Assistant or Associate Director of Residence Life Operations

Company: Milwaukee School of Engineering

Job Location: Milwaukee

Category: Residence Life and Housing

Type: Full-Time

Summary

MSOE invites applications for a full-time Assistant or Associate Director of Residence Life Operations to join our Residence Life team. The Assistant/Associate Director of Residence Life Operations provides leadership and oversight for housing operations, facilities coordination, and event logistics within Residence Life. The final title will be determined based on the candidate’s experience and qualifications. This role ensures operational excellence by managing housing assignments and billing, monitoring residential facilities in partnership with Community Directors, coordinating summer and conference housing, and supporting financial planning. The Assistant/Associate Director supervises operations staff, the Set-Up and Events Coordinator, and off-campus housing partnerships, working closely with the Director of Residence Life and Dining Services to align operational practices with student development goals and institutional priorities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee housing assignments, contracts, billing, and occupancy management to ensure accurate and efficient operations.
• Manage housing software systems (e.g., Jenzabar) and maintain data integrity for reporting and analysis.
• Develop and implement policies for assignments, waitlists, exemptions, and appeals that promote fairness and consistency.
• Serve as the primary liaison with Facilities, Custodial Services, and Public Safety for maintenance, renovations, and capital projects, collaborating with Community Directors to monitor building conditions and address concerns.
• Monitor facility conditions, occupancy trends, and space utilization to inform planning and improvements in partnership with Residence Life staff.
• Coordinate summer housing operations in collaboration with campus partners and supervise the Set-Up and Events Coordinator, who supports both event logistics and contract processing.
• Provide occupancy and revenue analysis to support departmental budget planning and forecasting.
• Ensure accuracy of housing charges, contract compliance, and vendor performance in alignment with university financial procedures.
• Oversee off-campus housing partnerships and assignments to ensure consistency of standards and support for students living in non-university facilities.
• Supervise housing operations staff and partner with the Director of Residence Life to align operational excellence with student development goals.

Other Duties & Responsibilities

• Actively provide operational oversight and administrative support for Residence Life
• Lead summer and off-campus housing operations
• Represent MSOE at events and committees as needed

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in housing operations, facilities management, or related student services roles.
• Demonstrated success supervising professional or administrative staff.
• Experience with housing assignments, billing, and occupancy systems (e.g., StarRez, Jenzabar, Adirondack).
• Proven ability to manage budgets, contracts, and vendor relationships.
• Knowledge of facilities maintenance, safety standards, and capital project coordination.
• Experience supporting summer housing, conference housing, or off-campus housing partnerships preferred.
• Proficiency in housing management and student information systems, and Microsoft 365.
• Appointment may be made at the Assistant Director level for candidates with less direct experience, or at the Associate Director level for candidates with extensive housing operations and supervisory experience.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with ability to build effective relationships across campus units and with external partners.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills, with ability to use data to inform decision-making.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously with attention to detail.
• Effective written, oral, and presentation communication skills.
• Commitment to operational excellence and a student-centered approach.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job the employee is largely sedentary, the ability to move is required. The employee is occasionally required to traverse within their work area as well as other areas on campus.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role uses standard office equipment, including but not limited to computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.

Extraordinary Together

www.msoe.edu/hr