Strategic Director, Residential Life & Housing

PHILANDER SMITH COLLEGE; Little Rock (AR); On-site; USD 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Disability Coverage

Flexible Spending Accounts

Health Savings Accounts

Employee Assistance Program

403B Retirement Savings

Job summary

Philander Smith University in Little Rock, AR seeks a Director of Residential Life and Housing. This full-time, 12-month live-in role provides strategic leadership for student housing, ensuring a safe, inclusive community that supports retention and success.

You will oversee residence life operations, staff, crisis response, and policies while reporting to Enrollment Management & Student Experience leadership.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in College Student Personnel, Higher Education Administration, Counseling, or closely related field.
• 3–5 years of progressively responsible experience in residential life and housing administration.
• Experience with living-learning communities or special housing initiatives supporting academic engagement.
• Experience on-call rotation, crisis response, conflict resolution, and student conduct.
• Strong knowledge of student development theory and best practices in residential life administration.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Supervise, train, and evaluate Resident Assistants and desk assistants.
• Develop initiatives for an inclusive co-educational residential community.
• Oversee housing operations including room assignments, changes, inspections, billing, and move-in/out.
• Advise student leadership groups (Residence Hall Association, Panther Programming Council).
• Conduct student conduct hearings and ensure policy compliance.
• Serve on committees representing Enrollment Management & Student Experience.
• Collaborate with Facilities Supervisor on maintenance, safety, and security.
• Respond to emergencies and participate in on-call rotation.
• Coordinate residence life programs and student engagement events.
• Partner with leadership to ensure operational effectiveness and student satisfaction.

Skills

Student development theory

Interpersonal skills

Organizational leadership

Communication skills

Budgeting & staff training

Diversity & inclusion

Independent & team work

Education

Master’s degree in College Student Personnel, Higher Education Administration, Counseling or related field

Job description

Philander Smith University in Little Rock, AR seeks a Director of Residential Life and Housing. This full-time, 12-month live-in role provides strategic leadership for student housing, ensuring a safe, inclusive community that supports retention and success.

You will oversee residence life operations, staff, crisis response, and policies while reporting to Enrollment Management & Student Experience leadership.