Appendix 3: College Leader Role Description

1. Prime Function

To assist the Head of College in the pastoral care and leadership of the College by providing a welcoming, homely, caring, supportive and sought-after environment in which Members can thrive in all respects (academically, personally, and socially).

2. Main Objectives

1. To be responsible for a floor/house, including arranging and encouraging participation in floor/house activities.
2. To provide pastoral care primarily to their floor/house Members but also others, depending on the circumstances.
3. To undertake various roster duties.
4. To undertake various allocated duties.
5. To participate in College functions.
6. To arrange and lead at least one Wednesday Expert Breakfasts.
7. To report any maintenance, health and safety issues, and attend to minor maintenance if safe and appropriate.
8. To encourage compliance by Members with College norms.
9. To act as a role model for the College, including when off-duty or away from the College.
10. To assist College management with other duties as required.
11. For experienced (i.e. 2nd year in the role) College Leaders: to act as a mentor to new College Leaders as required.

3. Key Responsibilities

1. Floor/house responsibilities

   • Prepare room signs for floor Members at the beginning of the academic year.
   • Warmly welcome and assist Members to the College upon arrival.
   • Have regular floor/house meetings as may be required.
   • Arrange and encourage participation in regular floor/house activities during the year (one per semester quarter is a good guidance).
   • Prepare birthday rosters, recycling, and other rosters.
   • Engage with floor/house Members on a regular basis.

2. Pastoral care

   • Engage on a one-on-one basis with floor/house Members on a regular basis.
   • Encourage floor/house Members to keep a balanced lifestyle (food, sleep, social, personal, exercise) and remind them of the benefits of this on a regular basis.
   • Ensure that floor/house Members are aware of your pastoral care role and encourage them to contact you if they have any concerns.
   • Monitor the welfare of floor/house Members.
   • Manage as required Member illness, accidents, medical conditions, and other issues.
   • Refer resident concerns to the Deputy Heads of College or Head of College where appropriate, being mindful of Member welfare, health and safety.
   • Act as a communication channel between Members and College staff.

3. Roster duties

   • Undertake various roster duties as required (e.g. evening, night, weekend, unlocking, security, safety, etc duties).
   • Submit a Duty Report immediately after each rostered evening duty.
   • Prepare the duty roster for each semester (this duty will be assigned to one St Margaret’s College Leader, normally an experienced Leader).

4. Portfolio duties

   • Undertake portfolio duties, as described in the portfolio descriptions.

   Note

   Each College Leader will be allocated one or more of these portfolios. These duties include the following but may change from time to time: apparel, photographer, team bonding, expert breakfasts, deputy fire warden, first aid, guest host, gifts, international liaison, minutes secretary, Communication Cup, pre- and post-dinner co-ordinator, study skills video, name quiz, Māori & Pasifika liaison, health and safety, and social media.

5. College functions

   • Attend and participate in College functions.

   Note

   Examples of functions are Sunday formal dinners, pre- and post-dinner gatherings, social events, theme dinners, Ceremony, Sports Day, etc.

6. Expert Breakfasts

   • When rostered, arrange a guest speaker for the Wednesday Expert Breakfast.
   • Announce the guest speaker at a dinner and prepare a sign-up sheet.
   • Communicate the name of the guest speaker to the Librarian in advance of the Breakfast.
   • Meet the guest speaker in the foyer prior to the Breakfast.
   • Introduce the guest speaker to those in attendance.
   • Chair a question and answer session after the guest speaker has eaten and spoken.
   • Thank the guest speaker and provide a gift.

   Note

   Each College Leader will be rostered to arrange and lead an Expert Breakfast. Depending on the number of Breakfasts held in the year, it may be that some St Margaret’s College Leaders will be rostered for more than one breakfast during the year.

7. Maintenance, health and safety issues

   • Note and report any maintenance, health and safety issues on the floors/houses/common spaces.
   • Ensure safe evacuation routes on floors/houses by keeping corridors clear.
   • Report promptly any loss or damage to equipment, furniture, or property.
   • Attend to any minor maintenance issue when safe and appropriate to do so.

8. Compliance with College norms

   • Encourage compliance by Members with College norms. Judgement should be exercised in this regard and may include a chat or verbal and/or written warnings. Any matter that arises should be dealt with in a kind and understanding manner, maintaining the integrity of the Member/s concerned.

   Note

   In certain circumstances - such as repeated non-compliance - concerns should be passed on to the Head of College.

9. Training

   • Attend the St Margaret’s College Leaders training programme immediately prior to the start of the academic year.
   • Attend a three-day refresher College Leaders training programme immediately prior to the start of the second semester.
   • Attend University Sub-warden training programmes which may be held from time to time during the academic year.

10. Other duties

    • Report all accidents, incidents, hazards and near misses in accordance with College procedure.
    • Act as a role model for the College, including when off-duty or away from the College.
    • Promote and supervise College orientation week events.
    • College Tours for prospective Members and other visitors.
    • Carry out any other relevant duties as required by College management from time to time. Examples of such duties include assisting with room allocations at the beginning of the year or helping with various University or other functions and events held at the College from time to time.

11. Mentor for new College Leaders

    • Act as a mentor as required from time to time for new St Margaret’s College Leaders.

    Note

    This particular task is applicable only to experienced St Margaret’s College Leaders, i.e. those who have been selected to undertake the role for a further year.

    Tip

    St Margaret’s College Leaders are expected to be fully conversant with and follow the contents of the Handbook for St Margaret’s College Leaders which provides more details about the above responsibilities and College procedures.

4. Relationships

1. Directly responsible to: Head of College

2. Functional relationships with:

   • Deputy Heads of College - Academic and Wellbeing
   • Other College Leaders
   • Members of the Executive Committee
   • Business & IT Manager
   • Conference & Administration Manager
   • Buildings Maintenance Staff
   • Grounds Staff
   • Head Chef and Kitchen Staff
   • Housekeeping staff
   • Librarian

5. Expected Outcomes

1. Good relationships are established and maintained with floor/house Members.
2. Effective and timely pastoral care is provided to floor/house Members.
3. A positive, healthy and safe College environment is promoted.
4. A high level of participation by floor/house Members is achieved in floor/house activities
5. Duties are carried out thoroughly, on time, competently and in accordance with the College’s policies and procedures.
6. Communication and manner with Staff, Members, and Guests are professional, fair, ethical, honest, helpful, timely, and courteous.
7. Scheduled training and meetings are attended.
8. Conduct is in keeping with the College’s underlying values of care, courtesy, common sense, and consideration for others.
9. When on rostered duty, the daily Duty Report is submitted online at the time of going off duty.
10. Requirements of the College’s Code of Practice for St Margaret’s College Leaders are met.
11. Self-management, including stress management and balancing the demands of the College Leader role with personal wellbeing is attended to on a regular basis.

6. Person Specification

To be appointed as a College Leader, you should:

1. Be a full-time enrolled student at the University of Otago for the duration of the 2026 academic year.
2. Have passing grades in all your University examinations.
3. Be eligible to work in New Zealand.
4. As a minimum, have completed one year of membership of St Margaret’s College by the end of the 2026 academic year.
5. Have a good understanding of the College’s policies and procedures.
6. Have an ability to assume the responsibility required by the role, particularly its leadership and pastoral care aspects.
7. Have mature life skills and judgement, and a positive outlook on life.
8. Be self-confident, resilient and robust.
9. Have an ability to remain calm under pressure.
10. Have good communication, organisational, time-management, and team skills.
11. Have high levels of initiative (pro-active), reliability, trustworthiness, honesty, professionalism, adaptability and common sense.
12. Have a friendly, approachable, and kind disposition with a strong empathy to relate to and assist others.
13. Have sound problem-solving and reasoning skills.
14. Have an ability to maintain confidentiality.
15. Have practical skills (or have a genuine willingness to undertake and be trained in a limited range of practical tasks, e.g. cleaning up messes, taking photos, attending to technical matters such as connecting computers to projectors or problem-solving, moving furniture, etc).
16. Have an ability to participate in an extensive training programme immediately prior to the beginning of the 2026 academic year and a short refresher training programme immediately prior to the start of the second semester of 2026.
17. Have an ability to devote sufficient time to undertake College Leader duties.
18. Be comfortable with owning up to, and learning from, mistakes.