Director of Housing and Residence Life

Director of Housing and Residence Life

Job Title: Director of Housing and Residence Life

Department: Residence Life

Reports to: Dean of Students

Effective Date: 12/10/2025

# of Direct Reports: 4

# of People Supported: ~750

Job Description:

The Director of Housing and Residence Life provides leadership to the residential population of 750 students, 23-25 Resident Assistants, one full-time Maintenance Staff member, two full-time Residence Coordinators, and one Assistant Director of Operations. A member of the Dean of Students Leadership Team, the Director is part of an integrated engagement team that emphasizes communication and collaboration to create a vibrant and engaged student experience.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Supervise the daily operations of the Office of Residence Life.
• Supervise the Assistant Director of Operations and the Maintenance staff member, 2 professional coordinators and oversee the paraprofessional staff program.
• Create and implement the recruitment, selection, on-boarding, and training programs for all Residence Life staff members. Ensure all staff are properly trained to respond to all emergencies.
• Develop an on-going evaluation and feedback process for all positions.
• Maintain staff manuals.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Residence Education & Student Engagement

• Develop and implement a residence education program that creates strong, positive, inclusive communities and a sense of belonging to the University.
• Create and manage residential education pieces (professional and student staff training, professional and student staff recruitment/selection, residential engagement model).
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to create student engagement that enhances the student experience and assists in retention.
• Work with CSIL and Residence Life staff to implement campus-wide traditions and programs, such as Fall Fest, Late-Night Breakfast and Quad Jam.
• Serve as a resource and referral agent for students' academic and social needs.

Housing and Operations

• Oversight of facilities management and residence hall operations, including housing selections, room assignments, room changes, opening and closing processes, and break housing.
• Manage capacity planning of residence halls and track enrollment data to ensure success of the residence life program.
• Work with the Enrollment Team to assist in recruitment and contracting with incoming students.
• Oversee the furniture replacement, along with the student room and hall lounge set-up.
• Ensure the continuous state of good repair of student housing facilities and communicate frequently with Facilities leadership, residents, and stakeholders.
• Oversee the revisions/updates of the residence housing agreement and Residential Life policies.
• Manage relationships and contracts with outside vendors
• Oversee major residence life projects, such as renovations, large-scale purchases, etc.

Administration

• Participate in crisis management of all residence hall crisis situations and serve as one of the University's Administrators on call.
• Respond to incidents reported by students and staff that occur in the residence halls, such as escalated roommate conflicts, campus safety concerns, and other conflicts.
• Serve on the University's CARE team and respond to escalated reports of students of concern, including parent/guardian outreach.
• Oversee the development of the Resident Assistant building duty schedules and monitor staff response to duty situations.
• Serve as conduct hearing officer for the conduct system, work with the Associate Director for Community standards in assuring all residence hall conduct is resolved in an effective and timely manner.
• Act as a Title IX investigator in the University's Title IX process.
• Serve as a case manager for the retention Alert Support program, meet in-person and individually with all students assigned to you, follow the identified protocol regarding student interaction, follow-up and tracking of actions.
• Serve on campus committees, collaborate with other offices such as Facilities, Athletics, Conference Services, Admissions, etc.
• Participate in traditional programs and events run by Admissions, Alumni Relations, and other departments within the unit of Student Affairs.
• Manage and monitor the annual budget and corresponding fiduciary responsibilities of the department.
• Assist with assessment efforts of the Division.
• Create and respond to ongoing assessment of the residential experience and residence life initiatives.

Required Skills/Abilities:

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following key competencies:

• Comprehensive knowledge of principles and practices of student housing and student development.
• Excellent written oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate with all student populations.
• Experience with conflict resolution.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

Qualifications:

Education: Master's degree in Higher Education or related field

Experience:

At least four years of related experience required.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Salary:

The annual salary range for this position is $65,242.00. This is a live-on position that includes full-time housing and a meal plan while classes are in session.

Hours Expectation:

Full-time, 35 hours per week

Housing:

Housing is provided. The candidate for this position will be placed in an available housing unit on the Manhattanville campus. While multi-bedroom units may be available, Manhattanville can guarantee a one bedroom unit.

Benefits:

Manhattanville University also offers a highly competitive and comprehensive benefits package, including tuition remission. For more information regarding benefits, please visit our benefits page: Manhattanville Benefits