Residential Life Coordinator - NYU Madrid

NYU is a global academic community dedicated to advancing academic excellence through rigorous inquiry, creative exploration, and sustained intellectual exchange across cultures and contexts. At NYU Madrid, this mission is realized through a deeply engaged campus environment that connects academic rigor with lived experience, fostering meaningful engagement with the city, its institutions, and its cultural life as an integral part of student learning. To support this mission, NYU Madrid seeks employees with demonstrated cultural fluency, strong cross-cultural communication skills, and the ability to work effectively within international and multilingual environments.

This is a full-time position. The Residential Life Coordinator plays a central role in managing and coordinating the residential experience for students at NYU Madrid. The position is responsible for overseeing housing assignments, residence operations, and residential staff coordination, ensuring that student housing functions smoothly, equitably, and in alignment with University policies and site priorities.

Working closely with residence directors, housing staff, Residence and Incidence Assistants (RIAs), Peer Mentors, and NYU administrative offices, the Residential Life Coordinator coordinates day-to-day housing operations, supports student well-being within the residential environment, and serves as a primary point of contact for housing-related concerns. The role requires strong organizational judgment, the ability to manage complex systems and multiple stakeholders, and a high level of responsiveness to student needs.

The Residential Life Coordinator reports directly to the Assistant Director for Student Life (ADSL). The Residential Life Coordinator contributes directly to the quality of student life and community-building at NYU Madrid, supporting a safe, respectful, and well-managed residential environment that complements the academic mission of the site. The position requires flexibility, including periodic evening and weekend work (approximately 3–4 times per semester), staggered shifts, and on-call responsibilities in support of student communications and site operations.

Principal Accountabilities

1. Housing Assignments and Residence Management (30%)
   • Coordinate student housing assignments using StarRez, assigning students to preferred housing options while ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and equity in the allocation process.
   • Review and filter housing requests to anticipate and minimize assignment issues, resolving discrepancies and supporting smooth placement across residences.
   • Maintain ongoing working relationships with residence directors and staff at Claraval, El Faro, and Maravillas to support daily residence operations.
   • Coordinate operational procedures and communications with residence staff to ensure consistency in housing processes and student support.
   • Coordinate with NYU administrative offices, including the bursar, to ensure accurate billing, maintain up-to-date bed inventories, and manage booking adjustments related to fluctuating enrollment across semesters.
   • Perform necessary pre-arrival housing checks, coordinate the RIAs to review the rooms and restock the necessary utensils; liaise with the Residence Staff for safety protocols and arrival coordination. 
   • Coordinate with the appropriate schools and representatives to coordinate pre-arrival, arrival and housing as necessary for short term programs and visits.
2. Residence Staff, RIAs, and Peer Mentor Coordination (15%)
   • Coordinate collaboration with residence staff teams, including external housing partners such as Yugo personnel.
   • Manage working relationships with Residence and Incidence Assistants (RIAs) and Peer Mentors, ensuring continuity of residential support and clear communication channels.
   • Oversee staffing adjustments when personnel changes occur, coordinating transitions to ensure uninterrupted housing operations.
   • Evaluate Peer Mentor performance and collaborate with global teams to support updates to compensation structures and role organization.
   • Develop and implement organizational improvements to increase staff efficiency and strengthen residential support systems.
3. Conflict Resolution and Student Support (10%)
   • Serve as the primary point of contact for student housing concerns, including roommate conflicts and issues involving residence staff.
   • Mediate conflicts and facilitate resolutions to maintain a safe, respectful, and supportive residential environment.
   • Coordinate responses to urgent situations, such as maintenance issues, safety concerns, or health-related incidents, working with appropriate University departments.
   • Provide guidance and referrals to students whose personal or academic challenges affect their housing experience, connecting them with relevant campus resources. 
   • Implements and manages disciplinary and conduct processes in coordination with the (ADSL) in accordance with University policies and procedures.
4. Housing Systems Improvement and Feedback Management (5%)
   • Develop and implement mechanisms to collect student feedback on the residential experience.
   • Analyze feedback and identify trends, proposing and supporting improvements to housing policies, procedures, and services.
   • Coordinate with residence dining providers to adjust meal offerings based on student needs, including expanding vegetarian and vegan options.
5. Training and Supervision of Housing Staff (10%) 
   • Train RIAs and Peer Mentors on conflict management, University policies, and procedures related to student support in residential settings.
   • Ensure staff are prepared to manage routine issues independently and understand when and how to escalate more serious concerns.
6. Residential Community Programming and Cultural Initiatives (10%)
   • Coordinate residential community-building activities, including student events, language exchange programs, and related cultural initiatives.
   • Support and guide RIAs and Peer Mentors in planning and implementing residential programming in alignment with University guidelines.
   • Coordinate logistics, communications, and budgeting for residential events and recurring cultural programs.
   • Collaborate with the Assistant Director for Student Life (ADSL) to design, organize, and deliver orientation events and informational sessions, as required.
7. STUDENT SUPPORT AND WELLNESS (20%)
   • Serve as a one point of contact for student-related inquiries, responding in person and via email or Zoom, and directing students to appropriate Student Life staff or resources as needed.
   • Respond to and triage student questions related to health and wellness support, providing information on available resources and referral pathways.
   • Participate in the on-duty/on-call rotation telephone resource and be available to respond in emergencies during scheduled evenings, weekends, breaks and holidays;
   • Participate in wellness, health, and crisis-response trainings as required by the University.
   • Respond to emergencies and crisis situations in coordination with Student Life leadership, including accompanying students, as appropriate, to hospitals or police stations.Position Qualifications

Position Qualifications

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Education, Student Affairs, International Studies, Social Sciences, or related area).
• Experience in American higher education, preferably in study abroad, international education, student life, or residential education.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Fluency in English and Spanish, written and spoken, sufficient to manage student-facing communication and coordination with local partners.
  Demonstrated ability to work effectively in cross-cultural and international environments, with strong interpersonal and conflict-management skills.
• Working knowledge of student development and residential life practices, particularly within study abroad or internationally based programs.
• Proven ability to coordinate complex operations, manage multiple priorities, and respond calmly and effectively to urgent or sensitive situations.
• Strong organizational, administrative, and systems skills, including experience with databases, housing platforms, or comparable administrative tools.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (including Word and Excel), Google Workspace, and general comfort with institutional IT systems.
• Ability to collaborate closely with residential staff, student leaders, and external housing partners, while exercising independent judgment in day-to-day coordination.
• Experience supporting or coordinating residential programming or events, including logistics and oversight for groups of up to 100 participants.
• Strong written communication skills, including experience preparing student-facing materials such as guides, policies, or informational resources.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, Cultural Studies, or a related field.
• Experience in residential life, housing operations, or student support roles within study abroad or international campus settings.

Additional Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Must be well versed in quality data collection to ensure adequacy, accuracy and legitimacy of data in NYU systems and be able to strictly follow data privacy and security procedures for data handling and analysis to ensure adherence to legal and institutional standards.

Please consult NYU’s data processing policies based on the new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) that can be found here: www.nyu.edu/it/gdpr/prospective-employee.

Candidates must have the unrestricted right to work and live in Spain prior to appointment.

The University is an equal opportunity employer committed to equity, diversity and social inclusion.