Assistant Director of Pre-College Programs, Student Life and Residential Experience

The Assistant Director of Pre-College Programs, Student Life and Residential Experience within Programs for Talented Youth (PTY) at Vanderbilt University, Peabody College of education and human development is responsible for overseeing and managing all components related to student life and experience within PTY’s pre-college programs for middle and high school students, including the residential and virtual opportunities within PTY programs.

The Assistant Director of Pre-College Programs, Student Life and Residential Experience partners with the Director and works collaboratively with other PTY team members to establish the culture of the pre-college program experience, ensuring that students and staff have a quality experience. In order to fulfill this mission, the Assistant Director of Pre-College Programs, Student Life and Residential Experience is specifically responsible for supporting areas of PTY’s pre-college programs that relate to policy, compliance, staff training and recruitment, communication around program expectations, code of conduct infractions, and activities. This role oversees the recruitment, training, and managing of a team of select residential and precollege seasonal program staff; supervises the development and implementation of non-academic student activities and experiences that are a part of PTY’s pre-college experiences; supports the communication and enforcement of policies, procedures, and compliance through development of handbooks for staff and students, develops trainings for staff, oversees presentations related to policy and expectations for students, provides targeted verbal and written communication around expectations, and serves as the first point of contact when student, residential staff, and site based issues arise within pre-college programs. 

 

Reporting directly to the Director, the Assistant Director of Pre-College Programs, Student Life and Residential Experience is a full-time, 12-month position that will lead seasonal teams and work collaboratively with colleagues overseeing other components of PTY’s pre-college programs.

 

About the Work Unit

Vanderbilt Programs for Talented Youth (PTY) works to develop talent in gifted and academically advanced students and those who work with them. PTY is part of Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and is led by staff who are dedicated and experienced in providing evidence supported talent development opportunities for academically advanced learners in a creative, supportive, and academically rigorous environment. In a typical year, PTY sees over 2000 students through day, residential and online programs. Founded in 2000 under the vision and leadership of Dean Camilla Benbow, a protégé of Dr. Julian Stanley and founder of talent search programs, PTY is comprised of a small staff who are dedicated, hard-working, and passionate about the programs offered.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Head of Student Life and Residential Experience will conduct the following duties:

Residential Staff Recruitment, Training, and Supervision 

1a. Oversee the recruitment of a team of undergraduate students, graduate students, and

professionals who support select non-academic components of PTY’s residential and virtual precollege experiences.

1b. Along with the director, oversee the in-depth training of seasonal staff members related to compliance, policies, procedures and best practices in supporting minors participating in PTY’s pre-college virtual and residential experiences.

1a. Directly supervise and manage a team of seasonal staff members supporting pre-college programs, including a residential summer staff; set expectations for performance and address performance concerns promptly with support from the Director.

4a. Support seasonal staff in addressing small student-related concerns and communicate to staff when student-related concerns will be addressed at the leadership level; communicate to impacted staff resolutions of student-related concerns that are addressed at the leadership level.

Student Experience

2a. Demonstrate responsibility in providing supervision of over 900 minors participating in precollege residential programs in the summer and over 200 minors participating in year-round virtual experiences

2b. Serves as the first line of support for resolving pre-college participant concerns, issues, and crises that fall outside of social-emotional and academic needs, including but not limited to, concerns related to potential disciplinary action; with support from the Director of Pre-College Programs and Executive Director, show leadership over enacting PTY’s disciplinary procedure process, as applicable.

2c. Manage communication with families concerning behavioral and participation concerns that could or do result in disciplinary action