Vieni a trovarci in Spagna!

Resident Advisor Job Description

 

Spain Abroad is a study abroad/life coaching semester-long gap experience in Estepona, Spain. Students from around the world (but currently mostly from the USA) join us to learn independent living skills while sharing an apartment with other students. This is a somewhat individualized program that offers weekly life coaching and future planning. Students learn Spanish, budgeting, cooking, art, and explore their personal interests and areas of growth with activities and resume building opportunities as well as, cultural and adventure excursions.  

 

This position requires you live in a shared or single bedroom, in the student beachfront apartment or our Plaza de las Flores adjacent apartment, with three-six students, ages 17-22 years old.  

 

The ideal candidate for this job is someone who loves working closely with teens/young adults, is responsible, can keep clear boundaries with students, is driven and a self-starter.

 

This is a one semester position (under 90 days) with flexible/fluid hours. A valid passport is required. 

​

Resident Advisor Job Responsibilities:

• Assists residents with transition from home to Estepona.

• Enforces Spain Abroad rules and regulations.

• Enforce curfew by checking to see all students are in by curfew and reporting to Staff

if they are not:

-1am Sunday through Friday

-2am Saturdays unless accompanied by one of the RA’s

• Remains available to residents while on-call.

• Assists in supervising residents and responding to complaints, reports, requests, and

emergencies.

• Reports infractions, violations, and safety issues to staff immediately.

• Participates in orientation week events for student bonding

• Promotes Spain Abroad events.

• Works with other RA’s to create events and activities for students during their free time.

• Informs residents about relevant local activities.

• Facilitates mediation between residents.

• Helps students maintain a clean, safe living environment in the student apartments.

• Ensures no non-Spain Abroad guests in the student apartments. We have shared

spaces where friends can visit and hang out.

• Attends and participates in staff meetings and training sessions.

• Organizes and directs regular apartment meetings with residents to plan meals and

basic housekeeping.

• Assists students with meal preparation Monday through Friday

-This includes shopping for meals with students prior to preparation

-Grocery shopping at least twice per week to supply the Cocina, Tea Shoppe

and apartments with necessary food within the budgets

• Keep track of any receipts and invoices from your company purchases, giving them to

your Resident Supervisor.

• Takes photographs and videos for social media for marketing purposes.

 

Work Hours & Benefits

​

Monday through Friday is "flex" time until 4pm, with the exception of Monday 1pm group meetings and Friday 1pm staff meetings. During this fluid, flex time, the hours will be based on work needs. You may need to tend to occasional errands for Spain Abroad, assist students, create an activity, grocery shop, but for the most part, you will have flexibility to work many of these things around your schedule.  Monday through Friday from 4pm until after dinner, you are to be readily available for students. This may include creating a student activity, helping students shop, helping/orchestrating of meal prep and clean up of dinners. You have flex time after dinner, but you are to make sure all students are in the apartment by curfew each night.

 

Saturdays are excursions with students. This will include visiting cultural cities, such as: Cadíz, Granada, Tangier, and/or Gibraltar. This also includes adventure activities such as: canyoning, Caminito del Rey, and/or hiking. You are to alternate attending these events with other RA’s.*

 

Saturdays, post-excursions, is flex time for you. You are to keep your phone on, but you are not required to spend Saturday evenings with students. Rotating with the other RA’s is encouraged, spending an occasional Saturday late evening with the students.  

 

Sundays are your free day/on call day. You will rotate who will be on call for the students and who is completely off for the day. If it is an off day, the day/weekend is yours to do as you please. However, you are still required to make sure all students are in the apartment by curfew.

 

*We will rotate RA weekends- you will rotate being off for the excursion on Saturday and off for Sunday to give you occasional long weekends off of work.  Once again, you are still required to make sure all students are in the apartment by curfew.

 

The dates of upcoming semesters:

 

Summer Session 2023: Students are here June 17-August 10. Five days before students arrive (June 12), you will be required to arrive, to adjust to the time zone and new city, to take part in the orientation plan and prepare for the students’ arrival.

​

Fall Session 2023:  Students are here September 10th-December 2nd.  Four days before students arrive (September 6th), you will be required to arrive, to adjust to the time zone and new city, to take part in the orientation plan and prepare for the students arrival.

​

Spring Session 2024:  Students are here February 10th-May 4th.  Four days before students arrive (February 6th), you will be required to arrive, to adjust to the time zone and new city, to take part in the orientation plan and prepare for the students arrival.

 

Benefits:

Apartment: You will be given a shared or single bedroom rent-free in our beachfront student apartment or Plaza de las Flores apartment above the student center “cocina.” These are shared apartments with the three-six students that you are in charge of.

 

Meals: You are able to eat breakfast and lunch in the cocina from the groceries you purchase for the students and yourself, within the weekly budget. Additionally, most of your meals are included: you can eat dinner with the students that the students prepare nightly. If the group is eating out on our budget, you are welcome and encouraged to participate. Saturday excursions include meals. You are responsible for your meals on Saturday evenings and Sundays, unless you would like different food than what Spain Abroad is providing.

 

Excursions and Activities: Your Saturday excursions are paid for by Spain Abroad. Cooking classes with Rafa and Art classes with Ana or Maggie, you are welcome to participate in at no cost to you.

​

Stipend:  You will receive 100 euros per week

​

*This position does not include flight to/from Spain. However, we do have two need-based scholarships for flight coverage available that you may apply separately for. Please contact us if in need of a scholarship application. 

 

Resident Advisor Qualifications/Skills

• Bilingual English and Spanish preferred. Conversational English is required.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills

• Ability to get along with residents of various cultures and backgrounds

• Ability and patience to work with students that are here to learn better independent

skills. Some may be on the autistic spectrum. Some may have just not learned

skills such as cooking, shopping, time management yet.

• Strong problem-solving skills

• Excellent leadership skills

• Proven organization and logistical skills

• Ability to respond to and assess urgent situations

 

Behavioral Expectations:

• Behave in a mature and professional manner, as you are an example for the students

and a representative of Spain Abroad

• No drunkenness or drugs of any sorts are permitted with/near the students

• Time and attention should be split evenly amongst students. No preferential treatment

to any particular student(s).

• You are not to engage in any sort of romantic/intimate relationship/sexual encounters

of any sorts with students in the program. This will result in immediate dismissal

of your position.

• Must maintain professionalism with students on personal social media, whether your

account is private or not. Any posts containing students must be appropriate for

us to see and their parents.

• Must pass a background check.

 

Education, Experience Requirements:

• University graduate (preferred, but not required)

• Experience working with teens/young adults

• Letters of reference and resume demonstrating responsibility and ability to maintain a professional position required.