Assistant Director Residence Education/Community Development

Position Specific Summary:

The Assistant Director of Community Development provides leadership for the University Housing & Dining residential curriculum (REM), shaping student learning, engagement, and success across campus housing. This role develops, administers, and assesses curriculum initiatives; and assists in the development and maintenance of student learning and success initiatives to ensure high‑quality educational experiences for residential students. The Assistant Director supervises hall coordinators, supports hall operations including supervision, facilities, and judicial processes. As a key member of the Residence Education team, his position may supervise academic initiatives graduate students when available and participate in the on‑call rotation to support student and campus needs.

Specific Job Duties and Tasks

• Lead the Residential Curriculum — Design, implement, and assess the annual REM educational plan, including Hawk Talks, programming materials, onboarding, and ongoing curriculum development.
• Oversee Training & Development — Develop and execute yearly training schedules for professional and student staff, including summer, winter, and ongoing in‑service workshops.
• Supervise Professional & Graduate Staff — Provide administrative supervision, performance evaluation, coaching, and HR oversight for hall coordinators, graduate assistants, and student staff.
• Manage Academic & Student Success Initiatives — Coordinate Excelling@Iowa training, academic partnerships, and additional learning initiatives that support student success.
• Serve as Departmental Administrator for Key Platforms — Oversee software used for curriculum tracking, community development, and attendance systems (e.g., Swipe).
• Lead Assessment & Data Reporting — Develop and implement assessment plans for REM outcomes in partnership with departmental leadership.
• Cultivate Campus Partnerships — Maintain regular collaboration with Title IX, Academic Support & Retention, and other DSL stakeholders to deliver educational resources and support student learning.
• Provide Leadership Within Residence Education — Serve on the Residence Education leadership team and represent the department on committees and workgroups.
• Respond to Student & Community Needs — Address inquiries, complaints, and conduct cases; participate in emergency response and central staff duty rotation.

For a detailed job description, please email Michelle Sehmann at michelle-sehmann@uiowa.edu .

About the Division of Student Life:

The Division of Student Life is comprised of staff that embrace new ideas and thoughts, works together to keep our students safe, and provides them with life-changing experiences. The Division of Student Life includes 15 departments that span from Recreational Services to the Office of Leadership, Service and Civic Engagement and everything in between. We believe in working together as one team to achieve our mission: fostering student success by creating and promoting educationally purposeful services and activities within and beyond the classroom.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Master’s degree in Student Development, Counseling, Higher Education Administration, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is necessary.
• Three or more years full-time experience in housing administration or management experience in cultural, educational and development program planning in a college or University setting.
• One to three years supervisory experience, including student and/or secretarial staff.
• Exceptional administrative skills, including a proven ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously to establish priorities, accomplish goals and meet deadlines.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, including experience analyzing and resolving conflict, successfully navigating group dynamics, and effectively building teams.
• Experience serving in an on-call duty rotation at the collegiate level.
• Strong record of building teams and partnerships with colleagues and key campus stakeholder groups.
• Excellent written and oral communication, public speaking and organizational skills
• Demonstrated experience with strong interpersonal communication skills, both written and oral, in working with all populations of students and staff.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience developing and implementing student staff training models
• Experience working with residential curriculum or other community development models.
• Supervisory experience of professional live-in staff or graduate students

Application Details

To be considered, applicants must upload a resume and cover letter and mark them as “Relevant File” to the submission.

Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship in the United States. For questions or additional information, please contact Michelle Sehmann at michelle-sehmann@uiowa.edu

Joining the University of Iowa means becoming a vital part of the Hawkeye community, here your work directly impacts education, research, and student success.

Enjoy exceptional health coverage, university-paid life insurance, robust retirement plans, and generous leave policies. Benefit from 24/7 support services, well-being resources, and access to UI Health Care specialists. Grow professionally with advanced training, leadership development, and tuition assistance.

Primary Location

Iowa City

Job

Campus Services

Organization

Student Life

Schedule

Regular

Full-time

Job Posting

Sep 23, 2026, 7:48:45 PM