Metro New York & Southern Connecticut

The Office of Residence Life at St. Lawrence University invites applications for the Assistant Director of Residence Life & Residential Coordinator to join our Student Life team. The Residence Life program at St. Lawrence includes a residential component to one of the nation’s oldest living-learning programs for first-year students where faculty and Student Life efforts are integrated in meaningful ways. As a residential campus, the living-learning experience is a foundational component to a St. Lawrence education and approximately 99% of our students live in university housing. The institution also offers upper-class students a variety of housing options, including theme cottages, townhouses, and traditional residence halls. Following a $30 million dollar facility enhancement project, many of the residential spaces across campus received updates, including full renovations of all first-year residence halls. The university also successfully launched SLU Thrives in Fall 2025—organizing the student experience around seven dimensions of well-being. Residence Life and the Assistant Director and Residential Coordinator play an integral role in this transformational initiative. 

The Assistant Director of Residence Life and Residential Coordinator position is a 12-month, live-in professional staff role that reports directly to the Director of Residence Life. Remuneration includes a competitive salary and benefits package, commensurate qualifications and experience, and an on-campus apartment. This position also includes a campus meal plan while classes are in session. The annual salary is up to $64,000. Actual salary will be determined by education, experience, and other factors protected by law 

The anticipated start date for this position is June 1, 2026. 

Description

The Assistant Director is responsible for implementing a comprehensive residential program and working with members of a collaborative Student Life team. This role will oversee the Community Assistants (CAs) program (recruitment, selection, assessment, and training), will oversee select First-Year residences, collaborate closely with faculty within our First-Year Program (FYP), support Thrive Mentors—student well-being coaches who live-in certain residence halls, and contribute to wider program goals around community development. 

Position Responsibilities 

Community Development & Supervision

• Develop, assess, train, and promote the Community Assistant (CA) and Thrive Mentor programs ensuring a community is fostered that is developmental, facilitates belonging, and fosters a community of care amongst residents and their environment.
• Responsible for providing direct supervision, guidance, and mentorship to Community Assistants (CAs) and Thrive Mentors (TMs) within a defined residential area.
• Support CAs within the areas of community building, programming, and developing professional skills around administrative tasks, such as participating in campus rounds, meeting deadlines, and incident report writing.
• Integrate the SLU Thrives framework to holistically support the residents through the development of residential education initiatives and promoting community values and standards. Collaborate with partners within and outside of Student Life.
• Develop and lead student-centered development workshops, prevention education, and upstander/bystander education.

Residential Operations, Conduct & Crisis Response

• Serve in the RC on-call rotation, and work with on-campus partners to appropriately respond to facilities, medical, behavioral crises and emergencies.
• Responsible for understanding and upholding student handbook policies and promoting a residential experience that fosters a sense of belonging, identity, and deep community connections.
• Address residential conduct cases and oversee those cases in the case management and workflow system (Advocate).
• Work collaboratively with Facilities Operations and Safety & Security to create a safe and healthy residential environment conducive to holistic learning.
• Support occupancy management, room changes, opening/closing policies, and general operational efficiency.
• Review and analyze data to monitor residential community trends and facilities issues.
• Work closely with colleagues and campus partners to identify, support, and track at-risk students of concern.
• Engage in various university committees, collaborate with campus partners on campus initiatives, and other projects and duties as assigned.
• Maintain a visible presence within the residential community as a live-in member of the Residence Life leadership team. 

Interested applicants must apply online at https://employment.stlawu.edu/postings/4463, uploading all required materials which are defined in the “special instructions to applicant” section. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Questions about the position may be directed to Dr. Jodi Canfield, Associate Dean for Student Life and Community Standards, at jcanfield@stlawu.edu. 

All offers of employment are contingent upon the finalist successfully passing a background (including criminal records) check.

• A bachelor’s degree is required in higher education administration, college student personnel, or similar field. Master’s degree is preferred.
• 1-2 years of professional experience in higher education as a professional staff member is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrate a theoretical understanding of student development and an appreciation for working in an inclusive, multicultural environment at a private liberal arts college.
• Candidates must also possess initiative, personal integrity, excellent interpersonal communication skills, and a collaborative spirit.
• Willingness and excitement to embrace community building and student support through student development models based on concepts of self-authorship.
• Experience using Advocate, Maxient, or other case management systems is preferred.
• Comfortable with using and/or learning new technologies, software platforms, and A/V equipment.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends as student need and programming requires.

About St. Lawrence University

Founded in 1856, St. Lawrence University is a private, independent liberal arts institution of about 2,000 students located in Canton, NY. The educational opportunities at St. Lawrence inspire students and prepare them to be critical and creative thinkers, to find a compass for their lives and careers, and to pursue knowledge and understanding for the benefit of themselves, humanity, and the planet. Through its focus on active engagement with ideas in and beyond the classroom, a St. Lawrence education leads students to make connections that transform lives and communities, from the local to the global. St. Lawrence University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For additional information about St. Lawrence, please visit http://www.stlawu.edu.

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