Associate Director, Housing Operations

JOB SUMMARY:

Manage initial assignment and billing processes for on-campus housing for all RISD students. Ensure that housing processes and procedures support the departmental efforts of equity and inclusion. Analyze data in support of achieving budgetary targets; solve problems related to housing assignment and billing concerns; Manage housing-related processes: residence hall opening/closing, occupancy management, off-campus registration, new student housing selection, Pre-College, and graduate student housing selection. Create and manage all residence life forms, such as opening and closing applications, winter session intent forms, medical accommodation forms, etc. Responsible for managing, maintaining, and continually evaluating Residence Life informational needs and data entry operational processes. Serve as project lead and collaborate with other residence life end users, information technology experts, and external vendors to ensure systems, reports, and entries are effectively designed, modified, updated, tested, and input to meet changing requirements and to support initiatives. Initiate information interfaces, file feeds, and reports, and share pertinent information in a secure, timely, organized fashion.

Responsible for the oversight of essential housing-related functions and for the technological implementation of departmental processes and procedures through the housing management system (HMS) and associated Housing Portal. Build, test, and implement updated forms and business processes within the HMS system that reflect operational needs and capture efficiencies. Create and oversee the selection processes for Academic Year, Summer, Continuing Education Summer Studies, and Pre-College housing. These selection processes shall provide intentional and informed housing placements which promote a safe, supportive, and inclusive living/learning environment for RISD’s undergraduate and graduate students living on campus.

The Associate Director for Housing Operations supervises the Department Operations and Communications Coordinator and the Assistant Director for Housing Operations to ensure that technology solutions are student and user-friendly and that instructions for use are clearly communicated to students and families. The Associate Director supports the Department Operations and Communications Coordinator with all front desk operations and services.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/DUTIES:

Housing Systems Administration Responsibilities

• Act as systems administrator for the Housing Management System (HMS) package, including the Housing Portal, used by divisional and campus partners. Translate user needs into system requirements. Serve as project lead for HMS modifications, new releases, and upgrades. Test modifications/releases; develop training materials/documents for other end users; and generate and audit interfaces, feeds and batch processes.

• Coordinate and manage access to the HMS for Student Life, RISD Dining, Public Safety and other campus partners that utilize the HMS .

• Serve as project lead and collaborate with other Residence Life end users, information technology experts and external vendors to ensure systems, reports, and entries are effectively designed, modified, updated, tested and input to meet changing requirements and to support initiatives. Initiate information interfaces, reports and share pertinent information in a secure, timely, organized fashion.

• Responsible for the maintenance of HMS Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and flat file transfers that feed or receive data to/from external sources. Through error reporting and verification measures, ensure that these APIs and flat file transfers are working as designed.

• Produce standard and ad-hoc reports for Director of Residence Life and campus partners as requested.

• Research and evaluate new and existing tools, systems and trends by attending regular training sessions, HMS Users Conference, and other user group/networking sessions. Train, educate and share knowledge and best practices with others. 

• Provide housing and operations-based training and support for the academic year and summer student, professional, and intern staff members.

• Supply data to support in achieving budgetary targets; solve problems related to housing assignment and un-escalated billing concerns (escalated billing concerns are sent to the Director)

Supervision and Training

• Provide ongoing training, feedback and performance evaluation for the Assistant Director for Housing Operations and Department Operations and Communications Coordinator.