Company: Tacoma Community College
Title: Assistant Director, International Housing and Short Term Programs
Salary: $65,000 annually, Full-time
Location: Remote

Position Summary

Priority Consideration Date: March 31, 2021
 
Tacoma Community College is a public two-year institution that serves a diverse population of approximately 14,000 students.  We embrace our identity as a community college and strongly encourage applications from candidates who recognize and honor the important role that equity, diversity, and inclusion brings to an educational community.  Our stated mission is to create meaningful and relevant learning, inspire greater equity, and celebrate success in our lives and in our communities.  According to the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, TCC ranks high on measures of active and collaborative learning and support for learners, thanks to our creative and effective staff and faculty.  We seek to recruit and retain a workforce that:

• Reflects the diversity of our community
• Is attracted by the campus mission promoting equitable access to educational opportunities
• Cares about student success and collaborates on strategies to facilitate success for underrepresented populations
• Welcomes difference and models respectful interaction with others
• Engages effectively with the community both within and outside of TCC.

Position Summary
This position is responsible for the day to day operations of the international student housing and short-term programs. The position reports directly to the Executive Director of International Programs.  This position has an estimated start date of June 1st, 2021.
 

Essential Functions

Essential Functions – Homestay 
Tacoma Community College manages its own homestay program.  Ensuring that students are placed in quality homes with caring hosts is a top priority.

• Actively generate relationships within the community in order to promote, recruit, interview and screen prospective hosts.
• Coordinates informational meetings for prospective hosts.
• Coordinates placement of students with hosts.
• Orient new families and students regarding roles and responsibilities of homestay program.
• Mediate problems and resolve issues experienced by students and hosts.
• Provide follow-up and ongoing support for students and hosts.
• Maintain detailed program records of hosts and their students.
• Perform background checks for all new homestay families through local law enforcement agencies.
• Conduct a home visit with each applicant to see the space available, explain hosting requirements, as well as answer questions (generally 1-2 hours in length).
• Communicate new Homestay placements (along with brief bios on each family) to students and host families and assist with introductions.
• Maintain weekly contact with new host families and students in the first month.
• Maintain regular contact (no less than monthly) with all families, year-round.
• Create and update program forms and publications.
• Conduct surveys of host and student satisfaction with program and compile results.
• Maintain the homestay database.
• Provide housing information to new students during their orientation.
• Coordinate support meetings for existing hosts.
• Establish and maintain annual homestay budget (includes tracking housing application fee).
• Coordinate airport pickup services for newly arriving international students.
• Supervise and coordinate 3-4 part time drivers.
• Develop airport pickup program that incorporates a customer oriented, friendly group of drivers.
• Drive a college van to and from airport to pick up and drop off international students to their homestay families.
• Create and distribute program information packets and schedules for drivers.
• Supervise the part time housing assistant.
• Work seamlessly with everyone in the office and understand the impact that housing has on student satisfaction, retention and recruitment overseas.
• Is caring, flexible and understanding of the challenges associated with last minute arrivals, late applications, visa and arrival delays, etc.  and is accommodating as possible to ensure that all students receive a quality homestay placement.
• Assist students with apartment placements and become a liaison for local apartments and TCC and assist students with understanding the terms of lease agreements.
• Other related tasks and projects as assigned, assisting with special projects or helping with special events.
• Is “on call” and available to handle homestay/student emergencies.  This person maintains possession of the emergency cell phone.

Essential Functions – Housing 
 

• Assist the college with its plans for campus housing expansion.
• Coordinate with the 3rd party contractor for housing to ensure that the international student voice is taken into consideration.
• Collaborate with other campus staff in the creation a dorm-life handbook that will serve as part of the orientation of all students living in the dorm.
• Supports a safe and secure living environment in the dormitory for student so they can focus their attention on their educational program and requirements.
• Establishes a strong, positive learning environment within residential areas and the college community.
• Works with residence hall company to help resolve international student issues which may arise.

 Essential Functions – Short Term Programs  
Tacoma Community College provides credit and non-credit virtual and face to face customized programs ranging in length from 2 weeks to 6 months.  These programs generate significant revenue for the department and college and require a great deal of hands-on work and coordination to ensure that students have a fantastic experience.
 

• Establishes and supports short-term programs with international partners.
• Takes the lead and manages all aspects of the program from pre-arrival to departure.
• Works with faculty to develop class schedule, coordinates events and makes all arrangements.
• Develops unique and creative short-term programs based on recommended learning outcomes from international partners.
• Negotiate terms of agreement and proposes mutually beneficial cost-effective programs.
• Track short-term program budgets (establish program costs, develops pricing schedules, budget projections vs. actual expenditures).
• Creates itineraries including educational and cultural activities components.
• Recruit, hire and oversee program faculty to teach programs.
• Hire, train and supervise short term program mentors and students to help facilitate cultural activities.
• Monitor day to day progress of short-term programs.
• Conduct surveys for participants and compile results.
• Evaluate program data and recommend future changes.
• Other related tasks and projects as assigned, assisting with special projects or helping with special events.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Experience with student housing, apartments, or property management
• Three years of experience delivering services to students or clients.
• Budget development and management experience.
• Supervisory experience
• Experience using Microsoft Office programs and database software

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business, Education, Human Development, Student Personnel, or related field.
• Fluency in a second language.
• Experience working at a community college.
• Experience managing short-term programs and international housing.
• Experience working with a diverse student population and cultural differences.
• Experience with college dorms, living learning communities and developing activities and events for students in campus dorms.

Conditions of Employment: 

• Successfully pass a Washington State Criminal History Background Check prior to employment.
• Have and able to obtain a WA state driver’s license and is able to drive a college van on the highway.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends for airport pickups and events.

The Successful Candidate will Demonstrate 

• Excellent customer service skills both in person and remotely including establishing, building and maintaining internal and external relationships that promote student success.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability and willingness to serve diverse populations.
• The ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
• The ability to manage confidential information appropriately.
• An appreciation of diversity and the benefits of a commitment to an equitable and inclusive workplace.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with students, colleagues, staff and community stakeholders from diverse backgrounds
• Self-motivation and independence
• Very high attention to detail
• Ability to work and communicate effectively with ethnically and culturally diverse populations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to build consensus and facilitate communication and cooperation.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Application Process

Complete application packages must include the following:

1. Tacoma Community College online application.
2. Resume & cover letter describing how your educational background and experience align with the responsibilities and qualifications.
3. Copies of transcripts for all colleges and universities attended.
4. Tacoma Community College is committed to creating and supporting a multi-cultural climate that welcomes, fosters, respects, and celebrates diversity.  Please attach a statement (maximum two pages) describing your experiences with other cultures and communities, your level of cultural self-awareness and how you have integrated both experience and self-awareness into your living/working environment.

Terms of Employment
This is a temporary exempt professional full time position funded by grant funding sources. Continuation of this position is contingent upon the availability of funding. The position is scheduled to work 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday. The salary for this position is $65,000.  The salary will be prorated to reflect the actual contract days remaining in the academic year. Degrees must be from accredited colleges or universities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and verified by National Clearinghouse.