Director of Residential Life

The mission of the Idyllwild Arts Foundation is “Changing lives through the transformative power of art.” The Idyllwild Arts Academy provides pre-professional training in the arts and a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum to a diverse student body of gifted young artists from all over the world. The Idyllwild Arts Summer Program provides arts instruction and experiences of the highest caliber to a diverse student population of all ages and abilities. Idyllwild is a small town located at over 5,000 feet on the western slopes of California's San Jacinto Mountains. Even though it seems far from the hustle and bustle of city life, the town and campus frequently hosts music festivals, prominent speakers and artists, and community events. Los Angeles and San Diego are only two hours by car.

Position Description

Position:  Director of Residential Life

Location: Idyllwild, 92549

Reports To: Assistant Head of School for Student Life

Supervises: Dorm heads and dorm parents

Status: Full-time, 12 months, Exempt

Job Summary: 

The Director of Residence Life is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the residential experience at Idyllwild Arts. This includes managing dorm operations, supervising residential life staff, promoting a safe and inclusive living environment, and fostering a culture that supports student growth, well-being, and community engagement. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and vision for the Residential Life program.
• Foster a safe, supportive, and inclusive residential community that aligns with the Idyllwild Art’s core values.
• Responsible for training, continued education, and support for all residential life staff and student leaders.
• Provide direct supervision, vision, and guidance for dormitory heads- leading weekly dormitory head meetings and ongoing professional development
• Oversee dormitory staffing, assignments, and scheduling.
• Responsible for student roommate and dormitory assignments.
• Collaborate with other school departments to support overall student well-being.
• Develop and implement residential life and community programming to support student growth.
• In collaboration with other members of the Student Services Team, provide appropriate interventions for student behavior and discipline when necessary.
• Oversee and support residential policies, procedures, and emergency protocols.
• As a key member of the Student Services Team, provide logistical and administrative support to the community and student experience as needed.
• Reside on campus and serve as either a dorm parent or dorm head, in addition to serving as an on-call Administrator on Duty.

Required Education, Skills and Experience:

• Undergraduate degree
• Experience in boarding schools, residential life, education and/or youth development
• Previous leadership experience preferred

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENTS 

While performing the duties of this position, an incumbent may be required to: 

● Regularly remain sedentary for long periods of time in meetings and while processing information and paperwork both manually and on a computer. 

● Reach with the hands and arms and use of hands to finger, type, and manipulate a computer keyboard and mouse. 

● Additionally, the incumbent must be able to converse in clear English both written and orally, over the telephone and in person. 

● Be able to make public presentations. 

● Occasionally, the incumbent may be required to lift up to 25 pounds, traverse uneven terrain and climb stairs while moving about campus, bend and stoop, conduct tours and show visitors campus facilities. 

● Provide their transportation for local and remote events.

● Work hours vary and may include days, nights, and weekends. 

Reasonable accommodation will be considered to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.