Community Director

Cooperative Education; Fairfax (VA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

George Mason University in Fairfax, VA seeks a Community Director (CD) to oversee a residential area, ensuring a student-centered community that supports academic goals. The 12-month, live-in role includes administration and staffing of HRL operations within Housing and Residence Life.

You will supervise student staff, lead programming, and respond to incidents, contributing to overall campus safety and student success.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proven leadership and supervisory abilities.
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and lead student staff teams including Resident Assistants and Graduate Community Directors.
• Plan and deliver staff development, training, and evaluations.
• Respond to student crises and ensure safety within residence halls.
• Coordinate programming and community development in assigned areas.
• Maintain records, manage budgets, and collaborate with university partners.

Skills

Leadership

Staff supervision

Communication

Education

Master's degree

Job description

Department: University Life

Classification: Professional Faculty

Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: On Site Required

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Salary: Salary range starting in the mid $40ks, commensurate with education and experience

Restricted: Yes

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

Housing & Residence Life (HRL) is an auxiliary organization within the University Life unit of George Mason University. HRL employs over 170 full-time and graduate staff members and over 200 undergraduate student staff members. HRL oversees student housing areas comprised of roughly 6,000 beds within over forty (40) residential facilities, as well as housing the distributed campuses including the Science & Technology Campus and the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation. HRL is committed to provide a safe and student-centered environment that is all inclusive of the global community; dedicated to creating a home that enriches the experiences of our students, staff, and faculty.

About the Position:

The Community Director (CD) is a 12-month, live-in professional staff member responsible for the educational, social, and cultural growth of the individual student and the overall residential community. The primary responsibilities include initiating, implementing, maintaining, and evaluating efforts in the assigned residential area(s) that result in a student-centered community that supports the academic mission of George Mason University. The Community Director is responsible for the overall administration and management of their assigned residential area(s).

Responsibilities:

Supervision and Leadership

• Supervises and leads a team of student employees, including Resident Assistants, Graduate Community Directors, and/or Office Assistants;
• Provides on-going training to student employees to develop leadership skills and enhance competencies essential to their positions;
• Educates and holds staff accountable to all University policies, Housing and Residence Life policies, and HRL student staff expectations;
• Plans and implements staff development to aid student employees in creating positive team dynamics that foster collaboration and problem-solving skills;
• Supervises and supports student employees in their administrative assignments, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and completion;
• Provides opportunities for staff to receive feedback on the quality and effectiveness of their work, to support development;
• Formally evaluates the performance of student employees during the fall and spring semesters, to assess effectiveness;
• Leads weekly staff meetings with student employees in assigned area for team development and information sharing/gathering;
• Conducts bi-weekly one-on-one meetings with student employees for resident and student staff updates and addressing concerns/questions to ensure resident and staff success;
• Develops and maintains staff awareness of campus/community issues through training, programming, individual contacts, and role modeling;
• Recruits, interviews, evaluates, selects, and on-boards student staff candidates for all HRL hiring processes; and
• Supports any Residential Learning Communities (RLCs) in assigned residential area and engage in ongoing collaboration with respective academic and University Life partners.

Student Support and Development

• Addresses incidents of inappropriate behavior in or around the residence halls using an educational and developmental approach;
• Serves as a hearing officer to effectively resolve cases of student misconduct and violations of the Code of Conduct and/or Resident Student Handbook;
• Assists students with academic, vocational and personal concerns to support students in overcoming challenges and achieving success;
• Connects students with on-campus resources when appropriate to help them succeed academically, personally, and/or socially;
• Manages situations involving various psychological, emotional, medical or other safety related incidents in the residential community;
• Collaborates with appropriate campus resources to properly support students and provide adequate resources;
• Participates in the evening, weekend, and holiday duty rotation to ensure adequate coverage and support for on campus students in crisis;
• Directly responds to on-campus emergencies and student crises as needed, to ensure student safety and support;
• Actively participates in cultivating an environment that supports the well-being of residential students through various university initiatives, committees, and events;
• Develops and maintains positive relationships with both residents and HRL staff that encourages on-going communication, mutual support, and respect; and
• Supports university-wide initiatives focused on student retention and early intervention efforts.

Community Development and Programming

• Implements the student engagement model within assigned area to address the developmental needs of specific student populations;
• Designs proactive approaches to involve students in creating community values and engaging in ethical standards such as respect, courtesy, appreciation of differences, and civility;
• Coordinates and participates in department-wide and university-wide events such as Welcome back Events, Block Parties, Family Weekend, Orientation, Admissions events, and other programs as assigned;
• Engages instructional faculty, RLC stakeholders, and other university partners in community events and overall residential curriculum plan for assigned area; and
• Accurately tracks community development efforts and assessment data as requested by the Assessment Coordinator or HRL Leadership Team.

Administrative Duties, Collaborations, and Partnerships

• Attends and participates in staff development activities as outlined by the department and attends regularly scheduled HRL and University Life meetings, to receive departmental and divisional updates, expectations, and guidance;
• Conducts regular community walk-throughs of assigned residence hall(s) to detect any maintenance or facilities concerns;
• When necessary and appropriate, utilizes the damage billing protocol outlined in the student Housing Agreement, to ensure appropriate, consistent, and fair billing practice for student damages incurred in the residence halls;
• Maintains all appropriate documentation related to facilities management and inventory control, conducts equipment and building inventories on a regular basis, to ensure student safety and building maintenance and upkeep;
• Ensures timely and accurate documentation of all student interactions and processes as needed such as incident reports, student conduct meeting notes, student care reports, etc.;
• Maintains accurate records regarding all purchases and budget reconciliations as required, to ensure compliance with financial policies and support effective budget management;
• In conjunction with Environmental Health & Safety, assists in the execution of fire drills and health and safety inspections as scheduled by HRL;
• Manages community and roommate agreements for all students in assigned residence halls, to aid in setting community expectations and mitigate potential conflict factors;
• Actively supports and complies with all university policies, department regulations, vision, and goals, to contribute to the overall success of the department;
• Serves in an assigned committee role to support other units within HRL or University Life, such as Mason Well-Being Initiatives, University Career Services, summer operations, etc.;
• Maintains a visible presence in the residence halls as a live-in professional and engages in positive, professional interactions with students after business hours to promote community development;
• Maintains positive relationships with other university departments (i.e., University Police, Student Involvement, Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Support and Advocacy, etc.);
• Assists in the recruitment and selection of Housing and Residence Life staff through participation in search committees, to ensure qualified and appropriate staff are selected for the Housing and Residence Life team, and participates in Divisional hiring search committees as available to support broader staffing efforts across the division;
• Supports and assists in the implementation of summer projects, including but not limited to summer housing operations, training, annual policy and procedure assessment/review, orientation, etc.; and
• Assists in fulfilling duties for vacant positions on the Residence Life team or within the department when necessary and appropriate.

Unit & Division Support/Service

• Engages in assessment and reporting as needed;
• Actively supports and complies with all university policies, HRL regulations, department vision and goals;
• Attends and actively participates in divisional all-staff meetings, trainings, and other mandatory events, including in-person events, to stay informed, support professional development, and contribute to a cohesive and effective team environment across University Life;
• Acts as essential personnel in times of emergency and at critical times, to ensure safety, manage crises, and provide necessary support; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned by the direct supervisor and/or HRL Leadership Team, to achieve broader unit and departmental goals and support the team.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree in related field or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Previous leadership experience as an undergraduate and/or graduate student within a residential and/or university setting, or professional leadership experience in a college or university environment;
• Demonstrated interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills with the ability to communicate and engage effectively with varying audiences of constituents and departmental stakeholders;
• Demonstrated collaborative skills with the ability to build partnerships, share knowledge, and contribute to team effectiveness;
• Demonstrated organizational and problem-solving skills with the ability to navigate complex challenges;
• Ability to apply discretion when handling sensitive information and making decisions within policy guidelines; and
• Ability to manage teams effectively and promote professional development within the team.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience in a live-in housing and residence life position;
• Undergraduate and/or graduate student staff supervision experience;
• Ability to build relationships with students, families, staff, and community partners;
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and work autonomously in managing community operations; and
• Ability to plan, coordinate, and execute multiple simultaneous projects and events effectively.

Posting Open Date:October 5, 2026

For Full Consideration, Apply by:October 19, 2026

Open Until Filled:Yes