Human Resources

Job Description Summary

The Assistant Director of Housing Operations, as a member of the Residence Education and Housing Services team, is responsible for being a transformational property manager in leading a thriving Daniell Heights/shared house community and assisting students in transitioning to independent living. This position is a champion of leading efficient logistical operations, ensuring precise organization as a property manager in overseeing all administrative functions of the campus apartments and houses, including contracts, tenants, applications, assignments, occupancy, and billing. This position will ensure their operational approach prioritizes assisting students to successfully transition to independent living by creating educational initiatives that successfully prepare students for the transition, provide guidance to help students establish agency in exploring solutions, and connect them with supportive resources.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities (other duties may be assigned)

• Responsible for all aspects of property management related to Daniell Heights apartments and the shared houses, including but not limited to contracts, applications, assignments, occupancy, billing, move-in, move-out, and recruitment.
• Maximize the utilization of the housing management Software (THD) to ensure accurate and efficient management of apartment/house properties accuracy and proactively expand its function to improve operations.
• Monitor rent payments and execute accurate financial transactions related to student housing in collaboration with Student billing.
• Lead and coordinate multiple educational outreach initiatives to assist students in successfully transitioning to independent living both on and off campus.
• Provide guidance, resources, and assistance to students seeking support for challenges students are facing in off campus housing.
• Co-supervise, train, and provide ongoing leadership to the Housing Operations Coordinator who is responsible for oversight of the Operation Assistants and assists the department in various projects.
• Serve as primary communication lead for residents in Daniell Heights and shared houses addressing student concerns in a timely manner.
• Create a communication plan for the Daniell Heights/shared house communities that will provide regular and timely updates about policies, procedures, urgent events, available resources, and other pertinent updates related to their housing experience.
• Lead the contract release process for the contract release committee in reviewing requests from students to break housing contracts and manage the case communications ensuring accuracy through the Maxient system.
• Coordinate with the Housing Operations Coordinator in the oversight of the Operation Assistant position.
• Partner with the Facilities lead in monitoring and resolving facilities issues within Daniell Heights and shared houses.
• Partner with the Facilities lead in Daniell Heights in maintaining accurate apartment availability and collaborate on the oversight of the apartment inventory damage assessment process.
• Assist the Associate Director and housing team in all aspects of housing processes as assigned to ensure an excellent student service and customer service experience for stakeholders.
• Assist the housing team in ensuring central office operations are providing excellent public facing customer service support.
• Apply safety-related knowledge, skills, and practices to everyday work.
• Actively engage in creating an inclusive, welcoming, and professional work environment for staff, students, and visitors.
• Participate and actively engage in University continuous improvement initiatives and strategies and apply knowledge to everyday work.

Required Education, Certifications, Licensures (minimum requirements)

● Bachelor’s degree in Business, Hospitality Management, or a related field

Required Experience (minimum requirements)

● Two years experience (by time of hire) in working in a student services unit or hospitality management in a full time professional capacity.
● Two years of professional office management experience.
● Three years experience using software systems, personal computers.

Desirable Education and/or Experience

● Master’s degree in Higher Education, Hospitality Management, Business, or a related field is strongly preferred. 3 or more years in a higher education setting. Having experience in the residence life field in a University setting is preferred.
● Two or more years managing apartment properties, leases, residency etc.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities (minimum requirements)

To maximize our effectiveness and success and to serve as campus leaders in developing staff talent, the cross divisional model adopts the following core required knowledge, skills, and/or abilities for all positions:

Skills:
• Strong project management skills: Lead complex logistical operations related to property management that are well organized and are seamlessly woven into University systems in an efficient manner.
• Communication skills: ability to communicate effectively with individuals across racial, ethnic, cultural, and other boundaries and styles through interpersonal, oral, written, and group presentation modalities.
• Self-management skills: ability to manage time effectively, learn and fully contribute to overall departmental tasks and goals, and offer suggestions for enhancing contributions to organization.
• Event and program planning skills: ability to plan and organize events/programs/services from conception to full execution including identifying and addressing important details.
• Relational skills: ability to develop and maintain positive and harmonious professional relationships in a team environment and with individuals from various diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Conflict resolution skills: ability to address and resolve differences and conflict with colleagues, students, and others.
• Analytical skills: ability to analyze complex information and offer sound recommendations.
• Computational skills: ability to perform basic mathematical computations to assist with financial operations and data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Computer skills: proficiency with word processing and spreadsheet software, preferably Microsoft Office or Google Suite.

Abilities:
• Ability to model self-care and well-being for colleagues and, most importantly, students.
• Ability to manage emotions, function effectively, and make sound decisions in stressful and crisis situations.
• Ability to handle multiple projects in a timely and professional manner in a fast-paced and results-oriented environment.
• Ability to promote and achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion of
• multi-racial/ethnic, low-income, LGBTQ+, veteran, non-traditional, online, disability, first-generation, and others.
• Ability to be flexible, diplomatic, patient, service-driven, and a self-starter.
• Ability to work independently under limited supervision and in teams.
• Ability to make reasoned administrative and procedural decisions and judgments on sensitive and confidential issues.
• Ability to work evening and weekend hours based on operational need.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries and work harmoniously with diverse groups of students, faculty, and staff.
• Demonstrated commitment to contribute to a safe work environment.

Other:
Possession of a valid driver's license and ability to comply with Michigan Tech vehicle-use requirements.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

• Housing Management Software: Previous experience utilizing housing management software or a strong desire to learn.
• Preparatory knowledge: coursework- or work-based knowledge of student development theories, learning theories, and other theories related to profession.
• Accountability: experience with applying formative, summative, qualitative, and/or quantitative methodologies to assessing student learning outcomes and/or evaluating programs and services.
• Reporting experience: experience with program databases or software programs used to track, monitor, and report services to students.

• Demonstrated success in, or potential future contributions to, working with persons from diverse backgrounds, creating a sense of belonging, and fostering a fair, objective, welcoming place to work for persons with a wide variety of personal characteristics and viewpoints. 

Work Environment and/or Physical Demands

Work Environment:
● Moving small- to medium-sized boxes of materials in and out office during special events
● Driving personal or university vehicles or golf-cart during special events to transport materials and supplies to events
● The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate
● Fast-paced
● Results-oriented
● Accountability-driven
● Day to day work occurs in an office situated in an undergraduate residence hall setting amongst living spaces for students.
● Evening and weekend hours for this position may be required during peak housing periods such as opening (fall, spring, summer), break periods (Thanksgiving, winter, and spring breaks), and closing (fall, spring, and summer). During the month of August, staff should anticipate a high demand workload in preparation for the opening of the academic year. Time off requests for the month of August are typically unable to be approved.

● After hours phone calls and callback support to provide operational assistance may be required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Personal Protective Equipment: None Required

Required Training and Other Conditions of Employment

Every employee at Michigan Technological University will receive the following 4 required trainings; additional training may be required by the department.

Required University Training:

• Employee Safety Overview

• Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Training

• Annual Data Security Training 

• Annual Title IX Training

Required Departmental Training: 

● Adirondack Housing Management Software
● All applicable trainings as directed

Background Check:

Offers of employment are contingent upon and not considered finalized until the required background check has been performed and the results received and assessed.

Other Conditions of Employment:

The successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment. Visa sponsorship is unavailable at this time. This is not an E-Verified Position.

Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities

1.00

FLSA Status

Exempt

Appointment Term

Shift

Pay Rate/Salary

Negotiable, Based on Education/Experience

Title of Position Supervisor

Associate Director of Housing

Posting Type

Dependent on Funding

Special Instructions to Applicants (if applicable)

• ● Cover letter that addresses required and desired qualifications, knowledge, skills, and abilities.
  ● Résumé with starting and ending month and year for each job.
  ● Contact information for three references

Additional Information

• Michigan Tech is an internationally renowned doctoral research flagship university located in Houghton, MI. Houghton is located in Michigan's scenic Upper Peninsula on the south shore of Lake Superior. The area provides a unique setting where natural beauty, culture, education, and a diversity of residents from around the world come together to share a superb living and learning experience.
  
  We embrace our winters and cherish our summers with an unapologetic spirit of resilience and adventure. We attract students and employees who love “the great outdoors” and are comfortable with not having amenities usually associated with large communities. Interested individuals are strongly encouraged to research the geographical area carefully before applying.
  
  Residence Education and Housing Services thrives under the leadership of Administration/Auxiliary Services and partners with Student Affairs in creating an environment that promotes inclusion and a sense of belonging within the residential community. The department is devoted to student success from enrollment to commencement. We are dynamic, agile, and culturally-responsive. We guide, support, and, on occasion, challenge students as they develop, refine, and pursue their academic, career, and personal endeavors. All staff are responsible for creating a safe, welcoming, diverse, inclusive, respectful, and caring environment for students, colleagues, and visitors. We seek skilled and diverse colleagues who are student-focused, nimble, self-motivated, and will embrace and respect who we are and what we do.