Associate Director of Housing Services (On-site)

The University of California, Merced is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience. The full salary range for this position is $63,500 - $112,900. The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $72,300 - $82,300/yr.

Initial applicant review will begin on or around October 8, 2024. Posting will remain open until filled.

Remote/Hybrid eligibility: This position is fully on-site

The University of California, Merced, is the newest of the University of California system's 10 campuses and the first American research university built in the 21st century. With more than 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students, UC Merced offers an environment that combines a commitment to diversity, inclusion, collaboration and professional development. With bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs, strong research and academic partnerships, and community involvement, the UC Merced campus is continually evolving and requires talented, knowledgeable and dynamic educators, researchers, management and staff.

Ranked among the best public universities in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, UC Merced is uniquely equipped to provide educational opportunities for highly qualified students from the San Joaquin Valley and throughout California. The campus enjoys a special connection with nearby Yosemite National Park, is on the cutting edge of sustainability in construction and design and supports the economic development of Merced and the region.

The Merced 2020 Project, a $1.3 billion public-private partnership unprecedented in higher education and completed in 2020, nearly doubled the physical capacity of the campus, enhancing academic distinction, student success and research excellence. UC Merced also operates the Downtown Campus Center, a $33 million, three-story administrative building located in the heart of Merced.

The university's mission of educational excellence and rigorous inquiry is powered by three schools and numerous research institutes and centers that seek scientific and social solutions for the Valley, California and the world. In partnership with UC San Francisco, UC Merced is preparing the way for a rigorous medical education program.

The course of UC Merced's evolution is piloted by a long-range strategic plan. Enacted in 2021, the 10-year blueprint is guiding how the values of equity and justice influence our pathway to earning Carnegie R1 research status, growing enrollment, upholding our identity as a minority-serving institution, and operationalizing how commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion are enacted in each campus unit.

Housing Services manages the administrative and operational elements of the on-campus student housing program at UC Merced, including housing application management, room assignments and occupancy management, customer service, work order and facilities coordination, resident mail processing, and billing for housing and meal plans.

The Associate Director of Housing Services plays a pivotal role in ensuring that housing systems and processes run smoothly and reduce barriers for incoming and current housing residents. This includes housing systems management, distribution of recruitment information/materials, data validation and billing quality assurance, and effective communication with students, community members, and other departments.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT & SUPPORT

• Manages StarRez and other housing management systems and upgrades under the general direction of the Director of Housing Services to meet the needs of the campus.
• Provides analyses for complex financial data systems and resource projects.
• Creates processes to identify, forecast, and analyze problems to address department needs.
• Identifies and corrects data import issues including those that stem from other campus systems (i.e. Banner, CS Gold); creates a centralized process for reporting and tracking concerns.
• Manages housing systems user concerns with overall programs functionality.
• Tests current systems prior to live implementation as both a high and low level user.
• Executes acceptance testing of upgrades and new modules.
• Provides technical expertise in identifying, evaluating, and developing complex systems and procedures.
• In partnership with the Director of Housing Services, serves as department representative on cross-functional teams to identify and resolve business and/or systems issues.
• Continuously monitors, positively impacts, and keeps departmental leadership informed regarding effective and efficient work flow processes.

OCCUPANCY MANAGEMENT

• Manages room assignments and appropriate billing processes/workflow.
• Trains direct and indirect reports on housing application and room selection processes to ensure effective student and community member support.
• Advises Director of Housing Services on application, assignment/room selection, contract, and room turnover schedules.
• Under general direction of the Director of Housing Services, devises annual housing strategies to address current and incoming student occupancy demand.
• Assists in the management of the housing waiting list.
• Collaborates with campus partners, such as Student Accessibility Services, the Dean of Students office, and Residence Education to address specific room assignment considerations related to accessibility accommodations, Rapid Re-Housing, Living-Learning Communities, and emergency room utilization.
• Supports room and contract change processes.
• Participates in outreach and recruitment events representing Housing Services and other campus life departments, as needed.
• Coordinates efforts with a variety of external and internal partners including Graduate Division, Financial Aid, Hospitality Services, Dining & Retail Services, CatCard, and Student Business Services.
• Some weekend and evening work is required during high-impact seasons, including move-in, move-out, and Bobcat Day weekend (April, May, and August). Some local and overnight travel may be required for recruitment events throughout California.

POLICY DEVELOPMENT

• Structures operational settings and policies that control space availability, contract parameters, housing portal pages, applications, billing, and other features.
• Develops strategic goals by researching and recommending system/module improvements; works with vendors to determine needed functionality for the evolving campus environment.
• Adds, removes, and edits parameters of bed spaces into the database.
• Serves as the primary point-of-contact for new modules and ensures process meets both users and departmental goals.
• Collaborates with Residence Education, Facilities, Student Business Services, UCMPD, and other campus stakeholders to maintain effective business practices and policies.
• Monitors and analyzes changes in external regulations, legislation, and UC policies for impact on the campus as it relates to housing.
• Recommends changes in housing policy and contract language to maintain compliance with UC, state, and federal requirements.

ASSESSMENT AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• Conducts post-implementation analyses to determine the need for further enhancements, finer distinctions and/or additional process/policy components.
• Gathers, analyzes, prepares, and summarizes business and user needs, documents requirements, and performs ad hoc, analytical studies on a wide variety of policies, programs, and issues which are complex in nature.
• Applies technical expertise and business analysis concepts to identify, evaluate, and define complex systems, scope, and objectives through research and fact-finding.
• Revises existing system logic difficulties as necessary.
• Validates requirements against needs.
• Regularly plans and coordinates audit processes and activity reports for all users to ensure the integrity of system and data.

SYSTEMS TRAINING AND SUPPORT

• Determines levels of access needed by the various users and trains each specifically to their view access and functions they can perform.
• Creates easy-to-follow manuals for staff reference along with leading in-person and online training sessions on an annual and on-going basis.
• Upon implementation of upgrades/new modules, ensures all users are trained on the changes.

REPORTING

• Researches and drafts complex proposals, reports, briefings, executive summaries for the Director of Housing Services and other administrators.
• Designs and runs various reports for occupancy, demographics, budget, applications, rates, and overall housing statistics.
• Validates data and prepares summaries.
• Collaborates with units to establish need and frequency of reports.
• Provides departmental leadership with housing-related assessment data requests.

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

EDUCATION and REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Advanced degree. (Preferred)
• 4 years of related experience or 9 years equivalent related experience/education
• Experience in back-end use of complex databases and systems.
• Experience supervising career employees, including customer service and technical staff. (Preferred)
• Experience using housing management software, such as StarRez. (Preferred)

CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Advanced abilities in project management, problem identification and reasoning skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to effectively convey policy analysis findings, present recommendations, and prepare clear and concise reports, briefs, and presentations.
• Ability to use discretion and maintain all confidentiality.
• Advanced knowledge of Student Affairs/Student Life specialization
• Strong skills in analyzing, researching, and synthesizing large amounts of data for preparing sound and relevant proposals / analyses.
• Ability to perform consistently in an environment of competing demands, frequent interruptions, and fluctuating priorities.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, build relationships, and facilitate consensus among stakeholders with diverse perspectives and interests.
• Proficiency in analyzing complex systems, identifying process improvements, and designing effective and efficient solutions to meet business needs.
• Knowledge of University of California technological infrastructure. (Preferred)
• Proficient in Microsoft suite, including Power Automate. (Preferred)
• Knowledge of back-end management of StarRez, similar housing management systems, or large databases of a relevant nature. (Preferred)

Background check required.

How to Apply:
An online application is required for each position to apply.The University of California, Merced is aware that some web-based application processes may be cumbersome for differently abled applicants. Where appropriate, alternative accommodations will be provided. For applicants with disabilities who need additional assistance using TAM, or reasonable accommodations during the interview or search process, please contact ucmjobs@ucmerced.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity:
The University of California, Merced is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, pregnancy, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, or other protected categories covered by the UC Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action Policy. UC Merced intentionally promotes and maintains a discrimination- and harassment-free workplace by demonstrating it neither condones nor tolerates employment practices that discriminate against or harass any person or specific group of persons on the basis listed above. We seek candidates who will support our vision to cultivate a vibrant, equity-minded, inclusive excellence university community. When applying to UC Merced, we strongly encourage you to reflect on our Principles of Community and our 2021 strategic plan.

Vaccination Program Policy:

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Policy. All Covered Individuals under the policy must provide proof of Full Vaccination or, if applicable, submit a request for Exception (based on Medical Exemption, Disability, and/or Religious Objection) or Deferral (based on pregnancy) no later than the applicable deadline. For new University of California employees, the applicable deadline is 14 days after their first date of employment.

Smoke and Tobacco Free Policy:
The University of California, Merced is a smoke and tobacco free workplace. Information and the Smoke and Tobacco Free policy is available at http://smokefree.ucmerced.edu.

E-Verify:
All employers who receive Federal contracts and grants are required to comply with E-Verify, an Internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA). E-Verify electronically verifies employment eligibility by comparing information provided on the I-9 form to records in the DHS and SSA databases. Certain positions funded by federal contracts/subcontracts requires UC Merced to notify job applicants that an E-Verify check will be conducted and the successful candidate must pass the E-Verify check.

Pay, Benefits & Work Schedule:
For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University of California visit: http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/

This position is eligible for the UC Merced Employee Referral Program (ERP). If you were referred by a UC Merced employee, please identify that employee by name in your application as follows:

Step 5 of 7 Referrals

How did you hear about the job? (select) "other"

Additional information? (select) "other"

Specific Referral Source? (write in) first and last name of referring employee

Referring employee MUST be named on application for eligibility.