Assistant Director of Residence Life

George Mason University; Chantilly (VA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

George Mason University is seeking an Assistant Director of Residence Life to lead residence halls, develop Learning Communities, and manage operations for a 1,500-student residential area. You will supervise 4 professional staff and contribute to department and university goals through collaborative initiatives.

The role requires strong leadership, crisis response, budget oversight, and student-centered programming within a hybrid campus environment in Fairfax, VA.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3+ years residence life and/or residential services; graduate experience may substitute one year.
• Experience supervising professional and/or student employees."

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to Residence Life staff, supervise Community Directors and Coordinators.
• Oversee operations for a residential area with about 1,500 undergraduates; coordinate staffing and programs.
• Lead Learning Communities initiatives and LC partnerships with campus entities.
• Coordinate move-in/move-out, health and safety inspections, and housing operations.

Skills

Supervision

Staff development

Crisis response

Budget management

Student support

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent

3+ years residence life experience

Job description

Department:

University Life

Classification:

Professional Faculty

Job Category:

Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type:

Full-Time

Work Schedule:

Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location:

Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type:

Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility:

Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Salary:

Salary starting in the low 70K's, commensurate witheducation and experience

Restricted:

Yes

Criminal Background Check:

Yes

About the Department:

Housing & Residence Life (HRL) is a self-supporting auxiliaryorganization within the University Life unit of George MasonUniversity. HRL serves a highly diverse population of approximately6,000+ students, the majority of which are undergraduates living intraditional, suite and apartment-style residence halls on threecampuses within the vibrant Northern Virginia area.

HRL employs over 150 full-time and graduate staff members and over250 undergraduate student staff members. HRL is committed toproviding a safe, well-maintained student-centered environment thatis innovative and all-inclusive of a global community. It isdedicated to creating a home that enriches the experiences of ourstudents, staff and faculty.

About the Position:

The Assistant Director of Residence Life provides leadership forresidence halls, develops and implements HRL Learning Communities(LCs), and is responsible for collaborative internal departmentalprocesses.

The Assistant Director has primary responsibility for the overallmanagement of a residential area housing approximately 1,500undergraduate students. Responsibilities include supervision offour (4) professional Community Directors and Coordinators,oversight for all administrative functions within the assignedarea, and active support for departmental and divisional goals andinitiatives through various collaborative efforts.

The Assistant Director also develops and implements LC proceduresand operations, which include new and returning residentrecruitment efforts, first-year and upper-division studentassignments, collaborative efforts with academic and UniversityLife LC partners, and ongoing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)agreements for LCs.

Focus areas for internal processes include move-in/move-out,closing, and Health and Safety Inspections for Residence life. Reporting to the Associate Director of Residence Life, the positionis a live-on role that includes participation in the AssistantDirector duty rotation for the Fairfax Campus.

Responsibilities

Supervision and Leadership

• Provides guidance, leadership, and direction to ensureappropriate supervisory support to direct reports (CommunityDirectors, Coordinators, and Grad staff), quality supervision ofindirect reports (Grad staff and student staff), and teamaccountability;
• Establishes and communicates performance goals, expectations,and deadlines for supervised staff to ensure alignment withdepartmental priorities, university goals, and effective deliveryof residential programs and services;
• Organizes workflow for Residence Life to ensure that employeesunderstand their duties or delegated tasks. Receives and addressescomplaints and other issues as applicable;
• Provides ongoing supervision through regular one-on-onemeetings, coaching, goal-setting, and performance evaluations tosupport staff development, accountability, and effective jobperformance;
• Hires, and trains new employees to ensure the departmentmaintains a qualified, knowledgeable, and effective workforcecapable of supporting departmental and university objectives;
• Prepares and conductstimelyperformance evaluations,andmaintains accuraterecords of employee performance, feedback,and disciplinary actions,ensuring adherence to legal anduniversity policies and procedures. Collaborates with UL divisionalpartners/stakeholders to address performance concerns;
• Provides leadership and oversight for a residential area on theFairfax Campus to ensure effective operations, student support, anda positive residential experience; Responsible for theimplementation and execution of the student engagement model tosupport and attain departmental, divisional, and Universitygoals;
• Supports Residence Life staff in crisis response and studentintervention efforts in collaboration with the Housing andResidence Life Care and Outreach team to ensure timely support forstudent well-being and safety;
• Participates in the Assistant Director on-call rotation withother Assistant Directors in Housing & Residence Life toprovide support for emergencies and critical incidents involvingresidential students and facilities;
• Assists in planning and implementing training for CommunityDirectors/Coordinators, Graduate Assistants, and undergraduatestudent staff to ensure staff are prepared to effectively supportstudents and carry out departmental responsibilities;
• Leads Residence Life staff meetings and departmentalstakeholder meetings as needed to facilitate communication,alignment of priorities, and effective operational coordination;and
• Communicates information between upper management and staff topromote clarity, alignment, and effective implementationofdepartmental priorities.

Administration

• Provides leadership and administrative support for alloperations within the assigned residential area to ensure effectivemanagement, operational consistency, and alignment withdepartmental goals;
• Collaborates with the Associate Director of Residence Life tosupport departmental and University Life assessment efforts inpartnership with the HRL Assessment Analyst to inform goals,improve services, and advance student success;
• Coordinates major departmental operations, including semesteropenings and closings, summer transitions, early arrivals, andbreak housing, to support efficient execution of residentialprocesses and ensure a positive student experience;
• Ensures timely follow-up on maintenance and facilities needsand projects within residential buildings to maintain safe,functional, and well-maintained living environments;
• Collaborates with Residential Services and Community Directorsto ensure accurate occupancy records and resolves assignmentdiscrepancies within assigned halls;
• Oversees purchases, vendor contracts, and budget reconciliationwithin the assigned residential area to ensure fiscal accuracy andresponsible financial management;
• Ensures accurate damage billing and key/access managementprocedures in collaboration with Residential Services andFacilities staff to maintain security, accountability, andoperational consistency; and
• Ensures appropriate case management, follow-up, and studentsupport in consultation with the Housing and Residence Life Careand Outreach and Community Standards teams to support studentwell-being, accountability, and coordinated care.

Collaborations and Partnerships

• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with allHousing and Residence Life staff to promote collaboration, ensureeffective communication, and support departmental goals;
• Assists the Residential Services staff with student-focusedmarketing and communication to increase student awareness andunderstanding of Housing Selection and other assignment-relatedprocess;
• Serves on departmental and University Life committees tosupport and enhance the academic success and co-curricularexperience of residential students;
• Implements Housing and Residence Life initiatives, includingthe student engagement model, to support student learning andengagement in assigned communities;
• Coordinates University Life and university-wide student successand retention initiatives in residence halls to support studentresilience and academic success; and
• Serves as a University conduct hearing officer for escalatedstudent incidents as needed to ensure fair resolution and tosupport student accountability and development.

Residence Life Programming

• Provides oversight and leadership for all aspects of theLearning Communities (LCs) program within Housing & ResidenceLife, including the development of new LCs, the growth andmaintenance of existing communities, and the management and renewalof Learning Communities Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) to ensureprogram consistency, support intentional residential learningexperiences, and advance student engagement and success;
• Provides leadership and guidance to Community Directors andother Assistant Directors who have responsibility for residencehalls containing LCs to ensure alignment with departmental goalsand expectations;
• Develops and maintains effective relationships with allLearning Community (LC) partners by facilitating monthly meetingsand ensuring consistent communication to promote collaboration,alignment, and the effective delivery of LC programs;
• Responsible for all aspects of new and returning LC ResidentAssistant recruitment, selection, placement, and traininginitiatives to ensure a well-prepared staff that effectivelysupports Learning Community programming and student success;
• Works collaboratively with appropriate HRL staff and LCstakeholders to determine and update both individual anddepartmental LC needs on an ongoing basis through assessment forcontinued success;
• In partnership with the HRL Residential Services Team,responsible for Learning Community (LC) occupancy management,including placement, room assignments, and room changes, to ensureaccurate housing coordination and support intentional communitydevelopment;
• Coordinates all Learning Community (LC) application processes,including application updates, content, timelines, andcommunication to students and stakeholders to ensure a clear,accessible, and efficient application experience that supportsstudent participation and program enrollment; and
• Serves as the Residence Life representative in collaborativeplanning and oversight of internal processes such as move-in,move-out, closing, and Health and Safety Inspections with HRLpartners to ensure efficient operations, consistent execution, anda safe, well-coordinated residential experience for students.

Departmental and Divisional Responsibilities

• Supports divisional planning initiatives and other specialprojects assigned. Activelyparticipatesin UL divisional meetings,initiatives, andin-personevents to stay connected with divisionaland institutional priorities, and to foster a cross-unitcollaboration. Participatesin professional development workshopsand training sessions for staff across the division to promotecontinuous learning and skill enhancement;
• Stays informed about best practices, research, and emergingtrends in higher education and student support services to ensureHousing & Residence Life (HRL) remainsinnovative andresponsive to the evolving needs of the student body;
• Supports divisional initiatives and other special projects asassigned, activelyparticipating atin-person events and volunteeropportunities torepresentHousing & Residence Life (HRL) andUL effectively to the campus community;
• Assumes occasional evening, weekend, and on-callresponsibilities, including participation in events and response toemergencies, to ensure continuous support for residentialoperations and the safety and well-being of students;
• Actively supports and complies with university policies,departmental regulations, vision, and goals to ensure alignment,effective communication, and consistent implementation ofinstitutional priorities; and
• Serves on departmental, divisional, and University-widecommittees and workstreams and completes additional projects andtasks as assigned by the Associate Directors and Director ofResidence Life to support institutional priorities and operationalneeds.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in related field or equivalent combination ofeducation and experience;
• Professional experience typically obtained in 3+ years inresidence life and/or residential services; 2 years of graduatelevel experience may be substituted for 1 year of professionalexperience;
• Experience supervising professional and/or student employees,including performance management and staff development;
• Experience supporting students through complex concerns,behavioral issues, crisis situations, and other student-relatedmatters requiring sound judgment and effectivedecision-making;
• Experience collaborating with campus partners to supportstudent success, educational initiatives, and departmentalgoals;
• Demonstrated ability to provide ongoing feedback, coaching, andguidance to support employee performance and development;
• Ability to monitor budget activity and expenditures to ensureaccuracy, compliance, and alignment with approved budgets;
• Demonstrated interpersonal, oral, and written communicationskills with the ability to communicate and engage effectivelywithvarying audiencesof constituents and departmentalstakeholders;
• Ability to coordinate large scale operations and multipleoperational processes simultaneously; and
• Other attributes that demonstrate a commitment to supportingstudent success, engagement, and retention.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing, implementing, or managingLiving-Learning Communities (LLCs), Learning Communities (LCs), orother curricular and co-curricular educational initiatives;
• Experience coordinating student recruitment, housingassignments, occupancy management, or retention initiatives;
• Experience developing and managing collaborative partnershipswith academic departments and other campus stakeholders, includingresponsibility for shared goals, communication, and operationalprocesses related to student success initiatives, living-learningcommunities, or other educational programming;
• Knowledge of residence life and housing operations, includingoccupancy management, residential education, student conductprocesses, and residence hall administration;
• Knowledge of learning communities (LCs) and residentialeducation models;
• Knowledge of student support and crisis response practices,including the ability to recognize concerns and connect studentswith appropriate resources; and
• Ability to assess programs, analyze data, and use results toinform decision-making and continuous improvement efforts.

Posting Open Date

September 21, 2026

For Full Consideration, Apply by

October 5, 2026

Open Until Filled

Yes

Mason Ad Statement

George Mason University is a nationally ranked R1 researchuniversity committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperousworld. With 40,000 enrolled students, George Mason is the largestand most diverse public research university in Virginia, offeringdegree programs at the master's, doctoral, and professional level,along with certificates and credentials.

George Mason fosters an All Together Different environment forstudents, faculty, and staff, driven by our core beliefs. Webelieve in inclusivity over exclusivity; we believe in advancingour mission by being willing to take risks, not avoiding them; andwe believe our best work is possible when we apply our diversity oforigin, identity, circumstance, and thought.

Equity Statement

George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative actionemployer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in itscommunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration foremployment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexualorientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability orveteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.

Campus Safety Information

Mason’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available athttp://police.gmu.edu/annual-security-report/