The Florence Resident Director is primarily responsible for the operation of the CET Florence program, which runs during the fall, spring and summer terms. The Resident Director also has duties related to custom programs, which operate on a case-by-case basis.

The Resident Director supervises staff and directly oversees areas of student life in Florence, such as orientation, health and safety, student advising, housing, and activity planning. The Resident Director may also be involved in issues related to academics.

Attributes of the ideal Resident Director candidate are strong leadership skills, flexibility, dedication, and enthusiasm for working with students and for the field of study abroad. Candidates are advised that this is a time-consuming, challenging position. We discourage those interested in pursuing their own research projects in Florence from applying.

Resident Director responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Program Operations & Implementation, Policies and Procedures
• Demonstrate leadership and serve as a resource and mentor to colleagues
• Design and implement engaging extra-curricular activities and excursions
• Manage volunteer program and research new opportunities
• Attend student activities and excursions, including during evenings and weekends when necessary
• With the Program Coordinator, manage all aspects of housing, including apartments, homestays, local roommates, cleaning schedule, and maintenance issues
• Oversee annual emergency audit
• Adhere closely to CET policies and procedures
• Coordinate student arrivals
• Manage permesso di soggiorno process when necessary
• Monitor budget and submit expense report

Student Advising and Support
• Conduct orientation and serve as on-going resource for questions relating to health and safety, housing, language, and culture.
• Maintain high level of visibility and accessibility to students, via regular office hours, communication, and a welcoming demeanor
• Serve as a linguistic and cultural resource
• Implement housing accommodations where required
• Respond to emergencies and incidents, managing messaging and communication while collaborating with on-site and US-based staff
• Be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies
• Represent student needs to CET and host institution

Managing Program Staff
• Manage Program Coordinators and interns and ensure appropriate division of work
• Assist with recruiting, hiring, and training of staff

Liaising with Partners
• Effectively represent CET to custom program faculty and/or US partner study abroad staff who might be visiting the program
• Actively seek and develop new local partnerships that might support CET strategic goals
• When possible, represent CET at meetings of the Italian studies and/or study abroad field

Collaborating with Academic Staff
• Collaborate closely with Academic staff on student issues that might be both academic and personal
• Maintain close working relationship through regular office hours, weekly meetings, and effective written and verbal communication
• Advise on and support co-curricular activities, language practica, and traveling seminars as needed

Communicating with Headquarters
• Maintain close communication with headquarters regarding any student, partner, or staff issues that arise
• Utilize Terra Dotta to review student reports and file detailed incident reports
• Offer effective responses to issues identified in program evaluations
• Write a thoughtful final report each term, identifying challenges and suggesting solutions
• Contribute goals and vision to the CET Italy Strategic Plan
• Complete annual review and update of program database

We’re looking for…
• Bachelor’s degree
• European Union citizenship or permit to work in Italy
• Experience living, working, and/or studying abroad in Italy, preferably in Florence
• Professional experience in the field of study abroad (at least 5 years preferred)
• Experience advising or mentoring students, preferably in a US-Italy cross-cultural context
• Fluency in Italian and English
• Cultural sensitivity and a commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
• Ability to establish and maintain positive professional relationships and communicate effectively with colleagues, students, and staff
• Strong management and organizational skills
• Excellent time management skills and ability to manage conflicting priorities
• Ability to take initiative and use good judgement when solving problems
• Experience with Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and Terra Dotta preferred
• Willingness to wear different hats and occasionally work irregular hours
• Patience, flexibility, positive attitude, and a sense of humor

To Apply
At ATA, we don’t just accept difference, we celebrate it. We use our diverse backgrounds and perspectives to our benefit by enriching our stakeholders and ourselves. ATA is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, genetic information or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

Qualified candidates should submit the following materials:
• Résumé
• Cover letter
• Three references

Application deadline: We encourage applicants to send their materials before our final deadline on October 1, 2021.

Send application materials via email to jobs@academic-travel.com and include “Florence Resident Director” in the subject line. Applications missing any of these components will not be considered. The successful completion of a background check, including three professional/academic references, is required for this position.

To all recruitment agencies, ATA does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs, ATA employees or any other company location. ATA is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.