Senior Desk Assistant; SDA - Student

Senior Desk Assistant (SDA) - Student Hourly Position Overview

General

The Senior Desk Assistant is responsible for leadership and oversight of the operations of a Housing & Residence Life Front Desk. The Senior Desk Assistant reports directly to an Administrative Associate and indirectly to the Business Coordinator for Front Desks & Administration. This person should be able to demonstrate effective skills in communication, leadership, administration, and must understand and be sensitive to the needs of others.

The Senior Desk Assistant is not required to live on campus housing, however, this position requires some evening hours, and last‑minute Desk coverage. As such, the Senior Desk Assistant should be generally available by phone and able to quickly respond to campus. This position should expect to work an average of 20 hours each week, 8-12 of these hours must be scheduled between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday.

As a representative of Housing & Residence Life, Student Affairs, and the University of Kansas, Senior Desk Assistants demonstrate a commitment to the Mission and Values of Housing & Residence Life.

Our Mission

Building learning-centered communities through individual support and respect.

Our Central Values

• Engaging communities
• Vibrant physical spaces
• Effective administration

Position Expectations

• Each Senior Desk Assistant is subject to possible progressive discipline up to and including termination if they violate any policies, procedures, and regulations of Residence Life, and of The University of Kansas, including, but not limited to, the Terms and Conditions of the Housing & Residence Life Contract, Student Code of Rights and Responsibilities, KU Human Resources policies, and the Housing & Residence Life Handbook.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

40% - Front Desk Management

• Co-Manage at least one 24-hour Front Desk with their direct supervisor, which serves the residents and guests of a building.
• Ensure quality customer service at the Front Desk; while providing a welcoming environment to residents and guests.
• Assist with the management of the Desk Assistant staff with the Administrative Associate and/or the Business Coordinator.
• Assist the Housing & Residence Life Staff with the hiring of Desk Assistants.
• Assist the Housing & Residence Life Staff with Desk Assistant training and residence life staff training.
• Onboard and train new Desk Assistants into the role and help with familiarity within the position and the complex.
• Evaluate the Desk Assistants as needed, but minimally once per year.
• Create the Front Desk schedule (including breaks), assign shifts to Desk Assistants, find coverage, and fill in when staff miss a shift.
• Facilitate a regular monthly meeting for all staff who work at the Front Desk.

30% - Administrative Support

• Handle telephone calls which require knowledge of Desk and Housing policies and procedures.
• Facilitate distribution of flyers, copies, and other materials within the complex.
• Manage all logs, inventories, and equipment associated with the Front Desk (packages, keys, etc.).
• Assist with tracking damage billing and charges within the complex.
• Take inventory and create supply orders to replenish supplies in desk areas.
• Coordinate processes for mail and package distribution, by complying with State and Federal laws regarding mail and packages and overseeing mail procedures including accurate logging of packages, tracking missing packages, and forwarding mail/packages.
• Oversee the labeling of student mailboxes.

25% - Housing Facilities

• Serve as a liaison to Housing & Residence Life campus partners, such as Facilities, mail and package carriers, academic units, etc.
• Monitor inventory of resident room keys, lock‑out keys, and Temporary Access Cards through weekly audits.
• Process lock changes and complete loss/damage forms for charges to begin the billing process.
• Create check‑in packets and complete checkouts to help support resident room changes.
• Communicate facilities concerns, including vending and laundry machine concerns to appropriate personnel.

5% - Departmental and Other Duties

• Demonstrate a commitment to personal integrity, such as modeling good…