Resident Director, CET Beijing

Position description

Salary & Benefits 

The salary range for this position is USD $45,000-60,000 annually, commensurate with experience. Benefits differ depending on the contract type and citizenship, but include generous paid leave, medical insurance, professional development opportunities, and more.  

Description of the Position

The RD works in close collaboration with the Director of China Programs, the Program Coordinator, the Academic Director, and the Office Manager. The RD reports to the supervising Assistant Director for Mainland China and Custom Programs in Washington, D.C. There is potential for the RD to manage 1-2 Office Assistants or interns. 

The RD serves as CET’s primary liaison for the program and communicates the needs of students to DC headquarters. While the faculty work directly with students on most academic issues, the RD handles all non-academic issues, such as on-site emergencies, orientation, excursions, housing, and general student advising. The RD meets frequently with students (both informally and during office hours) and helps manage CET’s relationship with Capital Normal University (CNU) and our other local partners. The RD supports the operation of the Foreign Service language training program run by CET, as needed. The RD may have duties related to Beijing-based short-term custom programs.  

What you’ll do…

 Student Advising and Support (30%) 

• Serve as the primary on-site resource for US students and local buddies or roommates
• Maintain a high level of visibility and accessibility to students via regular office hours, individual advising, cohort-wide communication, and disciplinary action
• Enforce CET policies among all program participants (Academic, Housing, Student Code, etc.)
• Serve as a linguistic and cultural resource; foster student self-reliance and connect students to local resources at CNU and throughout Beijing
• Respond to emergencies and incidents, managing messaging and communication while collaborating with on-site and US-based colleagues to support students and ensure that US partner expectations are being met
• Be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for student emergencies
• Represent student needs to CET and our host institution, articulating any proposed programmatic changes clearly and based on specific student feedback

Program Design (20%) 

• Design and run each semester’s orientation sessions; manage other student meetings as needed
• Lead innovative student extracurricular activities and program excursions
• Assist faculty with designing and implementing field-based course components
• Help to recruit and train Chinese Language buddies or roommates. Design activities for CET students and buddies/roommates that promote cross-cultural learning, self-sufficiency, and out-of-classroom use of Chinese language
• Assist with planning and facilitation of short-term, faculty-led programs that may operate in Mainland China, distinct from the Beijing standard program

 Communicating with Headquarters (20%) 

• Maintain close communication with headquarters regarding any student, partner, or staff issues that arise
• Utilize Salesforce to review student profiles and file detailed incident reports
• Work with the CET Director of Health & Safety to address student incidents and document incidents according to CET policies and US partner requirements
• Work with DC and on-site teams to maintain CET Beijing resources on Canvas, serving as an on-site leader in adopting the platform for academic and non-academic program components
• Help articulate CET’s strategic plan in Beijing, including identifying opportunities for program growth and improvement

 Financial Management (20%) 

• Work within a budget set by DC-based staff
• Collaborate with Office Manager and Beijing-based HR Director to record program expenses, monitor the term budget, and submit accurate expense reports at the end of each program term (3-4 times per year)
• Submit expense reports via CET’s accounting software
• Assist with paying salaries to local teachers and staff, as needed

 Liaising with Partners (10%) 

• Serve as a CET representative to local partners and vendors, thoughtfully developing relationships and representing CET’s priorities in growing and supporting quality programs in Beijing
• Actively seek and develop new local partnerships that might support CET strategic goals
• Effectively represent CET to custom program faculty and/or US partner study abroad staff visiting the program
• Maintain a close working relationship with CET Beijing colleagues and CNU staff through regular office hours, weekly meetings, and effective written and verbal communication
• When possible, represent CET at meetings and conferences

Qualifications

Requirements

• Advanced proficiency in Chinese and English
• At least two years of professional experience in Greater China; experience in Beijing preferred
• Experience advising or mentoring undergraduate students, preferably in a cross-cultural context
• Bachelor’s degree in Mandarin Chinese, East Asian Studies, international relations, or another relevant discipline
• Excellent management, administrative & organizational skills
• Experience with Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) preferred
• Experience with Canvas or a similar LMS preferred
• Ability to take initiative and use good judgement when solving problems
• Cultural sensitivity and experience working with students of diverse backgrounds
• Ability to handle emergencies with a calm demeanor, and serve as an authority figure to students
• Willingness to wear different hats and regularly work some nights and weekend hours to support program activities

What We Are Looking For 

Attributes of the ideal RD 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, with work often required on nights and weekends (time-shifting is employed for on-site positions to prevent burnout). We  discourage those interested in pursuing their own research or other side projects in Beijing  from applying.  

Application instructions

To Apply

Please attach your resume and a cover letter in English to our application form. Applications missing any of these components will not be considered. The successful completion of a background check, including professional/academic references, is required for this position.

Application deadline: We encourage applicants to send their materials as soon as possible and before our priority deadline on September 15th, 2025.

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