Assistant Manager – Residential Operations | AURAK

Job Description

The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) invites applications for the position of Assistant Manager – Residential Operations, a key role supporting the management and continued enhancement of the University’s student housing environment.

The successful candidate will oversee and support residential facilities operations, maintenance planning, vendor coordination, budgeting, compliance, staff development, crisis response, and operational continuity. The role also contributes to creating a safe, inclusive, well-maintained, and service-oriented residential environment for students.

Employer: American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK)
Location: Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
Position: Assistant Manager – Residential Operations
Field: Residential Operations / Facilities Management / Student Housing
Experience Requirement: 3–5 years of facilities management experience, including support to residential facilities

Residential Operations Manager UAE – Position Overview

The Assistant Manager for Residential Operations is responsible for the strategic and operational management of AURAK’s residential facilities.

The position covers:

• Residential facilities management.
• Maintenance planning.
• Facilities operations.
• Vendor coordination.
• Budget management.
• Asset planning.
• Preventive maintenance.
• Health and safety compliance.
• Regulatory compliance.
• Risk mitigation.
• Sustainability.
• Residential staff support and supervision.
• Crisis response.
• Operational continuity.
• Student housing operations.

The successful candidate will work closely with AURAK’s Facilities Management Department, University stakeholders, contractors, and relevant external authorities.

Facilities and Residential Operations

A major responsibility of the role is ensuring that residential facilities operate safely, efficiently, and to an appropriate standard.

The successful candidate will support and oversee:

• Residential facilities operations.
• Maintenance activities.
• Preventive maintenance planning.
• Asset-management requirements.
• Service delivery.
• Operational systems.
• Contractor and vendor coordination.

The role requires the ability to balance immediate operational requirements with longer-term facilities planning.

Maintenance Planning

The Assistant Manager will contribute to the development and implementation of effective maintenance arrangements for AURAK’s residential facilities.

Areas of responsibility include:

• Preventive maintenance.
• Identification of operational risks.
• Coordination with Facilities Management.
• Vendor and contractor follow-up.
• Asset planning.
• Maintaining residential standards.

Health, Safety and Regulatory Compliance

The position includes responsibility for supporting compliance with:

• Health requirements.
• Safety requirements.
• Applicable regulatory standards.
• University policies.
• Residential operating standards.

The successful candidate will also contribute to risk mitigation and the maintenance of safe residential environments.

Sustainability

The Assistant Manager will support sustainability initiatives related to residential operations.

The role requires leadership in an environment that promotes:

• Sustainability.
• Diversity.
• Inclusion.
• Responsible facilities operation.

Budget and Resource Management

The successful candidate should have demonstrated experience in developing and managing resources and budgets for:

• Facilities.
• Operations.
• Services.

The role therefore requires the ability to align operational requirements with available resources and institutional objectives.

Vendor and Contractor Coordination

The position includes working with:

• External contractors.
• Vendors.
• University partners.
• Facilities service providers.
• Relevant government departments and officials.

Effective coordination is required to support maintenance, service delivery, compliance, and operational continuity.

Residential Staff Development

The role supports the supervision, development, and training of staff involved in residential operations.

Candidates should demonstrate the ability to:

• Train full-time staff.
• Mentor staff.
• Train student leaders.
• Support facilities-management operations.
• Develop new initiatives.
• Sustain existing services.

The University is seeking a collaborative professional who can work effectively across a complex institutional environment.

Residence Life and Housing Operations

Applicants should demonstrate knowledge and experience in:

• Residence life.
• Student housing.
• Residential facilities.
• Housing operations.

The successful candidate should be able to exercise sound judgement while balancing the requirements of residential life and housing operations.

Student Experience and Community Development

The role contributes to the University’s student housing experience by supporting:

• Safe residential environments.
• Inclusive living communities.
• High-quality residential services.
• Student wellbeing.
• Community development.
• Effective day-to-day operations.

Student Conduct and Crisis Management

One of the position’s stated Key Result Areas is Student Conduct and Crisis Management.

The Assistant Manager will play a role in:

• Crisis response.
• Operational continuity.
• Risk management.
• Residential incident management.
• Supporting appropriate responses to residential concerns.

The role therefore requires sound professional judgement and the ability to respond effectively in challenging situations.

On-Call and Operational Continuity

The successful candidate will support residential staffing and operational systems, including:

• Staff supervision.
• Training.
• On-call structures.
• Crisis-response arrangements.
• Continuity of residential operations.

Technology and Administrative Management

Candidates should be able to use and leverage technology and digital platforms for:

• Information management.
• Administrative management.
• Problem-solving.
• Decision-making.

Technology should support effective residential operations and management decisions.

Leadership and Collaboration

The successful candidate should demonstrate the ability to:

• Lead diverse groups.
• Communicate effectively.
• Influence colleagues and students.
• Work collaboratively across departments.
• Develop new initiatives.
• Manage complex operations.
• Understand interconnections across the AURAK community.

The role requires a dynamic, collaborative, and service-oriented approach.

Communication Skills

Applicants should possess strong:

• Verbal communication skills.
• Written communication skills.
• Interpersonal communication.
• Professional judgement.
• Discretion.

Communication should be timely, appropriately frequent, and suited to the sensitivity of the matter being handled.

Key Result Areas

The position identifies four principal Key Result Areas:

• Facilities and Operations
• Community and Residential Staff Development
• Student Conduct and Crisis Management
• Departmental Responsibilities

No percentage allocation for these KRAs is stated in the vacancy.

Essential Academic Qualification

Applicants must hold at least a:

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Facilities Management, and/or Operations Management.

Desirable Academic Qualification

The vacancy identifies the following as desirable:

• Master’s degree in Law and/or Facilities Management, or
• An equivalent combination of work and professional experience in residential life, as stated in the source vacancy.

Essential Professional Experience

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Experience leading facilities and/or operations management.

Preferred Professional Accreditation

Professionally accredited membership in Facilities Management is desirable, for example:

• IFMA
• MEFMA

Essential Work Experience

Applicants must have:

• Three to five years of facilities management experience, including support to residential facilities.

Desirable Experience

The following is desirable:

• Three to five years of administrative experience in a university environment.
• Experience in residence life.
• Experience in housing operations.
• Academic credentials or comparable experience in a closely related field.

Residence Life Knowledge

Candidates should demonstrate:

• Knowledge of residence life.
• Experience with housing operations.
• Ability to understand the relationship between residential life and operational requirements.
• Sound judgement in coordinating these areas.

Budgeting and Resource Skills

The successful candidate should demonstrate experience:

• Developing resources.
• Managing resources.
• Preparing or managing budgets.
• Delivering facilities and operational services within available resources.

Diversity and Inclusion

Applicants should have proven experience working with diverse groups and demonstrate the ability to provide leadership in an environment that promotes:

• Diversity.
• Inclusion.
• Sustainability.

Language Requirements

The vacancy states that:

• Fluent English is required.
• Bilingual ability and/or fluency in Arabic is stated as essential.

Candidates should therefore note that the source vacancy treats Arabic fluency as an essential requirement.

Internal Working Relationships

The Assistant Manager will work with:

• Students.
• Faculty.
• Staff.

The role will also collaborate with AURAK departments involved in facilities and residential operations.

External Working Relationships

External stakeholders include:

• Parents.
• University partners.
• External contractors.
• Government departments.
• Government officials.

Key Professional Behaviours

AURAK identifies the following behaviours as important:

• Service excellence.
• Professional ethics and integrity.
• Problem-solving.
• Time management.
• Teamwork.

About the American University of Ras Al Khaimah

The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) is an independent higher-education institution in the United Arab Emirates offering undergraduate and graduate education through an American-style academic model.

According to the vacancy information, AURAK’s academic programmes are accredited by the relevant UAE authorities, and the University is also accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

AURAK states that it values diversity, inclusiveness, cultural authenticity, and equal employment opportunity.

Job Summary

Employer	American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK)
Location	Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
Position	Assistant Manager – Residential Operations
Field	Residential Operations / Facilities Management / Student Housing
Required Qualification	Minimum bachelor’s degree in Law, Facilities Management, and/or Operations Management
Desirable Qualification	Master’s degree in Law and/or Facilities Management, or equivalent experience as stated in the vacancy
Experience Requirement	3–5 years of facilities management experience including support to residential facilities
Essential Professional Experience	Experience leading facilities and/or operations management
Preferred Accreditation	Professional Facilities Management membership such as IFMA or MEFMA
Core Responsibilities	Facilities operations, maintenance, vendors, budgets, compliance, staff development, risk management and crisis response
Key Result Areas	Facilities & Operations; Community & Residential Staff Development; Student Conduct & Crisis Management; Departmental Responsibilities
Preferred Environment Experience	University residence life / housing operations
Language Requirement	Fluent English required; Arabic fluency stated as essential
Internal Stakeholders	Students, faculty and staff
External Stakeholders	Parents, University partners, contractors, government departments and officials
Application Deadline	Not stated