Summer Resident Director
Employment Opportunity
Position: Summer Resident Director (3 positions available)
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Non-Exempt
Dates: June 16 to August 10, 2021
Position Description
Resident Directors (RDs) are members of a dynamic team which manages the residence life program during the Academy’s annual Summer School and Festival. The Music Academy houses up to 140 fellows (student musicians ages 18-34 enrolled on full scholarship) and select summer administration during the Summer Festival. The residence life team, under the direction of the Student Services department, plays an integral role in the fellow experience and is comprised of one Housing Director (HD), three Resident Directors (RD), and two or three fellow Resident Assistants (RAs). RDs are the primary contact for Academy residents while on the residential campus and are responsible for shaping a positive, inclusive, safe, healthy, and supportive campus culture. Primary tasks include engaging fellows in weekly social activities, referring to support services such as the wellness program and counseling resources, ensuring compliance with policies outlined in the Academy Handbook, managing Academy residence halls, and responding to crisis events/campus emergencies. RAs assist RDs in social event planning and community building efforts.
This is a summer “live-in” position. Three RDs alternate an on-call rotation during the contract period, equaling four or five days per week. At least one RD is on campus at all times. RDs overlap during Welcome Weekend, weekly team meetings, and weekend residence life social events. While on duty, RDs may leave the residential campus for Academy-related meetings/errands only, provided they are no more than 15 minutes away.
Responsibilities
· Foster an inclusive, safe, and supportive environment for all Academy residents.
- Oversee the community, programming, and initiatives within the residence halls in support of the Music Academy mission, vision, values.
- Be available to all Academy residents to address their questions and concerns.
- Facilitate fellow Welcome Weekend and Departure Weekend, including executing fellow move-in and move-out procedures, posting room assignments, assisting fellows to/from rooms, and managing room inspection reports.
- Lead Fellow Orientation presentation regarding campus culture, policies, procedures, and opportunities for safely distanced social programming.
- Participate in weekly Residence Life Team meetings and facilities meetings led by the Director of Student Services. Topics to be discussed include social events, facilities, policies, and fellow concerns or inquiries. Weekly team meetings will occur remotely.
- Participate in weekly individual meetings with Academy Dean and/or Director of Student Services.
- Perform daytime and evening rounds of the residential campus.
- Manage staff coverage of campus lounge during hours of alcohol service, providing supervision for 4-5 hours each evening 2-3 nights per week.
- Staff the residence life office two or three hours daily when on duty.
- Manage weekly safely distanced social events which promote the “Live Well, Perform Well” brand for Academy Student Services. At least one RD is present at each organized social event.
- Develop, in collaboration with RAs, channels for fellow input/representation in matters involving social programming and campus dynamics.
- Submit facilities maintenance requests to the Housing Director.
- Communicate with bus drivers and fellows as needed.
- Promote campus policies, address policy violations at the time of the incident, and submit incident reports to the Director of Student Services and Dean for follow-up
- Situations involving Academy fellows that may require the response and/or intervention by an RD include (but are not limited to):
- Medical emergency
- Non-emergency illness
- Mental health
- Disruptive behavior
- Activities on the residential campus that impair the peace of other residents
- Smoking violations (both the Academy main and residential campuses are smoke-free)
- Policy violations
- Illegal or abusive use of alcohol or controlled substances
- Any potentially harmful behavior caused by or affecting an Academy resident
- Harassment
- In cases of medical emergencies, RD (or HD) takes appropriate action, either assisting fellow(s) to a medical facility in an Academy vehicle or securing an ambulance. Emergency protocol guidelines will be supplied by the Academy.
- Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, additional duties accommodating the safety and health of all 2021 Festival participants (administration, fellows, faculty, audiences, and community members) include, but are not limited to:
- Meal delivery to fellow rooms during quarantine period
- Intermittent temperature checks and/or health screening reports
- Facilitating relocation of an Academy resident to an isolation room or offsite if resident tests positive for Covid-19
- In all instances, RDs exercise their best judgment to enhance the security and safety of the residential campus and Academy residents.
- RDs rotate the possession of an Academy-issued cell phone – this number is published to Academy fellows, faculty, and administration.
- RDs may not assign their duties to anyone other than an Academy employee pre-approved by the Academy.
Candidate Profile
The Music Academy of the West seeks to hire candidates who thrive in a collaborative, highly communicative workplace. Our administration collectively informs and agrees upon the organization’s expectations for teamwork, including a positive, goal-oriented environment that positions every employee for success.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
· Excellent organizational, interpersonal, supervisory, and communication skills
· Excellent critical thinking and conflict-resolution skills
· Ability to work on a team collaboratively with minimal supervision and adapt to changing work priorities and schedules
· Ability to mentor student leaders
· Passion for student life and residential campus programming.
Preferred Qualifications
· Bachelor’s degree
- At least 21 years of age
- Class C Driver’s License and/or the ability to obtain a Class C Driver’s License in order to operate an Academy vehicle
- At least two years of professional experience in residence life and/or campus leadership, preferably in a university or music festival setting working with diverse populations
Reporting Structure
The Resident Directors report to the Director of Student Services. Resident Directors supervise two to three fellow Resident Assistants.
Compensation and Benefits
· This is a non-exempt, temporary position with an hourly rate of $15.00
- Private single room (with shared bathroom facility)
- Full meal plan
- Seasonal employees are entitled to accrue sick leave as per California state law. No other benefits apply.
· The Academy provides the Residence Life team with a shared rental vehicle for Academy-related business use only.
Application Process
Please email a letter of interest and current resume by April 19, 2021 to hr@musicacademy.org, using the subject header MAW Summer Resident Director. No phone calls, please. A background screening will be performed as a condition of employment.
You will be contacted by HR at the Music Academy no later than April 30, 2021 to confirm the interview process.
The Music Academy of the West is an equal opportunity employer. We aim to create a diverse and inclusive work environment and we value each employee’s unique experiences and perspectives.
About the Music Academy of the West
Music Academy of the West makes a unique and enduring contribution to the world of music by
· Advancing the development of the next generation of great classically trained musicians
· Cultivating discerning, diverse, appreciative, and adventurous audiences.
Founded in 1947, the Academy presents the preeminent full-scholarship Summer School and Festival for classically trained musicians ages 18 to 34. Located on a ten-acre oceanside campus, the environment is supportive, creative, nurturing, and inspiring. Fellows study, perform, and participate in public masterclasses with exceptional faculty, teaching artists, and guest speakers, as well as forge close connections with community members through a unique Compeer Program. Invaluable career-advancement opportunities are provided for fellows and alumni through the Academy’s Innovation Institute and its partnerships with the London Symphony Orchestra and Beth Morrison Projects. Seminars and residencies explore entrepreneurial musicianship and the future of classical music, while the annual Alumni Enterprise Awards provide grants for a wide range of creative endeavors. The Academy launched Sing!, a free, after-school choral initiative for local elementary school students in 2018. The Academy is dedicated to reflecting its community through equity and inclusion in leadership, programming, and participation.
For more information, visit musicacademy.org.