JOB POSTING: RESIDENCE MANAGER

Act Five is seeking a new Residence Manager to begin work with Act Five as of May 1, 2025, with preference given to someone who is willing to commit to a 2 year contract in this role. This is part-time and live-in position at the Act Five home.

Apply by February 7, 2025 to be considered within the first round of applicants. The job posting will remain listed as long as the job remains unfilled. Successful candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Applications must include

Cover Letter
Resume
1-page articulation of faith as related to Act Five’s mission – See Act Five Mission & Statement of Faith
3 References

Submit to jberends@actfive.ca

Introduction to Act Five

Act Five facilitates the Christian discipleship of young people, preparing them for rooted & engaged lives. We are committed to the Christian formation that happens through intentional communities of learning & practice, and we are excited by how young people have been shaped through this community over our first six years.

Based out of Hamilton, ON, Act Five is moving toward its seventh program year in Fall 2025. Act Five operates out of a large home in a downtown Hamilton neighbourhood, running a Gap Year Program and a Residency Progra m.

The Residence Manager is a live-in role at Act Five, providing leadership and support within the home. This person acts as a key resource to the out-of-house staff team while serving as a mature, pastoral presence for students, Resident Leaders, and residents. They help foster a flourishing community by overseeing home rhythms, hospitality, property care, and relational dynamics through a ministry of presence.

What is the Residence Manager Position?

The Act Five Residence Manager role is a live-in position for someone looking for a formational experience and opportunity to live alongside young adults in an intentional Christian community. The role provides an opportunity to grow in pastoral care, community building, conflict resolution, and neighbourhood engagement. The Residence Manager is asked to “keep time” alongside students and residents of 75 Blake Street through the ordinary days of living in intentional community. They will help to maintain the rhythms of life that take place in the Act Five community, while also being available to support Resident Leaders and residents as a live-in complement to the Act Five Program Manager, both in moments that require particular support (i.e. student wellness, crisis) as well as through regular times of check-in and care.

The Residence Manger works 10-15 hours per week, on average while maintaining other work (or educational pursuits) in the city. They must commit to no more than 30 hours per week of daytime work elsewhere in the city.

When does this take place?

A preferred move-in and start date for May 1, 2025 so as to
(a) offer oversight and care for the Act Five summer community
(b) have been immersed in Act Five’s way of living and learning as well as in the Blakeley neighbourhood prior to September
A required participation in a staff orientation retreat from May 10-11, 2024 (Location TBD).
Part-time participation in two weeks of staff training beginning on August 18, 2025, with leadership over relevant areas of staff training for Resident Leaders.
The anticipated commitment for this position is from May 1, 2025 through to April 30, 2027.

Responsibilities

The Residence Manager will be expected to operate in a dynamic space where work, home, and ministry overlaps in a way that can be difficult to manage without appropriate vision for the role, maturity, and experience that can help in the establishing of proper expectations, boundaries, and personal rhythms.

Along with the specific roles listed below, the Residence Manger is the primary person to have established 75 Blake St. as his/her home. This person is someone who cares deeply for the discipleship of young people, the practice of presence and hospitality in the neighbourhood, and the stewardship and homemaking of 75 Blake St.

Most importantly, this is someone who is deeply rooted in their own discipleship with Jesus.

Presence & Rhythms

The Residence Manager will “keep time” with students and residents on a year-round basis (with appropriate time away). This means being committed to participating in all of the rhythms of the home, and leading some, with a particular eye for members of the Residency Program. (Rhythms include: Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, weeknight meals, house meetings 2x/month, Evensong, and Body Care).
Commit an average of 2 evenings per week to presence in the home, and in particular, with members of the Residency Program, and one weekend per term on-call for the Gap Year program.

Hospitality

Act as the primary point of contact for Wednesday community meals, which includes managing a cooking and hosting schedule for Spaghetti Wednesdays and being a liaison between Act Five and our partners at Micah House and L’Arche.
Model and foster a spirit of welcome
When students and Resident Leaders return from program trips, the Residence Manager will make sure meals are prepped and fridges appropriately stocked (can be delegated to volunteers or residents).

Oversight of the Physical Home

While this does not mean doing all tasks, the Residence Manager is the one who keeps an eye on the state of the physical home including the cleanliness of the home, items needing repair in or on the outside of the home, the boiler, the garage, the front and back yards, and the home’s presentation to guests and neighbours.
In the summer months, the Residence Manager will make sure someone or the community as a whole is overseeing the gardens, landscaping and cleanliness or 75 Blake St.
Manage the home and property budget and submit receipts accordingly.

Support and Spiritual Care for Residents

Identify when relational conflict arises in the home and encourage those involved to have healthy conversations, knowing when something becomes in need of further staff mediation. Previous training in conflict management is an asset, and Act Five will provide restorative practice training to the individual in this role.
As the Resident Leaders are the “front line” for care for doing life alongside Act Five gap year students, the Residence Manager is the one able to be present in the rhythms of community life at Blake Street with an eye on caring for those in the Residency Program.
The Residence Manager will establish a rhythm of offering availability and/or care to Resident Leaders and members of the Residency Program, whether this means evening tea and times of prayer, being available to navigate crisis situations with a resident in the home, or stepping in for an evening to give Resident Leaders time away to rest.

The Residence Manager is not directly responsible for leading any Act Five programming beyond in-house rhythms and routines, but requires alignment with and support for the program’s goals. If unique circumstances arise that align with the person’s availability, capacity, and gifts, there may be some opportunities to lead and/or teach aspects of Act Five programming, to be considered in collaboration with the Program Manager and staff team.

Compensation Details

The compensation package for this role includes the following:

Free housing through the duration of the contract, valued at approximately $1200 / month (this is a taxable benefit). This will be coordinated with the Act Five director, but the expectation is this person would have their own apartment space in the home.
Costs covered for any meal joined with the Act Five program
Discipleship/formation opportunities as a member of the Act Five staff team, including retreats, professional development opportunities, conference participation, monthly spiritual direction and more.

Qualifications and Skill Requirements

You are committed to the Christian life and have experience in guiding the spiritual life of others.
You have a thorough understanding of the Act Five mission and vision, and are committed to uphold and embody these in this role.
You are prepared to make 75 Blake St. your home for a 2 year commitment and are prepared for the realities of community living among young adults.
You have experience with a rhythm or Rule of Life, community living, and you are interested and capable in participating in and supporting rhythms ranging from cooking and gardening to times of worship and prayer.
You have experience working in crisis or conflict situations and are willing to learn emergency response protocols. You are willing to take CPR and First Aid Training, Mental Health First Aid, and/or SAFE Talk training as is required.
You have strong communication skills, including being able to listen well. You are gifted in developing rapport with people and being a steady presence.
You are willing to learn new skills, willing to grow and be stretched and see yourself as inviting other young people to join you on the way of your own discipleship with Jesus.
Knowledge about what resources are available for young people who are intentionally stepping into an intensive environment is an asset – resources for personal wellness, difficult questions, interpersonal conflict management, etc.
You have an ability to engage humbly and effectively across differences.