Director of Housing and Residential Education

Job Description

The Director of Housing and Residential Education provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for Wentworth Institute of Technology’s residential housing program, which houses approximately 2,100 students across 12 residential buildings organized into seven residential communities. The university will break ground on a 972-bed first-year residential community in spring 2026, adding 300 beds, with the institutional master plan prioritizing housing growth over the next 10+ years.

The Director ensures that residence halls function as both vibrant student learning communities and financially sustainable auxiliary enterprises. This position oversees housing assignments, residential education programming, occupancy management, and financial performance of the housing portfolio.

Given Wentworth’s urban campus environment and continued residential expansion, the Director is responsible for developing revenue strategies, maximizing housing utilization, forecasting housing demand to inform future building projects and Wentworth’s multi-year financial plan, and documenting financial variances between projected and realized housing revenue.

The Director works collaboratively with Enrollment Management, Finance, Facilities, Academic Affairs, and Student Affairs leadership to align residential operations with institutional enrollment goals, campus planning, and student success priorities.

Scope of Responsibility:

• Direct or indirect supervision of the Associate Director of Housing Operations and Assignments, the Associate Director of Residential Education, the Administrative Assistant, 6.5 live-in Community Directors, and 55 student Community Advisors.
• 12 residential buildings.
• 7 residential communities.
• Approximately 2,100 residential students.
• Combination of traditional, suite-style, and apartment housing.
• Residential population representing over half of the student body living on campus.

Housing communities include first-year traditional and suite halls (such as Baker Hall and Evans Way/Tudbury) and upper-class apartment-style housing such as 555 Huntington, 610 Huntington, Apartments @ 525, and other apartment communities.

The Director also contributes to planning for future residential growth and additional residence halls expected over the next decade, which may significantly expand housing capacity and increase the complexity of residential demand management.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Housing Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for Wentworth’s residential staff, housing program, and residential education initiatives.
• Develop short- and long-range housing occupancy strategies aligned with institutional enrollment and financial goals.
• Lead housing demand forecasting to support strategic planning for enrollment growth and campus residential expansion.
• Participate in campus master planning discussions related to residence hall construction, renovation, and replacement.
• Evaluate national housing trends and local Boston housing market conditions that influence student demand for campus housing.
• Serve as a member of the Student Affairs Leadership Team.
• Serve as a Core Member of the CARE (Students of Concern) Team, collaborating on the assessment and management of students of concern and ensuring appropriate follow-up and support.
• Serve in the Senior Administrator On-Call rotation.
• Serves as a member of the weekly Weekend Wrap-up meetings.

Housing Operations and Occupancy Management

• Supervise and partner with staff to oversee daily operations of residence halls, including housing assignments, occupancy management, contracts, room changes, and move-in/move-out processes.
• Support staff in managing the annual housing selection process and waitlist management.
• Develop and foster relationships with area colleges and universities to increase or reduce inventory via leasing as needed when demand and projections aren’t aligned.
• Ensure effective use of housing management software and data systems to track occupancy and assignments.
• Maintain high standards for safety, facility conditions, and student support within residential communities.
• Collaborate with Facilities Operations and Campus Police to ensure residence halls remain safe, secure, and well-maintained.

Revenue Generation and Auxiliary Management

Housing functions as an auxiliary enterprise and is expected to support institutional financial sustainability.

The Director will:

• Develop/Support and implement revenue-generating initiatives using residence hall facilities, including:
  • Summer conference and group housing.
  • Intern or co-op housing.
  • Visiting scholar or guest housing.
  • Partnerships with local organizations.
  • Break and short-term housing options.
  • Leasing opportunities with neighboring universities.
• Optimize room inventory and occupancy to maximize housing revenue.
• Provide data-driven insights to senior institutional leadership to guide rate setting and pricing strategies aligned with strategic enrollment goals and the university’s multi-year financial plan.
• Identify opportunities to utilize residence hall spaces during low occupancy periods.
• Monitor local Boston housing market conditions that influence demand for on-campus housing.

Budget Management and Financial Analysis

• Manage the annual housing operating budget, including staffing, programming, maintenance coordination, and operational costs.
• Collaborate with Campus Operations representative(s) to develop and oversee a comprehensive multi-year capital improvement strategy and budget for residential facilities.
• Develop housing revenue forecasts based on occupancy projections and enrollment trends.
• Track housing financial performance and prepare reports analyzing:
  • Occupancy rates
  • Revenue generation
• Document and explain housing revenue variances between projected and actual performance.
• Provide regular financial updates and performance reports to senior Student Affairs and other university leadership.
• Support senior Student Affairs leadership with long-term housing financial modeling and capital planning.

Residential Education and Student Development

• Set the vision and provide leadership for residential education programs that drive student engagement, belonging, and academic success, aligned with the university’s strategic priorities and student learning outcomes.
• Develop programming that promotes community development, leadership opportunities, and inclusive residential environments.
• Implement assessment strategies to measure residential learning outcomes and student satisfaction.
• Support the development and implementation of living-learning communities and thematic housing initiatives aligned with academic programs or student interest areas.

Staff Leadership

• Supervise professional housing staff, including (2) live-off associate directors, (*6) live-in community directors, (1) live-in assistant community director, and (1) administrative staff.
• Develops the vision and priorities for recruitment, training, supervision, and evaluation of community advisors.
• Develop professional development opportunities for housing staff and maintain a collaborative team environment.

Data, Assessment, and Reporting

• Utilize housing data and analytics to inform strategic decisions.
• Develop regular reports for institutional leadership including:
  • Occupancy trends
  • Housing demand projections
  • Revenue performance
  • Student satisfaction metrics
• Implement dashboards or reporting tools that monitor housing performance indicators.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Business Administration, or related fields.
• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive experience in housing and residential education leadership.
• Demonstrated experience managing housing operations and professional staff.
• Experience managing auxiliary budgets or financially self-sustaining programs.
• Experience with housing revenue modeling and occupancy forecasting.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience managing housing operations in urban residential campuses.
• Experience with housing management software such as StarRez or equivalent.
• Experience managing or collaborating with conference housing or summer housing programs.

Position Details:

The job grade for this position is Grade 10.

The expected wage range for this position is between $104,000 and $130,000 which reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this role.

At this time, the university is unable to sponsor applicants for H-1B visas.

Compensation and Benefits

Wentworth Institute of Technology is committed to fair, transparent, and legally compliant compensation practices. We believe that clarity about pay structures and ranges supports equity, fosters trust, and ensures a positive workplace for all employees.

Please visit here to see the comprehensive benefits package offered to support the best experience for our employees. https://wit.edu/careers/work-wentworth

Inclusive Excellence at Wentworth

Inclusive Excellence is one of the four pillars of the Strategic Plan. Actively and intentionally cultivating a diverse and culturally competent institution where each member has the opportunity and support to reach their full potential and make contributions to our campus community and beyond is Inclusive Excellence at Wentworth.

To find out more about the Wentworth’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence, please visit the website https://wit.edu/about/inclusive-excellence.

All applicants have the right to accessibility support and accommodations. To request accessibility support or accommodations, contact the Executive Director of Equity and Compliance, Catlin Wells, at wellsc1@wit.edu.

E-Verify for Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9)

Wentworth participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from your Form I-9 to records available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.