Job Information
Boston College Assistant Director, Student Life - Live On in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Boston College Introduction
Founded in 1863, Boston College is a Jesuit, Catholic university located six miles from downtown Boston with an enrollment of 9,654 full-time undergraduates and 5,072 graduate and professional students. Ranked 37 among national universities, Boston College has 923 full-time and 1,336 FTE faculty, 2,822 non-faculty employees, an operating budget of $1.4 billion, and an endowment in excess of $3.9 billion.
Job Description
Assistant Director, Student Life, Messina College
Office of Residential Life, Division of Student Affairs
Located on the Brookline Campus of Boston College, Messina College offers a two-year, fully residential, associate degree program for 100 high-need, first-generation students per year.
The Assistant Director, Student Life plays a central role in cultivating an engaging and supportive campus environment that fosters belonging, leadership development, and student success.
This is a 12‑month, live‑in position with academic year and summer responsibilities. The Assistant Director provides leadership for residential life and student engagement on the Brookline Campus through community programming, supervision of graduate and undergraduate student staff, oversight of residential facilities, crisis response, and close collaboration with campus partners. As a member of the Messina College student success team, this role supports students through proactive engagement, coordination with campus resources, and holistic support.
The Assistant Director, Student Life interacts regularly with the administration of Messina College, Dean of Students Office, Boston College Police Department, Custodial Services and Facilities, Office of Student Involvement, the Division of Mission and Ministry, Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center, Montserrat Coalition, Dining Services, and the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Community Engagement & Student Development
Cultivate a positive residential environment that promotes belonging, connection, and student formation rooted in Jesuit values
Maintain strong visibility and availability through regular community presence, programs, and informal interaction with students
Develop and implement a comprehensive campus student engagement model
Provide personal, social, and academic support and referrals to students
Publish a weekly community‑wide newsletter highlighting campus resources and opportunities
Mediate roommate conflicts and facilitate room changes when appropriate
Student Engagement & Programming
Design, plan, and implement a range of social, cultural, educational, and mission‑centered programs for the Brookline Campus
Supervise the Graduate Assistant for Events and Engagement to develop and execute summer and academic year programming.
Advise student leaders and campus organizations, including providing financial and programmatic oversight
Collaborate with faculty and staff to deliver meaningful co‑curricular experiences
Support major Messina College initiatives such as Orientation, Welcome Week, Summer Programming, and signature campus events
Responsible for aligning processes with Division of Student Affairs goals to ensure successful, outcome-driven student programming
Monitor and manage programming budgets and ensure effective use of resources
Supervision, Administration & Operations
Supervise, train, and evaluate graduate assistants, resident assistants, and student workers
Collaborate with the Associate Director of Residential Education on resident assistant selection, training, and individual development conversations with student staff
Coordinate with the Housing Operations team on daily operations of assigned residence halls, including opening and closing processes, key management, and room change processes
Conduct regular health, safety, and facilities inspections and coordinate maintenance concerns
Support departmental initiatives, committee work, and operational planning
Regular communication with students, families, and campus stakeholders, management of room reservations, program planning, facilities work orders, etc.
Crisis Response & Student Conduct
As the live‑in professional staff member on the Brookline Campus, the Assistant Director will be called upon to respond to student emergencies, including physical and mental health concerns, facilities issues, interpersonal conflicts, and students in crisis or distress.
Serve as an Administrative Hearing Officer for residential student conduct cases and manage conduct caseload of Gradaute Resident Director
Adjudicate violations of the Code of Conduct and Conditions of Residency using a formative, educational approach
Collaborate with campus partners to support students in crisis
Each staff member in the Division of Student Affairs is expected to support division and university-wide initiatives, staff events, and serve on committees as needed.
Full-Time Equivalent Hiring Range: $55,100 to $68,900; salary commensurate with relevant experience.
Requirements
Master’s degree in Counseling, Student Personnel Administration, Higher Education Administration or related fields.
One year graduate experience in Residential Life and/or experience as a Residential Assistant.
One year graduate or professional experience cultivating student engagement and developing student programs.
Experience with multicultural student leadership and programming preferred.
Demonstrated experience working effectively with diverse populations and creating inclusive and belonging work environments.
Ability to respond and manage crisis situations.
Experience at providing academic support services to undergraduate students.
Ability to provide leadership and effective supervision of personnel and programs.
Knowledge and experience with the assessment of student programs.
Effective oral and written communication skills.
Understanding and supportive of the Jesuit Catholic mission of Boston College.
Evening and weekend work required.
Closing Statement
Boston College offers a broad and competitive range of benefits depending on your job classification eligibility:
Tuition remission for Employees
Tuition remission for Spouses and Children who meet eligibility requirements
Generous Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
Low-Cost Life Insurance
Eligibility for both University-Funded 401k and Employer-Sponsored 403b Retirement Plans
Paid Holidays Annually
Generous Sick and Vacation Pay
Additional benefits can be found on https://www.bc.edu/employeehandbook
Boston College conducts pre-employment background checks as part of the hiring process.
Boston College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any legally protected category, including disability and protected veteran status. Boston College's Notice of Nondiscrimination can be viewed at https://www.bc.edu/nondiscrimination .