Coordinator, Community Life

Vancouver Island University; Nanaimo; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A Canadian educational institution is seeking a Coordinator, Community Life to oversee student housing programs and foster a supportive community. This role involves supervising student staff, developing inclusive programming, and ensuring safety during emergencies. Requirements include a Bachelor's degree and experience in similar roles. The position offers a collaborative environment with opportunities for professional development and a comprehensive benefits plan.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefit plan

Paid holiday time

Professional development opportunities

Pension plan

Flexible work opportunities

Qualifications

• 3+ years of recent, related experience in student housing or community development.
• Strong understanding of student development theory and residence life best practices.
• Knowledge of community standards and conduct processes.

Responsibilities

• Supervise a team of student staff including recruitment, training, and evaluations.
• Develop and deliver inclusive programming for community building.
• Respond to crises and manage emergency situations in student housing.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Crisis management

Conflict mediation

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Tools

Housing management software (e.g. StarRez)

Standard office applications

Job description

VIU Housing provides a safe and inclusive home to more than 400 learners in eleven buildings. Ensuring an optimal student experience, the VIU Housing team oversees all aspects of student housing, including building care and maintenance and student wellness and safety.

Community Life is focused on all aspects of VIU Housing student life, including orientation and transition programming, ongoing inclusive programming, and building a community that ensures the safety, security and wellness of all Housing students.

As a member of the Community Life leadership team, the Coordinator, Community Life provides support services that foster student learning and success and contributes to building strong student communities.

The Coordinator, Community Life:

• Fosters an inclusive, engaging living-learning environment through high-quality student-focused support and programming that promotes academic and personal development.
• Supervises unionized student staff, upholds housing policies and community standards, and contributes to conduct processes and incident follow-up.
• Collaborates with stakeholders to ensure resident safety and well-being, and serves on the 24/7 on-call team for emergency and crisis response.

This position requires a combination of scheduled office hours and evening, weekend, and holiday coverage.

Duties

1. Employee Supervision

Provides supervision to a team of unionized (CUPE Local 1858) student staff, including 2 Senior Community Leaders (SCLs) and 17 Community Leaders (CLs) under the direction of the Director, VIU Housing. The Coordinator, Community Life:

• Oversees a team of unionized student staff (SCLs and CLs), including recruitment, training, scheduling, and ongoing performance evaluations through regular check-ins and semester reviews.
• Leads the planning, organization, and implementation of Housing community events, advising SCLs on programming goals and supporting mentorship of CLs.
• Coordinates roles and responsibilities for move-in/move-out processes, manages work assignments and hour banks, and assists with professional development training for student staff.

2. Community Development –Orientation, Training, Programing and Events>

Plays a key role in the development and delivery of student-focused respectful and inclusive programming to create a strong Housing community. The Coordinator Community Life:

• Contributes to the creation of an annual Community Life Program Plan, including goals, outcomes, budget, and assessment for various programs and activities.
• Consults with internal and external partners to design and deliver inclusive programming aligned with VIU values.
• Oversees implementing and supporting welcome and orientation programs for new residents.
• Reviews program outcomes with staff, manages budgets and supplies, and reports on all aspects of Community Life programming to the Director.

3. Student Housing Conduct

Facilitates student conduct investigations and meets with students regarding agreement violations such as damage to property, behavioural concerns, and personal well-being concerns. The Coordinator Community Life:

• Facilitates investigations of housing agreement violations, triages incident reports, conducts meetings, and determines fair sanctions for low- to medium-level cases in line with policy.
• Maintains accurate records in StarRez, ensures due process and privacy compliance, and regularly consults with university stakeholders on disciplinary and safety matters.
• Contributes to annual reviews and updates of housing agreements and community standards.

4. Crisis Management

Responds to crises and emergencies in Student Housing, including: mental health challenges, drug use/misuse, sexual and physical assaults, medical emergencies, safety and security concerns, and natural disasters. The Coordinator Community Life:

• Responds promptly and calmly to housing emergencies, including mental health crises, medical incidents, safety concerns, and natural disasters, ensuring resident care and security.
• Participates in an on-call rotation, remaining available to attend in-person and manage urgent situations, including approving emergency expenditures and coordinating risk management.
• Acts as the after-hours housing representative when required, assessing departmental risk and executing emergency response procedures in consultation with leadership.

5. Student Support

Acts as a Community Life resource person, advising students on a group and individual basis. The Coordinator Community Life:

• Provides general support to students individually and in groups, offering guidance and resources to enhance their housing experience.
• Connects students with appropriate VIU support services (e.g., Health & Wellness, Accessibility Services, Indigenous Education) and facilitates access to campus resources.
• Mediates student conflicts and mentors SCLs and CLs to develop mediation and conflict resolution skills.

6. Partnerships

Liaises and coordinates with VIU departments to provide training for student staff and to facilitate the provision of services, supports and resources for VIU Housing students. The Coordinator Community Life:

• Partners with VIU departments to deliver training for student staff and provide services, resources, and enrichment opportunities for Housing students.
• As required, represents VIU Housing on committees, campus groups and parents.
• Collaborates with internal teams to maintain data for annual conduct and operational reports.
• Coordinates with VIU Security and external emergency response teams when required to ensure safety and effective crisis management.

7. Facilities and Operational support

Provides support and input as required. The Coordinator Community Life:

• Investigates and makes decisions regarding damage assessment appeals.
• Administers procedures for facilities/equipment reservations and use.
• Responds to reports of after-hours facilities emergencies.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in a related field from an appropriately accredited institution and three years’ recent, related experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

• Strong understanding of student development theory and best practices in residence life.
• Knowledge of community standards, conduct processes, and privacy regulations.
• Familiarity with mental health support resources and crisis management protocols.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for working with students, staff, and external partners.
• Ability to mediate conflicts and provide supportive, student-centered solutions.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Competence in budget preparation and resource allocation for programming.
• Proficiency with housing management software (e.g. StarRez) and standard office applications.
• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of work.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Participation in a 24/7 on-call rotation for emergency and crisis response.
• Ability to remain calm and professional under pressure during emergencies.
• Strong collaboration skills for working with internal and external stakeholders.

NOTE: A criminal check will be required prior to the start date.

There are two positions available:

• One regular full time (https://careers.viu.ca/vacancy/coordinator-community-life-2-of-2-379678.html)
• One temporary full time (https://careers.viu.ca/vacancy/coordinator-community-life-1-of-2-379677.html)

VIU is pleased to offer eligible employees a comprehensive benefit plan; ample paid holiday time; professional development opportunities and a desirable pension plan. As part of the VIU campus community, our employees work with supportive colleagues within an encouraging environment and are provided with the tools and training that promote learning and development. The perks of VIU employment are multiple, and include well-being initiatives and services, strategic discounts, and flexible work opportunities.

Note:

Short-listed candidates must provide original transcripts, or applicable original certifications at time of interview.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Vancouver Island University (VIU) is collectively committed to building and sustaining a diverse and inclusive working and learning environment for faculty, staff, and students. In our journey towards greater diversity, we invite applications from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of all gender identities and sexual orientations who bring value to the VIU community through their lived experiences. We encourage members of all equity-seeking groups to self-identify within their application cover letter. When a candidate voluntarily discloses this information in their cover letter, the information will be used only for the fulfillment of the career opportunity. Disclosure and/or self-identification with an equity-seeking group will not lead to advantageous treatment of a candidate who is not qualified.