Director of Sunnyside Apartments

Full Job Description

Sunnyside Apartments is one of two self-operated housing divisions at the University of Utah and the department provides “non-traditional” housing operations, focused on students with families, single graduate students, and temporary housing solutions for staff and faculty. The apartment buildings and historic duplexes sit on more than 70 acres of property in three locations: the West Village, the East Village, and Fort Douglas. These communities, formerly known as University Student Apartments, have been an integral part of campus culture since the 1960s, welcoming a large and diverse student population to reside within close proximity to campus where they are encouraged to develop lifelong relationships with other professional students from around the globe through University provided, intentional programming.

The Director, Student Services position, (with the internal working title of Director of Sunnyside Apartments), reporting to the Associate Vice President, Auxiliary Services, will lead a management team of four other individuals, (three of which will be direct reports), collaborating to provide continued successful family and graduate housing operations at the University of Utah. This new position provides supervision of three management staff in the leasing office of University Student Apartments, and is responsible for day to day management of those individuals as well as providing direction for the entirety of the department. This position will coordinate on a daily basis with the Sunnyside Apartments’ Associate Director of Maintenance who reports directly to the Director of Facilities Management in Auxiliary Services. The direct supervision of the three-management staff, combined with the coordination of the Maintenance Staff is an approximate 52 FTE.

This new position will have “dotted-line” reporting to the Executive Director of Housing & Residential Education, a division of Student Affairs at the University of Utah. The University of Utah is in the process of planning and developing transformative housing and amenity additions for undergraduate students to its main campus, adding up to 5,000 beds in the next decade. Sunnyside Apartments, is a complimentary operation, focused on graduate students and students with families, but is an integral part of the overall commitment to expanding the campus life experience and ensuring student success by providing them a community of support. Collaboration with Housing & Residential Education will be a critical component of the successful candidate’s job, with the opportunity to realize a potential alignment with the two self-operated divisions in the future.

Responsibilities

Under minimal supervision, this position is responsible for directing the family, graduate and staff/faculty housing and leasing operations, (with the exception of the Maintenance division), consisting of approximately 1,000 rental units. The director will be responsible for representing non-traditional students with families, graduate students, and faculty/staff recruits requiring short-term housing on multiple campus committees and occasional short-term task forces. Close collaboration with Student Affairs, the Graduate School, Commuter Services, the Center for Childcare and Family Resources, and other departments will be critical to the success of this new Director. It is an expectation that the successful candidate will be an active participant in professional organizations related to this position, including, but not limited to, AIMHO, ACUHO-I, PAC-12 Housing Officers, and NACAS.

The successful candidate will direct business services staff in preparation and approval of annual operating budgets, capital budgets (expenses over $25k), and monthly profit and loss statements. They will direct a Resident Life program for the more than 2,000 residents in the apartments, including Graduate Assistant mentorship, diversity training, proactive community support, large-scale community events, behavioral intervention, Title IX and Clery Act reporting, and programmatic learning opportunities.

The successful candidate will continue to direct a phased closure of aging housing facilities in the East and West Villages, in line with the strategy laid out by the AVP of Auxiliary Services and other University administrators.

In coordination with the AVP of Auxiliary Services and the Executive Director of Housing & Resident Education, the successful candidate will represent the University of Utah as “Owner” for a new $125.7m housing property, under construction now, and opening in August, 2023. A second phase of new construction is under consideration by the University of Utah and the successful candidate will represent as “Owner” on Phase II of family/graduate housing if the project moves forward. (A decision will be made regarding this project by the end of May, 2023).

This position will regularly act as a catalyst between the department, other campus departments, and its customers (internal and external) and staff to ensure student support, continuity, and quality of service.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or related area, or equivalency (one year of education can be substituted for two years of related work experience); eight years of progressively more responsible management experience; and demonstrated leadership, human relations and effective communications skills required.

Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description.

Preferences

Demonstrated history of successful service to or for non-traditional students and/or students of international origin.

Demonstrated excellence in customer service at a previous employer.

Experience in property management and/or residential rentals.