Position Summary
The Director of Housing & Residence Life provides strategic leadership, vision,
and oversight for a comprehensive portfolio of student life programs and
services that promote student belonging, leadership development, residential
engagement, and holistic student success. Reporting to the VP, Chief Student
Affairs Officer/Dean of Students, the Director serves as a key member of the
Student Affairs leadership team and works collaboratively across the institution
to create an inclusive, engaging, and supportive campus environment.
The Director provides leadership for Housing and Residence Life. The position is
responsible for developing and implementing programs, policies, and services
that enhance the student experience while advancing institutional mission,
values, retention, persistence, and student success goals.
The Director supervises professional and student staff, manages departmental
budgets, oversees residential operations, responds to student concerns and
crises, and collaborates with campus and external partners to support a vibrant
and values-based campus community.
Key Responsibilities
Housing and Residence Life
* • Provide strategic and operational leadership for Housing and Residence
Life, ensuring the productive, effective, and student-centered operation of
residential facilities and programs.
* • Supervise the selection, training, evaluation, development, and discipline
of professional and undergraduate residence life staff.
* • Oversee residence hall programming and initiatives that foster community,
belonging, and student development.
* • Supervise the room selection, housing assignment, and lottery processes and
ensure effective implementation of housing policies and procedures.
* • Interpret and enforce housing policies, procedures, and community standards
while balancing institutional expectations with student support and
developmental needs.
* • Oversee housing and meal plan accounts, meal plan exemptions, room
condition reports, damage assessments, and related processes.
* • Develop and maintain policies, procedures, publications, and communications
necessary for the efficient operation of residential life.
* • Coordinate with Physical Plant, Campus Safety, Dining Services, Information
Technology, and other campus partners regarding residential facilities,
maintenance, safety, technology, and operational needs.
* • Develop and implement plans for residential facility improvements and
participate in the selection, purchasing, repair, and maintenance of
residence hall furnishings and equipment.
* • Coordinate summer housing and conference use of residential facilities and
assist with institutional programs and events such as orientation, Host Days,
Family Day, registration, and other special events.
* • Recruit, select, supervise, train, evaluate, and develop professional
staff, graduate assistants, undergraduate staff, student employees, and
administrative support personnel within the assigned areas.
* • Develop, manage, and monitor budgets for Housing and Residence Life,
student engagement, fraternity and sorority life, residential programming,
and related initiatives.
* • Oversee applicable student organization and residential programming funds
and ensure appropriate review, approval, documentation, and fiscal
accountability.
* • Lead departmental strategic planning, program assessment, learning outcome
development, and annual reporting.
* • Establish and utilize assessment practices to evaluate student learning,
engagement, satisfaction, retention, and program effectiveness.
* • Represent Student Affairs on institutional committees, task forces, working
groups, and professional organizations.
* • Develop collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, students, alumni,
parents and families, community partners, and external organizations.
* • Serve as part of the on-call and crisis response structure for Housing and
Residence Life and respond appropriately to residential emergencies and
student concerns.
Student Support, Conduct, and Crisis Response
* • Provide support and referrals to students experiencing academic, personal,
behavioral, or other concerns, connecting students with appropriate campus
and community resources.
* • Serve as a judicial or conduct advisor as assigned and participate in
student conduct processes.
* • Respond to student emergencies and crisis situations with sound judgment,
flexibility, and appropriate follow-through.
* • Collaborate with Counseling, Academic Affairs, Campus Safety, Athletics,
Health Services, and other campus partners to address complex student needs.
* • Promote practices that support student well-being, persistence, belonging,
and successful integration into the campus community.
Qualifications
Required
* • Master's degree in relevant fields of Higher Education Administration,
Educational Leadership, Student Personnel or other relevant fields. This can
also be made up for by relevant experience.
* • At least three to five years of progressively responsible
professional experience in student affairs, student housing/residence life,
or related areas.
* • Demonstrated experience supervising professional and student staff.
* • Demonstrated knowledge of student development, leadership education, and
residential life.
* • Experience with budget development, fiscal management, and operational
planning.
* • Demonstrated ability to advise, mentor, and support a diverse student
population.
* • Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving
skills.
* • Demonstrated ability to respond effectively and appropriately to student
concerns, emergencies, and crisis situations.
* • Ability to work collaboratively across departments and build effective
relationships with students, faculty, staff, families, alumni, and external
partners.
* • Willingness and ability to work evenings and weekends and participate in an
on-call or emergency response rotation as required.
Preferred
* • Experience with strategic planning, program assessment, learning outcomes,
and data-informed decision-making.
* • Experience with residential facilities management, housing assignments,
room selection processes, and residential operations.
* • Experience with StarRez Student Housing Management Software.
* • Professional involvement with organizations such as NASPA, ACPA, ACUHO-I,
or related professional associations.
Core Competencies
* • Student-Centered Leadership: Demonstrates a commitment to student
development, belonging, persistence, well-being, and success.
* • Strategic Leadership: Translates institutional mission and strategic
priorities into effective student affairs programs, policies, and services.
* • Relationship Building: Builds trust and productive partnerships with
students, faculty, staff, families, alumni, and external organizations.
* • Staff Development: Effectively recruits, supervises, evaluates, mentors,
and develops professional and student employees.
* • Crisis Management and Judgment: Responds calmly and effectively to complex
student, residential, behavioral, and emergency situations.
* • Organizational and Operational Management: Demonstrates strong planning,
prioritization, project management, and attention to detail.
* • Fiscal Responsibility: Effectively develops, monitors, and manages
departmental and program budgets.
* • Inclusive Leadership: Creates environments that respect and support
students and colleagues from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
* • Collaboration: Works effectively across institutional divisions and
functional areas to advance student success.
* • Assessment and Continuous Improvement: Uses data, assessment, and student
feedback to evaluate programs and improve services.
* • Mission Alignment: Demonstrates commitment to the institution's mission,
values, and purpose.
Working Conditions
This position requires flexibility to work outside of traditional business
hours, including evenings and weekends, based on student programs, residence
life needs, campus events, and emergency situations. The Director will
participate in the Student Affairs/Housing and Residence Life on-call structure
as assigned and may be required to respond to urgent residential or student
concerns.
The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to balance strategic
leadership with hands-on operational oversight while maintaining a visible,
accessible, and student-centered presence across campus