Residence Hall Director-Campus Flats

Western Kentucky University; Bowling Green (KY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition discount program

Wellness benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

Western Kentucky University (WKU) seeks a Residence Hall Director to lead a team and manage daily operations of a campus residence hall. The role requires a live-in commitment and responsibility for 200–400 residents, staff supervision, and student success initiatives.

The position emphasizes building a supportive living environment, coordinating programming, and ensuring safety. Experience in housing life and strong communication are essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 1 year experience as a housing/residence life leader.
• Live-in position in the Residence Hall.
• Ability to supervise and train student staff.

Responsibilities

• Manage administrative and operational functions of one or more residence halls (200–400 residents).
• Recruit, train, and supervise 15–30 student staff members.
• Oversee 24-hour information and customer service desk operations.

Skills

Student mentoring

Team leadership

Communication skills

Diversity & inclusion

Staff supervision

Evenings/weekends

Live-in commitment

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Western Kentucky University (WKU) is a student-centered, applied-research institution committed to providing its students with a transformative academic and social experience and to elevating its surrounding communities. Founded in 1906, WKU is the third largest public four-year institution in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with approximately 16,293 students and nearly 2,612 faculty and staff employees.
Western Kentucky University is committed to empowering its campus community. At the heart of our mission, we seek to provide holistic education and employment experiences that prepare students, faculty, and staff to become effective scholars, contributors, and leaders in our ever-evolving communities.
Located 65 miles north of Nashville, TN, and just over 100 miles south of Louisville, KY, WKU's main campus is in Bowling Green, KY - a city with approximately 70,000 residents. Our population is ethnically diverse, with more than 85 languages spoken in and around Bowling Green, and people from 35 nationalities call our community home.
Western Kentucky University seeks to attract talented faculty and staff who are inspired individually to contribute to WKU's strategic plans and ongoing success. We offer comprehensive wellness and health benefits to employees and their families, including domestic partners and other qualified dependents and take pride in providing a workplace culture that supports balancing the responsibilities of work and family life. Paid-time off for holidays, vacation and sick leave, and a tuition discount program for employees and dependents are also provided. Learn more about WKU and Bowling Green at wku.edu/about .

Job Description:

The residence hall system has a capacity of almost 5,200 students and is comprised of 13 halls and 4 apartment buildings, offering a variety of living options: traditional, suite style living, community living, and a twelve-month extended living hall. Housing and Residence Life at WKU believes in the transformational experience that living on campus can have on a student and its integral role in the overall collegiate experience. HRL prioritizes creating a residential environment that is compatible with and supportive of the student's personal, social, and academic development. The goal of our professional staff members is to help students work towards success by developing connections with their peers, University resources, and the WKU campus community.

The Residence Hall Director (RHD) is an innovative, full-time, live-on, professional staff member in a dynamic department committed to creating and sustaining supportive learning environments and helping students to reach their curricular and co-curricular goals. This integral member of the Housing and Residence Life team is responsible for the administrative and managerial functions of one or more residence halls and reports directly to an Area Coordinator.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties are customary for this position but are not to be construed as all-inclusive. Duties may be added, deleted and assigned based on management discretion and institutional needs.

Responsible for all general administrative and managerial functions of a residence hall(s) housing approximately 200-400 residents

Responsible for the recruitment, selection, training, and supervision of 15-30 student staff members

Implement student success strategies and initiatives for student success

• Oversee management of a 24-hour information and customer service desk(s) and its staff
• Facilitate programming and implement community development plan
• Advise, counsel, and seek to develop residents in alignment with the department's mission, vision, and goals to create and sustain a supportive living environment
• Serves in on-call rotation for half of campus, serving up to 2,500 students at a time
• Adjudicates educational disciplinary conferences for policy violations within the residence hall

Creating a Supportive Learning Environment

• Establish rapport and develop mentoring relationships with residents to reduce barriers to success, including mental health concerns, degree or career pathway issues/decisions, and financial aid issues, making referrals when necessary
• Implement academic initiatives that promote student success and increase retention as part of departmental and university strategic plan
• Collaborate with academic and University partners to create and sustain residential communities that foster student learning, development, and academic success
• Plan and present residence hall and campus-wide educational and social programs
• Play an integral role in executing the first-year student transition program

Administrative and Managerial Functions

• Execute administrative functions and manage daily operations of a residence hall(s)
• Plan and facilitate on-going training and development for student staff
• Report, record, and follow-up on facility, maintenance, and security issues within the hall
• Serve and actively contribute to the success of various departmental committees, task forces, and recruitment efforts
• Utilize various software solutions to manage hall occupancy, student staff scheduling, mail and package handling, conduct intervention reporting, etc.
• Execute crisis response protocols to maintain continuity of resident safety, security and comfort
• Respond to crises and other facilities, safety, and security issues in hall area via a rotating on-call schedule
• Collaborate with housekeeping and facilities staff members to maintain a living environment conducive to learning

Essential Skills Needed

• Must be able to create connections with residential students to guide them to success
• Must possess the ability to maintain effective, cooperative working relationships with supervisors and co-workers in keeping with the values and mission of both the Department and the University
• Must possess above average oral, written, and computer communication skills and practice ethical decision making
• Must demonstrate willingness to role model acceptance and advocacy of diverse student populations by promoting a living and working environment committed to valuing diversity and social justice
• Must be willing to serve as a role model for residential students, student staff members, and co-workers in work ethic, attitude, and approach to work
• Must demonstrate an understanding of supervision of student staff members
• Must be willing to work evenings and high-volume weekends, and assume additional responsibilities within the department as needed
• Must reside in a designated professional staff apartment within the assigned residence hall for the duration of employment with Housing and Residence Life.

This is a live-in position; the Residence Hall Director is required to reside in a designated professional staff apartment within the assigned residence hall for the duration of employment with Housing and Residence Life at WKU.

Although the majority of the position will function as described, some aspects are subject to change due to evolving departmental needs.

Requirements:

• At least one (1) year previous experience as a Hall Director, Resident Assistant, Community Advisor, or other housing/residence life related leadership role

Additional Information:

Kentucky state law requires all public institutions of postsecondary education to conduct pre-employment criminal background checks to determine suitability for employment.

Western Kentucky University (WKU) is committed to a policy and practice of providing equal employment and educational opportunities to all individuals. In accordance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Revised 1992, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, no form of discrimination or harassment will be tolerated at WKU on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, marital status, age, uniformed services, veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, or physical or mental disability in admission to career and technical education programs and/or activities, or employment practices.

Persons with disabilities, who need reasonable accommodations to participate in the application and/or selection process, may contact the Office of Institutional Equity at 270-745-5121 for assistance. To report concerns related to WKU's Discrimination and Harassment Policy, No. 0.2040 and/or WKU's Sex and Gender-Based Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Policy, No. 0.2070, please complete the Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Reporting Form. Additional information regarding Title IX, including contact information for the Title IX Coordinator and reporting options, is available on WKU's Title IX website .

For information related to job postings, application status, or the hiring process, please [e-mail] .