while contributing to a coordinated, collaborative approach across the residential system. The CLC also leads the design, implementation, and assessment of the SecondYear Residential Experience, a signature initiative focused on retention, academic momentum, and student engagement.
The position reports to the Assistant Director of Residential Life & Academic Initiatives.
Location and Work Environment

• This position is based in-person on the UMR campus in downtown Rochester. As a student-facing and community-centered role, high visibility within the residence halls is required.

Work Conditions

• Urban Campus: Work occurs across multiple residence hall buildings in the downtown area. The position requires frequent movement between facilities, including responding to calls during evening/on-call hours.
• Flexibility: This is primarily an in-person role, with occasional opportunities for remote
  administrative work during administrative periods. Live-In Benefits & Arrangements:
• Housing: An on-campus apartment is provided as a condition of employment.
• Family & Partners: A partner/spouse and/or minor children are permitted to reside with the CLC, subject to a background check and university occupancy policies.
• Pet Policy: This is a pet-friendly position (subject to approval and university policy).
• Amenities: The package includes one parking space and a meal plan, intended to support
  community engagement and dining feedback.

Work Schedule

• Full-time, exempt, 12-month role (40 hours/week).
• Requires evening and weekend work to support programming, community needs, and student concerns.
• Participates in the Professional Staff On-Call rotation, including some holiday and university break coverage.
• Must be available for after-hours, in-person response to situations when on call.

Expected Contributions
Expected Contributions to the Student Life Area

• Interpersonal Skills and Competencies Active Participation in campus experiences helps students build healthy, respectful relationships that support personal growth and wellbeing.
  • Enhance upper-division student well-being and academic momentum by designing
    residential experiences tailored to independent living and the Second-Year Experience.
  • Develop and implement training for RAs and DAs focused on supporting the complex needs, career readiness, and advanced social dynamics of returning students.
• Community Integration and Campus Engagement Students develop personal identity, a positive self-view and a sense of responsibility for how their actions and words shape a safe, equitable, and thriving community.
  • Cultivate mature, equitable residential communities where returning students take ownership of their living spaces and mentor peers.
  • Support student safety by serving in the Professional Staff on-call rotation and managing upper-division student concerns and conduct with a focus on accountability and community impact.
• Personal Development Reflected in how students connect across differences, pursue meaningful experiences both in and outside of the classroom, cultivate purpose, practice well-being and take ownership of their learning.
  • Contribute to student development by connecting returning residents with resources that
    foster career exploration, deeper academic engagement, and life-skills preparation.
  • Collect qualitative and quantitative feedback on the upper-division experience to inform
    housing strategies that drive retention beyond the first year.

Expected Contributions to Campus Priorities

• Students at the Center: Develop returning student residential systems that prioritize independent living, continued belonging, and targeted support for the "sophomore slump."
• Research Informs Practice: Use housing management data (eRezLife) and student feedback to refine apartment-style living operations and upper-division community standards.
• Partners Make It Possible: Collaborate with campus partners (Career Services, Success Coaches, property management) to support the specific holistic needs of returning students.
• Support for Campus Expansion & Student Growth: Scale operations, facility management, and room selection processes to accommodate the growing demand for upper-division housing.
• Contribution to Emerging Academic and Career Pipelines: Cultivate a residential environment that offers the stability and focus required for students to deeply engage in their declared academic pathways and clinical/career preparation.

Primary Responsibilities
35% Residential Community Management & Operations

Community Presence and Student Support

• Maintain a strong, visible presence in assigned upperdivision residential communities through regular walkthroughs, intentional interactions, and relationshipbuilding with secondyear and upperdivision residents.
• Respond to student concernsincluding roommate conflicts, wellbeing needs, and community expectationsusing an educational, studentdevelopment approach grounded in care and skillbuilding.
• Collaborate closely with the CLC for FirstYear Students to ensure consistency in community standards, support practices, and communication across residential communities.
• Provide responsive guidance to residents as they navigate the personal and social challenges of the residential experience, connecting them with the appropriate campus resources for broader academic or institutional needs.

Operations & Facilities Management

• Manage daily operations of assigned upperdivision residential communities, ensuring that facilities, common spaces, and administrative processes support student wellbeing and independence.
• Oversee and support desk operations within assigned buildings, including mail/package processes, service protocols, and supervises student desk assistants of the building(s).
• Partner with Facilities, Operations, and property management to identify, communicate, and follow up on maintenance concerns, facility needs, and safety issues.
• Support occupancy processesincluding movein, moveout, room changes, cancellations, and summer housingin collaboration with the Assistant Director, Senior Director, and Residential Life team.

Conduct, Safety, and Crisis Response

• Serve as a Professional Staff member within the on-call rotation, responding to crises, incidents, and student concerns after hours, including in-person response when needed.
• Provide follow-up care and educational conversations with residents after incidents to reinforce learning and community expectations.
• Serve on the Residence Life Student Conduct Team, addressing low-level conduct concerns through developmental and educational approaches in alignment with university standards.
• Work closely with campus partnersincluding Student Success Coaches, Campus Safety, Disability Resources and Student Life colleaguesto support student needs and ensure timely interventions.

Administrative Systems & Processes

• Utilize the residential life management system to support operational workflows, including room processes, student records, communication templates, incident documentation, and occupancy data.
• Identify system needs, data accuracy issues, or workflow inefficiencies and collaborate with the Residential Life team to support improvements.

30% Community Engagement & Programming

• Lead the design, implementation, and assessment of the SecondYear Residential Experience, emphasizing belonging, wellbeing, and community engagement, and creating pathways for residents to connect with campus experts for academic momentum and career readiness.
• Assess secondyear and upperdivision student needs and interests to guide community-building programs and engagement initiatives.
• Support RAs in implementing programs that enhance belonging, wellbeing, academic engagement, and cultural awareness for returning students.
• Manage assigned programming budgets, including purchasing responsibilities and ensuring responsible, transparent spending.
• Collaborate with Student Life team members and campus partners (e.g., advising, career education, faculty partners) to create opportunities that benefit secondyear and upperdivision students.
• Ensure community spaces and bulletin boards feature inclusive, informative, and engaging content.

25% Student Staff Supervision, Training & Development
Ongoing Supervision, Training, and Development

• Supervise up to nine (9) Resident Assistants (RAs) and four to six (4-6) Desk Assistants (DAs) for designated upperdivision building(s), providing regular oneonone check-ins, team meetings, coaching, and performance evaluation.
• Supervise Summer Assistants (SAs) assigned to residential communities; summer staffing supervision may shift between CLCs based on departmental needs.
• Provide daytoday guidance, developmental feedback, and support to student staff, fostering a team culture grounded in care, professionalism, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Collaborate with the CLC for FirstYear Students and the LLC Coordinator to maintain cohesive expectations, communication, and shared approaches to student staff support.

Recruitment, Selection, and Onboarding

• Collaborate in the coordination of recruitment and selection processes for RAs, DAs, Summer Assistants, and Community Mentors (CMs), including shared application review, interviewing, and selection activities.
• Partner with the Residential Life hiring team to ensure equitable and consistent hiring processes across all student staff roles.
• Develop and implement onboarding processes for student staff in assigned buildings, ensuring clarity of role expectations and successful transitions into their positions.

Student Staff Training (August Training & Ongoing Development)

• Collaborate in the coordination and logistical preparation of August student staff training, contributing to scheduling, materials, and dayof support as part of a coordinated team approach.
• Partner with the Senior Director, Assistant Director, CLC for FirstYear Students, and LLC Coordinator to plan, design, and deliver training content grounded in student development and UMRs residential learning goals.
• Serve as a facilitator during August training and throughout the academic year, delivering sessions related to community development, conflict coaching, and the needs of secondyear and upperdivision students.
• Contribute to ongoing in-service and semester-long training opportunities for student staff in collaboration with Residential Life colleagues.

10% Departmental Leadership, Administrative Service & Professional Development

• Serve on departmental or campus committees as assigned to represent Residential Life and support university priorities. Examples include but are not limited to: Raptor Eats, UMR Housing & Dining, Campus Wide Student Conduct Team, Raptor Ready Week (Orientation), Retention, or Campus Safety.
• Participate in Student Life and Residential Life team meetings, divisional initiatives, and ongoing professional development.
• Engage in training related to student development, conflict resolution, inclusion, especially as it relates to the needs of secondyear and upperdivision students.
• Complete administrative responsibilities, including communication, documentation, budget tracking, and assessment tasks as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree from an accredited institution and one year of experience.
• Experience working in college or university residential life or student affairs (student or professional).
• Demonstrated commitment to equitable experiences for our residential students.
• Stro...