Job Description
Job Title Residence Life Coordinator
Duty Station/Country Office Abaarso School, Somaliland
Immediate Supervisor’s Title Head of School, Director of Student Life
Number of Direct Reports 0
Number of Indirect Reports 0

Details are as follows:
We have 6 positions, 2 for females and 4 males. 
Starting August 2026
Salary is $300

Organizational context
Founded in 2009, the Abaarso Network enables transformative change in Somaliland, East Africa, through
educating and empowering the human capital needed to achieve ethical and effective development. The Network
includes three world-class educational institutions that provide high-potential students with critical access,
support, and leadership development: Abaarso School of Science and Technology, Barwaaqo University, and Kaabe
Schools.

Job purpose
The Residence Life Coordinator is responsible for the management of the male or female student dorm in order
to ensure that students are healthy and maintain behavioral expectations in residential and dining areas. The
Residence Life Coordinator will be the point-person for any dorm-related issues including student conflicts,
issues of health and hygiene within the dorm, student cafeteria management, and any maintenance issues or
utility concerns. A successful Residence Life Coordinator will be able to solve conflicts quickly, communicate
effectively with both students and adults, and will enjoy acting as a parental figure in the lives of students, being
caring and compassionate while maintaining strict expectations. In order to ensure the smooth functioning of
the dorms, each Residence Life Coordinator will sleep overnight in the dorm compound.

Job duties and responsibilities
● Residence Life Responsibilities
○ Build positive, trusting relationships with students, serving as an accessible and
supportive presence for their personal and residential needs
○ Support the social and residential adjustment of new students, helping them feel
welcomed and settled into dorm life
○ Ensure students are aware of and understand dorm policies and expectations
○ Ensure the smooth running of the dorm in accordance to the student handbook to
maintain a friendly, welcoming and happy environment
○ Be responsible for managing the student cafeteria
○ Ensure a visible presence in and around the premises of the dorm daily, especially in the early
morning, during breaks, in the afternoon, and nights.
○ Enforce evening curfew policy
○ Monitor the students’ welfare and behaviour and report any problems in the dorm to the
Director of Student Life
○ Respond promptly and appropriately to student emergencies, including illness and injuries,
following established protocols and notifying the Director of Student Life and relevant staff as
needed
○ Guide students in how to maintain general cleanliness and tidiness in dorms and ensure that
these tasks are carried out by students and student leaders
○ Conduct daily room checks Saturday through Wednesday, giving consequences to students
whose rooms do not meet expectations
○ Report any maintenance issues directly to the Director of Operations, but ensure that the
Director of Student Life knows of the concern, especially as related to critical utilities, safety
issues and non-functioning facilities
○ With the assistance of other faculty and the Director of Student Life, help coordinate student
arrivals, including new and returning students, and student departures when required
○ Attend Student Life meetings, faculty meetings, and any meetings as-required
○ Complete Student Life training organized by the Co-Heads of Schools and Director of Student
Life
○ Create a duty schedule for nightly curfew checks, reviewing with the Director of Student Life
before distribution
○ Working with the other faculty/Gap-Year student to ensure consistency between dorm
supervisors
○ Take an active and central role in planning, organizing, and supervising afternoon and student
life activities including sports, clubs, community events, and worktimes (approximately 10
hours/week). As a non-teaching member of staff, RLCs are expected to be highly visible and
engaged during these periods, helping to drive an enriching residential student experience.
○ Supervise detention/weekend detention as scheduled by the Director of Student Life.
○ Supervise chores as scheduled by the Director of Student Life.
○ Fulfill weekend on-call rotation responsibilities, ensuring a minimum of two Residence Life
Coordinators in the boys’ dorm and one in the girls’ dorm remain accessible and present on
campus to support students and respond to emerging needs.
○ During all short breaks (one week or shorter), continuous Residence Life Coordinator coverage
is required. At least one RLC must be present on campus at all times, though staff are
encouraged to coordinate and rotate coverage among themselves as needed.
○ Other duties as assigned by the Head of School or Director of Student Life

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