Time commitment, Meetings, and training

• Contract period spans from the beginning of January to May 3 inclusively; an average of 12-20 hours per week in shifts of 6-8 hours

• Must be available to work at least two shifts per week

• Must be available to work evenings and overnight, during the week and weekends. 

• Must attend and actively participate in all mandatory trainings:

• Staff hired in January are required to attend one week of in-person and asynchronous mandatory training preceding the start of the Winter semester

•  Staff hired after January training will be required to participate in a shorter custom training offered during the winter semester

• Must participate in mandatory on-the-job training, as required

• Must complete mandatory online training as determined by Housing Residence Life and the University

• Must attend one team-wide meeting per semester

• Must attend one-on-one meetings with their supervisor as required

Student interactions

• RSAs will respond to inquiries from residents and guests who are looking for support with guest registry, or who require support with intervention (e.g., conduct or care interventions). 

• RSAs will use resources on campus and in the community to address various needs or concerns identified.

• RSAs are knowledgeable about the Residence Agreement, Code of Conduct, and Disciplinary Procedure as well as other University policies. They will share this knowledge with residents, their guests, their fellow RST members, and other members of the campus community.

• RSAs should foster an inclusive and cohesive residence environment by taking a proactive, preventative approach in intervening to resolve any conflicts.

• RSAs will document and inform their supervisor of any situations or conflicts they are aware of, and, when appropriate, work in collaboration to address them.

Resident conduct and care support

• RSAs are expected to support students with conduct and care peer conversations as informed by their training. RSAs may be called to support these needs within any residence buildings during the course of their shift.

• Conduct support may include conversations with residents and guests to uphold the Residence Agreement, Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedure. This includes having proactive and preventative conversations with students and guests about the rules in residences.

• Care support involves the ability to utilize their training to recognize, respond, and refer students in distress to the appropriate resources.

Community development requirements

• RSAs may be required to support alternative programming initiatives, using a harm reduction, trauma-informed approach, during key periods of the year to meet the needs of the service and community living in residence. These key periods may include but are not limited to Winter Welcome Week, Saint-Patrick's day, etc. 

Administrative duties

• RSAs must utilize the approved scheduling software to input availability, receive and manage all assigned shifts, clock in and out of shifts, and request time off.

• RSAs must use the approved documentation software system to document significant observations, interactions with residents,  SafeWalks , and all other required reports. The inbox associated with their account must be checked regularly for bulletins and reports (unless on official time off). 

• RSAs must use Workday to enter all time worked to be approved for payment by their supervisor.

• RSAs should monitor their work email inbox (Outlook) and messages (MS Teams) regularly (unless on official time off).

• RSAs must participate in Performance Appraisal processes.

Safety and wellbeing

• RSAs must uphold all policies and procedures relating to confidentiality, use of technology & software, and conditions of employment. RSAs intervene to ensure safety and wellbeing in the residence community through various strategies led by principles of harm reduction and informed by residence policies. Therefore, RSAs must know, follow, and uphold the Residence Agreement, Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedure in the University of Ottawa’s residences. RSAs should promote the respect of residence policies by helping residents understand the reason for regulations and encourage individual and community responsibility in maintaining them. RSAs must be consistent in upholding regulations throughout their employment with Housing and Residence Life.  

• RSAs must maintain an awareness of routine and emergency procedures essential to the safety and wellbeing of residents (e.g., fire alarms, medical emergencies, fire evacuation procedures). 

• RSAs may collaborate with other Housing and Residence Life staff by monitoring common areas (e.g., kitchens, washrooms, lounges, etc.) when they are in a residence building and reporting any issues via the appropriate platforms.

• RSAs will work with other campus partners such as Protection Services, Client Services, Residence Life, Facilities, etc., to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents.

RSA shifts and responsibilities

• RSA shifts are a mandatory part of this position and require the RSAs to regularly participate in the shift schedule in order to meet operational needs.

• When scheduled to work a RSA shift, RSAs are expected to interact with residents, complete any necessary interventions or follow-up, control access to residence buildings, inspect community spaces in their designated areas for issues (i.e., safety and wellbeing concerns, presence of physically or psychologically harmful situations), as well as monitor the shared RST area phone (when applicable). Those working an RSA shift must remain in the residence buildings and be a visible presence during the entirety of their shift unless responding to a service call that requires them to attend to another area in residence (e.g., a SafeWalk call, a noise complaint, a wellness check).  RSAs are expected to respond to requests for support from both students and campus partners (e.g., mental health interventions) and to complete any resulting documentation or reports.

• During key periods of the year, additional RSAs may be scheduled to meet the needs of the service and community in residence, as determined by the Lead Coordinator, Residence Conduct and the Management team. These key periods may include but are not limited to Winter Welcome Week, Saint-Patrick's day, etc. 

Essential qualifications

• Maintain a full-time student status at the University of Ottawa at the time of application and throughout the employment contract period. Enrollment in programs related to human services like social work, psychology, education, public health, criminology, counselling, human resources, health sciences) is an asset.

• Obtain and maintain a minimum 5.0 CGPA at the University of Ottawa. 

• All members of the Residence Safety Team are required to meet a high level of bilingualism (English, French) to best support students living in residence. Given the multilingual nature of the student community living in residence, proficiency in additional languages is an asset. 

• As employees with the University of Ottawa, prospective candidates for a role with the Residence Safety Team must obtain a satisfactory result on a language proficiency test. Results that do not meet this requirement will automatically result in disqualification.

• Maintain a good standing at the University of Ottawa and in residence (where applicable).

• Valid Standard First Aid and CPR-C/AED Certification delivered by a recognized certification body in Canada and approved by WSIB in Ontario. Certification is to be valid throughout the employment contract period, recertification within this period is permitted.

• Results of a Vulnerable Sector Background Check completed within the 2 years before the start of the employment contract period. 

• Skilled in the use of all Microsoft Office software and other communication platforms.

• Must be at least 18 years of age and eligible to work in Canada

Job competencies

• Experience with security work (e.g., licensed security guard) is an asset.

• Experience with crisis management and/or mental health interventions is an asset (e.g., distress line respondent)

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills to connect with others on a peer-to-peer level 

• Excellent problem solving and decision-making skills 

• Ability to manage time effectively and meet deadlines 

• Ability to collaborate with others as well as work independently   

• Creativity and initiative for community events 

• Strong documentation skills

• Strong organizational abilities and attention to detail  

• High tolerance for stress and ability to self-regulate 

• Capacity to assist in managing crisis situations of a physical, emotional, academic, and environmental nature 

• Ability to self-evaluate and be receptive to feedback  

• Excellent communications skills with supervisors related to deadlines, issues arising, urgent matters 

• Familiarity with Housing and Residence Life’s leading principles, concepts, and approaches like harm reduction, JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion), stepped care model, etc. (an asset)  

• Knowledge of the University of Ottawa campus and surrounding vicinity (an asset) 

• Knowledge of the Residence Agreement, Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedure as well as other University of Ottawa policies (an asset) 

Job Reports to: Lead Coordinator, Residence Conduct

Purpose of residence safety team lead (RS-TL)

Residence Safety Team Leads (RS-TLs) are University of Ottawa student leaders who provide support, mentorship and leadership to Residence Safety Ambassadors (RSAs).  RS-TLs improve the student experience and assist in ensuring the safety of members of the university’s residence community. In this leadership role, RS-TLs will coordinate SafeWalk dispatch, support the team with challenging student interactions, provide mentoring around aspects of the RSA role and responsibilities, facilitate on-the job training opportunities for RSAs, manage the RSA shift schedule for coverage and time off, be a resource for and coordinator of the team’s residence safety education initiatives, and be available to help when circumstances require more support. RS-TLs work closely with other campus partners, such as Residence Life, Client Relations, Facilities and Protection Services in the education and compliance of Housing policies within uOttawa’s residences. 


This is primarily an overnight/evening role and requires candidates to be able to travel to and from campus during late-night and early-morning hours. Applicants should have reliable transportation or a plan in place to ensure punctual arrival and safe departure from shift assignments. 

Time commitment, meetings, and training

• Contract period spans from the beginning of January to May 3 inclusively; an average of 12-20 hours per week in shifts of 6-8 hours

• Must be available to work at least two shifts per week

• Must be available to work evenings and overnight, during the week and weekends. 

• Must attend and actively participate in all trainings deemed necessary for their role:

• Staff hired in January are required to attend one week of in-person and asynchronous mandatory training preceding the start of the Winter semester

• Staff hired after January training will be required to participate in training offered during the Winter semester

• Must participate in mandatory on-the-job training, as required

• Must complete mandatory online training as determined by Housing and Residence Life and the University

• Must attend one team-wide meeting per semester

• Must attend meetings with their supervisor as required

Student interactions

• RS-TLs are peer leaders for RSAs while on shift. They should foster an inclusive and cohesive team environment for RSAs, offering guidance and serving as a resource for challenging incidents.

• RS-TL will respond to residents and guests who are looking for support with guest registry, or who require support with intervention (e.g., conduct or care interventions). 

• RS-TLs will use resources on campus and in the community to address various needs or concerns identified

• RS-TL are knowledgeable about the Residence Agreement, Code of Conduct, and Disciplinary Procedure as well as other University policies. They will share this knowledge with members of the RST, residents, their guests, and other members of the campus community.

• RS-TL should foster an inclusive and cohesive residence environment by taking a proactive, preventative approach in intervening to resolve any conflicts

• RS-TL will document and inform their supervisor of any situations or conflicts they are aware of, and, when appropriate, work in collaboration to address them.

Resident conduct and care support

• RS-TLs are expected to support students with conduct and care peer conversations as informed by their training. RS-TLs may be called to support these needs within any residence buildings during the course of their shift.

• RS-TLs, while on shift, will support RSAs who require assistance in managing conduct or care situations or will escalate to their supervisor or approved support resource as needed.

• Conduct support may include roommate mediations and upholding the Residence Agreement, Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedure. This includes having proactive and preventative conversations with students about the rules in residences.

• Care support involves the ability to utilize their training to recognize, respond and refer students in distress to the appropriate resources.

Community development requirements

• RS-TLs may be required to support alternative programming initiatives, using a harm reduction, trauma-informed approach, during key periods of the year to meet the needs of the service and community living in residence. These key periods may include but are not limited to Winter Welcome Week, Saint-Patrick's day, etc. 

Administrative duties

• RS-TLs must utilize the approved scheduling software to input availability, receive and manage all assigned shifts, clock in and out of shifts, and request time off. RS-TLs will use the scheduling software to review RSA availability and assign shifts to RSAs.

• RS-TLs must use the approved documentation software to document significant observations, interactions with residents, SafeWalks, and all other required reports. The inbox associated with their account must be checked regularly for bulletins and reports (unless on official time off). 

• RS-TLs must use Workday to enter all time worked to be approved for payment by supervisor.

• RS-TLs should monitor their work email inbox (Outlook) and messages (MS Teams) regularly (unless on official time off).

• RS-TLs must participate in performance appraisal processes. RS-TLs will also contribute by conducting assessments of the performance of their RSA peers. 

Safety and wellbeing

• RS-TLs must uphold all policies and procedures relating to confidentiality, use of technology & software, and conditions of employment.

• RS-TLs intervene to ensure safety and wellbeing in the residence community through various strategies led by principles of harm reduction and informed by residence policies. Therefore, RS-TLs must know, follow, and uphold the Residence Agreement, Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedure in the University of Ottawa’s residences. RS-TL should promote the respect of residence policies by helping residents understand the reason for regulations and encourage individual and community responsibility in maintaining them. RS-TL must be consistent in upholding regulations throughout their employment with Housing and Residence Life.  

• RS-TLs must maintain an awareness of routine and emergency procedures essential to the safety and wellbeing of residents (e.g., fire alarms, medical emergencies, fire evacuation procedures). 

• RS-TLs may collaborate with other Housing and Residence Life staff by monitoring common areas (e.g., kitchens, washrooms, lounges, etc.) when they are in a residence building and reporting any issues via the appropriate platforms.

• RS-TLs will work with other campus partners such as Protection Services, Client Services, Residence Life, Facilities, etc., to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents.

RS-TL shifts and responsibilities

• RS-TL shifts are a mandatory part of this position and require the RS-TL to regularly participate in the shift schedule in order to meet operational needs.

• When scheduled to work a RS-TL shift, RS-TL are expected to interact with residents, complete any necessary interventions or follow-up, control access to residence buildings, inspect community spaces in their designated areas for issues (i.e., safety and wellbeing concerns, presence of physically or psychologically harmful situations), as well as monitor the shared RST area phone (when applicable). 

• Those working an RS-TL or RSA shift must remain in the residence buildings and be a visible presence during the entirety of their shift unless responding to a service call that requires them to attend to another area in residence (e.g., a SafeWalk call, a noise complaint, a wellness check).  RS-TL are expected to respond to requests for support from both students and campus partners (e.g., mental health interventions) and to complete any resulting documentation or reports.

• While on shift RS-TLs may perform various training and administrative tasks such as reviewing RSA availabilities, publishing RSA shift schedules, reviewing RSA reports, evaluating RSA performance, providing RSAs with on-the-job-training, and dispatching RSAs to SafeWalk calls. Additional administrative tasks may be given to RS-TLs as directed by the Lead Coordinator, Residence Conduct.

• During key periods of the year, RS-TLs may be called to complete RSA shifts to meet the needs of the service and community in residence, as determined by the Lead Coordinator, Residence Conduct and the Management team. These key periods may include but are not limited to Winter Welcome Week, Saint-Patrick's day, etc. 

Essential qualifications

• Maintain a full-time student status at the University of Ottawa at the time of application and throughout the employment contract period. Enrollment in programs related to human services like social work, psychology, education, public health, criminology, counselling, human resources, health sciences) is an asset.

• Obtain and maintain a minimum 5.0 CGPA at the University of Ottawa. 

• All members of the Residence Safety Team are required to meet a high level of bilingualism (English, French) to best support students living in residence. Given the multilingual nature of the student community living in residence, proficiency in additional languages is an asset. 

• As employees with the University of Ottawa, prospective candidates for a role with the Residence Safety Team must obtain a satisfactory result on a language proficiency test. Results that do not meet this requirement will automatically result in disqualification.

• Maintain a good standing at the University of Ottawa and in residence (where applicable).

• Valid Standard First Aid and CPR-C/AED Certification delivered by a recognized certification body in Canada and approved by WSIB in Ontario. Certification is to be valid throughout the employment contract period, recertification within this period is permitted.

• Results of a Vulnerable Sector Background Check completed within the 2 years before the start of the employment contract period. 

• Skilled in the use of all Microsoft Office software and other communication platforms.

• Must be at least 18 years of age and eligible to work in Canada

Job competencies

• Demonstrated competencies in leading, training, and mentoring peers

• Experience with security work (e.g., licensed security guard) is an asset.

• Experience with crisis management and/or mental health interventions is an asset (e.g., distress line respondent)

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills to connect with others on a peer-to-peer level 

• Excellent problem solving and decision-making skills 

• Ability to manage time effectively and meet deadlines 

• Ability to collaborate with others as well as work independently   

• Creativity and initiative for community events 

• Strong documentation skills

• Strong organizational abilities and attention to detail  

• High tolerance for stress and ability to self-regulate 

• Capacity to assist in managing crisis situations of a physical, emotional, academic, and environmental nature 

• Ability to self-evaluate and be receptive to feedback  

• Excellent communications skills with supervisors related to deadlines, issues arising, urgent matters 

• Familiarity with Housing and Residence Life’s leading principles, concepts, and approaches like harm reduction, JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion), stepped care model, etc. (an asset)  

• Knowledge of the University of Ottawa campus and surrounding vicinity (an asset) 

• Knowledge of the Residence Agreement, Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedure as well as other University of Ottawa policies (an asset)