Community Director Jobs in Ridgefield Park, NJ (NOW HIRING)

Job Description

Position Description: Community Director - First-Year Residential Community

Department: Residence Life and Dining

Reports To: Associate Director of Residence Life and Dining

Position Summary

The Community Director for the First-Year Residential Community is responsible for the leadership, administration, and management of first-year residential communities at Stevens Institute of Technology. Reporting to the Associate Director of Residence Life and Dining, the Community Director primary responsibility to fosters a supportive, inclusive, and developmentally focused environment that promotes student transition, belonging, academic success, and retention among first-year students and most importantly, meaningful residential community.

This position provides direct supervision to student staff, oversees community development initiatives, supports student well-being, manages assigned operational budgets, coordinates administrative functions, and partners with facilities staff to maintain safe and functional residential facilities.

The ideal candidate is a dynamic community-builder who loves bringing people together, actively engages with residents, and takes pride in creating a welcoming, connected, and vibrant living experience for upper-class students.

Programming and Community Development

Develop strategic planning and goals for residential communities.

Lead the creation of a cohesive residential community by planning and attending events that bring students together and strength social connections.

Actively promote events and initiatives by engaging directly with residents, building enthusiasm, and encouraging participation.

Serve as the visible, approachable presence who energizes the residential community and inspires students to get involved.

Create and implement intentional programming supporting first-year student transition.

Design and oversee educational, social, and developmental programming aligned with academic success and engagement outcomes.

Collaborate with campus partners supporting first-year success.

Facilitate community-building initiatives.

Promote a residential culture that supports diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Facilitate student leadership opportunities and encourage resident involvement in community governance.

Evaluate program effectiveness through assessment tools and resident feedback.

Assess program effectiveness.

Supervision and Staff Development

Directly supervise Graduate Assistants (GAs), Resident Assistants (RAs), Senior Resident Assistants (SRAs), or equivalent student leadership roles.

Coach student staff to be community builders who proactively engage with residents, promote events, and model inclusive community values.

Conduct staff recruitment, hiring, training, and performance evaluations.

Provide ongoing mentorship and professional development opportunities for student staff.

Facilitate regular one-on-one meetings, staff meetings, and training sessions.

Support leadership skill development and accountability among student leaders.

Monitor staff performance and address conduct or performance concerns as necessary.

Student Support

Provide individualized student support through advising, conflict resolution, mediation, and crisis response.

Respond to student behavioral concerns and serve as a conduct officer when assigned.

Support residents experiencing personal, academic, or social challenges.

Maintain regular visibility and availability within assigned residential communities by attending areas of programming.

Collaborate with Counseling Services, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and other campus partners to support student success.

Advise Residence Hall Association and hall councils.

Serve on institution CARE, Title IV, and other crisis management team.

Participate in on-call duty rotation and respond to emergencies as needed.

Budget Oversight

Manage assigned community programming and operational budgets.

Monitor expenditures to ensure responsible and compliant use of funds.

Approve programming expenditures and track financial transactions.

Assist in planning annual budget projections related to programming and community initiatives.

Ensure compliance with institutional financial policies and procedures.

Administrative Functions

Maintain accurate records related to staffing, programming, incidents, and student engagement.

Prepare reports, assessments, and documentation required by the Associate Director and departmental leadership.

Assist with housing operations including opening, closing, room assignments, and occupancy management.

Participate in departmental committees and institutional initiatives.

Support departmental strategic planning and policy implementation.

Chair of the departmental committee(s).

Ensure compliance with institutional and departmental policies and procedures.

Facilities Management

Conduct regular facility walkthroughs to assess safety, cleanliness, and maintenance needs.

Submit and monitor maintenance of work orders and facility requests.

Collaborate with Facilities Management and Dining Services to maintain high-quality residential environments.

Assist with planning for facility upgrades, maintenance cycles, and operational improvements.

Educate residents on facility usage policies and community standards.

Support emergency preparedness initiatives and safety inspections.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Counseling, or related fields.

Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in residence life or student affairs.

Experience supervising student staff.

Demonstrated ability to foster community engagement through program development, outreach, and relationship-building.

Demonstrated ability to support student development and engagement initiatives.

Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Ability to respond effectively to emergencies and crisis situations.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working with first-year residential populations.

Experience managing budgets and facilities operations.

Conduct or crisis response experience.

Experience working in a residential campus environment similar to Stevens Institute of Technology.

Department

RESED Campus Housing

Compensation Range

In compliance with the New Jersey Wage Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is $61,700.00 - $84,300.00. This range represents the University's good faith estimate of possible compensation at the time of posting. Stevens Institute of Technology determines compensation based on factors including the position's scope and responsibilities, the candidate's experience, education, skills, internal equity, market data, and organizational considerations. The final salary will be set considering departmental budget, qualifications, and relevant credentials. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes additional forms of compensation, such as incentives, stipends, or other applicable pay components. For a full overview of our benefits offerings, please refer to the Stevens Institute of Technology Benefits Guidebook, available at:

Benefits Guidebook

EEO Statement:

Stevens Institute of Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Accordingly, Stevens adheres to an employment policy that prohibits discriminatory practices or harassment against candidates or employees based on legally impermissible factor(s) including, but not necessarily limited to, race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, nationality, citizenship status, age, ancestry, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, familial status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information, pregnancy or pregnancy-related medical conditions, disability, or any protected military or veteran status.

Stevens is building a diverse faculty, staff, and student body and strongly encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. Stevens is a federal contractor under the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as other federal statutes.Stevens seeks candidates who will contribute to a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, faculty and staff.