Director

MVSU International; Mississippi; Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Mississippi Valley State University is seeking a dynamic Director of Residential Life to provide visionary leadership and oversee all housing operations, residential education initiatives, and student engagement in the residence halls.

The Director fosters a safe, inclusive, and supportive living-learning environment that promotes student success, retention, personal development, and community responsibility.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, or related field.
• Minimum of five years in residence life, housing, or student affairs.
• Experience supervising professional and student staff.
• Knowledge of student development theory and best practices in residential education.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Experience in crisis response, conflict resolution, and student conduct administration.
• Experience managing budgets and administrative operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight for all residential life and housing operations.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive residential life program aligned with the university’s mission and priorities.
• Establish departmental goals, objectives, and assessment measures.
• Coordinate residence hall opening, closing, occupancy management, and room assignments.
• Develop and maintain housing policies, procedures, and student conduct expectations.
• Monitor housing occupancy and retention trends and recommend improvements.
• Create and maintain a residential environment that supports student learning, academic success, leadership development, and personal growth.

Skills

Leadership

Staff Supervision

Budget Management

Communication

Crisis Response

Student Development

Collaboration

Education

Master’s degree

Tools

Housing management software

Job description

Director

Job Description

Mississippi Valley State University is seeking a dynamic, student-centered, and experienced professional to serve as Director of Residential Life. The Director provides visionary leadership, strategic planning, and administrative oversight for all residential life operations, housing programs, residential education initiatives, and student engagement activities within the residence halls. The Director fosters a safe, inclusive, and supportive living-learning environment that promotes student success, retention, personal development, and community responsibility.

The Director is responsible for managing residence hall operations, supervising professional and student staff, developing residential programming, ensuring compliance with university policies, and collaborating with campus partners to enhance the overall student experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and Administration

• Provide leadership and oversight for all residential life and housing operations.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive residential life program aligned with the university’s mission and strategic priorities.
• Establish departmental goals, objectives, and assessment measures.
• Coordinate residence hall opening, closing, occupancy management, and room assignment processes.
• Develop and maintain housing policies, procedures, and student conduct expectations.
• Monitor housing occupancy and retention trends and recommend improvements.
• Create and maintain a residential environment that supports student learning, academic success, leadership development, and personal growth.
• Develop educational, social, cultural, and wellness programming for residential students.
• Promote community standards, student responsibility, and belonging within residential communities.
• Serve as a resource and advocate for residential students.
• Recruit, train, supervise, evaluate, and develop professional staff, graduate assistants, resident assistants, and other student employees.
• Provide leadership and professional development opportunities for residence life staff.
• Conduct regular staff meetings and training sessions.
• Address student behavioral concerns and residential policy violations.
• Adjudicate housing-related conduct cases in accordance with university policies.
• Respond to student emergencies, crises, and community concerns.
• Participate in an on-call rotation and serve as a key member of the university’s BIT /Emergency Response Team.
• Collaborate with Facilities Management to ensure residence halls are safe, secure, and properly maintained.
• Monitor facility conditions and coordinate repairs, renovations, and improvement projects.
• Conduct regular inspections of residential facilities.
• Work closely with University Police and other campus departments regarding safety and security initiatives.
• Develop, manage, and monitor departmental budgets.
• Ensure responsible stewardship of university resources.
• Assist with contract management and procurement processes related to residential operations.
• Prepare reports and analyses related to housing revenue, occupancy, and departmental expenditures.
• Utilize data and assessment practices to evaluate residential programs and services.
• Prepare annual reports and strategic planning documents.
• Ensure compliance with university policies, state regulations, and applicable federal requirements.
• Maintain accurate records and documentation.
• Collaborate with Academic Affairs, Student Health Services, Counseling Services, University Police, Enrollment Management, Student Leadership, and other campus partners.
• Participate on university committees and represent Residential Life at campus events.
• Support institutional efforts related to retention, persistence, student engagement, and student success.
• Ability to lead diverse teams and foster positive workplace culture.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of residence life management processes, student success initiatives and retention strategies.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships across campus.
• Any other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, Educational Leadership, College Student Personnel, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in residence life, housing administration, or student affairs.
• Demonstrated experience supervising professional and student staff.
• Knowledge of student development theory and best practices in residential education.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Experience in crisis response, conflict resolution, and student conduct administration.
• Experience managing budgets and administrative operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Eight (8) or more years of professional experience in residence life or housing administration.
• Experience working at a Historically Black College or University ( HBCU ).
• Experience with housing management software systems.
• Experience in facilities management and occupancy planning.
• Demonstrated success in assessment, strategic planning, and program evaluation.

Physical Demands

• Ability to travel throughout campus facilities.
• Ability to respond to emergencies outside normal working hours.
• Occasional evening and weekend work required.