Resident Director of Special Projects

Resident Director of Special Projects

Search Extended Until July 2, 2026

Hiring Department : UIC Campus Housing

Location : Chicago, IL USA

Requisition ID : 1039842

Posting Close Date : 4/10/2026

Salary: 40,000 - 45,000

We strive to provide a competitive salary, consideringfactors such as available market data, internal equity, candidate experienceand qualifications, and budget constraints. The final salary offer will bedetermined through a thorough assessment of these elements.

About the University of Illinois Chicago

UIC is among the nation's preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent "Best Colleges" rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has over 300,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

The Resident Director of Special Projects is responsible for UIC Residence Hall(s) oversight and leadership, creating a dynamic and healthy living environment where students can thrive, and diversity is embraced. The RD supervises and manages the hall staff to assist and champion these efforts. They work closely with administrative and facility staff to ensure clean and comfortable living environments. Provide ongoing outreach to support academic success. This position is intended to fill in should an RD vacancy occur during the academic year. In the interim, this position will assist in additional assignments given by the Director of Residence Life and completeadditional tasks within the department to support the residential curriculum and assessment needs. This is a live-in position that may require responding in a job capacity during unscheduled times.


Duties & Responsibilities

Supervision

• Establish expectations, goals, and vision for the academic year and lead hall staff toward the successful realization of them.
• Provide onboarding, training, and development to RA staff and other staff they may oversee.
• Provide ongoing feedback and evaluation to RAs and other student staff as needed.
• Plan, assign, and review work of Resident Assistants to ensure group objectives are met.
• Hold staff accountable to job expectations, job description, department and University policies and procedures.
• Chaperone & supervise student activities that can include weekends and evenings.
• Monitor and track student staff hours and timesheets.
• Facilitate weekly staff meetings.
• Provide ongoing emergency response training and drills for hall staff.

Crisis / Emergency Response

• Participate in 24 hour on-call rotation schedule with other RD Staff that includes evenings, weekends, and some holidays.
• Respond on-site to medical, mental health, facilities, and weather emergencies during on-call duty.
• Act as the first responder in minor and major emergency situations within own hall and other halls when on-call.

Administrative

• Manage a co-residential housing facility of occupancy ranging from 250-600 students.
• Work with the Campus Administrative Team in maintaining occupancy management through the Star Rez System.
• Work with the area Housing Officer to maintain desk functions within the hall/area.
• Create and monitor various staff budgets, including hall programming and staff and student organization budgets.
• Create and distribute reports as needed and requested.
• Track and oversee staff programming efforts.
• Manage and enter payroll for staff.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with campus partners.

Facilities

• Participate in regularly scheduled building tours and inspections, monitor hall upkeep and facilities.
• Oversee and monitor all hall openings and closings.
• Troubleshoot day-to-day work orders and unanticipated building maintenance and/or repair.
• Communicate and follow up with housekeeping and maintenance as needed.
• Troubleshoot after-hour facility and maintenance issues when on-call.

Community / Academic Initiatives

• Work with student staff and hall leaders to create a celebrative, positive, and healthy hall atmosphere and community.
• Advising student leadership groups within campus housing
• Work with staff to incorporate the Residential Curriculum into community and academic initiatives.
• Oversee the Living Learning Communities, Affinity Spaces and Faculty-In-Residence (FIR) that reside in hall.

Student Advocacy and Outreach

• Assess needs and concerns of students and provide appropriate direction.
• Provide support and necessary resources to students in need of mental health, physical health, and immediate crisis response.
• Provide support and appropriate resources to parents of students.
• Contact parents or outside agencies to inform or gather information when necessary.
• Provide quality customer service to housing residents, guests, and visitors.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in higher education or in a related field.
• A minimum of 2 years of residence life or student affairs. Strong interpersonal, management, organizational, and communication skills.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.