Associate Director of Residential Community Safety Operations

CSU Careers•San José, CA

About The Position

The Associate Director of Residential Community Safety Operations provides strategic leadership for all aspects of safety, security, and emergency planning within University Housing Services (UHS) for approximately 5000 residents living in University Housing Services. The program includes the day-to-day operation of six residence halls housing approximately 2,800 first year students and two apartment complexes housing approximately 2,200 upper division students, graduate students, faculty, and staff. The position ensures that housing operations and residential communities consistently employ best-practice systems, staff training, and partnerships to promote safety, prevent incidents, and support effective emergency response and recovery. The Associate Director directly supervises up to four Community Desk Specialists providing oversight of residence hall front desk operations, lighting and camera systems, operations related to ensuring the safety and security of the residential community and collaborating with Residential Life with regular Health and Safety inspections. The Associate Director establishes partnerships with University Police, Emergency Management, Facilities Development & Operations, Environmental Health & Safety, and University Risk Management. The role is integral to fostering a secure, supportive, and responsive living environment that advances the university’s commitment to student success, belonging, and well-being. In collaboration with campus partners, the Associate Director develops and implements comprehensive programs that promote safety awareness, crime prevention, and emergency preparedness throughout the residential community. This includes designing and delivering training programs for professional, student, and front desk staff on topics such as crisis response, fire safety, evacuation procedures, first aid, and incident reporting. In close collaboration with University Police, the Associate Director helps to hire, manage, and coordinate the work of Housing Security Officers assigned to residential communities and the safety escort services designed to enhance after-hours security for residents and guests. The Associate Director coordinates tabletop exercises, emergency drills, and scenario-based simulations to ensure staff are confident and well-prepared to manage critical incidents. Working closely with University Police and the Office of Emergency Management, the incumbent maintains safety documentation, ensures compliance with applicable regulations, and continuously evaluates the effectiveness of safety and emergency protocols. Through strong leadership, proactive communication, and data-informed decision-making, the Associate Director promotes a culture of preparedness, collaboration, and shared responsibility for the safety and security of all residents and guests.

Requirements

Knowledge of campus housing operations, including safety, security, and emergency preparedness functions.
Working knowledge of emergency management principles, including mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Familiarity with law enforcement coordination and practices related to campus policing, Clery compliance, and safety communications.
Strong analytical skills and the ability to assess and negotiate, complex, highly sensitive situations
Excellent critical thinking skills, including the demonstrated ability to analyze information, evaluate results, and facilitate resolution of difficult challenges while maintaining strict confidentiality and sensitivity
Awareness of federal and state compliance expectations including FERPA, Clery, VAWA and Title IX
Knowledge of the personal and social problems typically encountered by college students.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Ability to effectively lead others and communicate with diverse individuals.
Ability to multi-task to support “One Stop Shop” model of Higher Education Customer Service and coordinate deadlines.
Ability to be flexible to changes and frequent interruptions, and to manage multiple tasks at once.
Ability to perform complex tasks involving independent judgment, and ability to plan, coordinate and initiate actions necessary to implement administrative group decisions or recommendations.
Ability to identify, develop, and coordinate plans for use of resources (e.g., staffing, budget, and materials) and to define procedures for ongoing administration and maintenance.
Ability to research topics and make recommendations to meet identified needs.
Ability to assess group and individual needs
Ability to identify supervision needs of staff and vary supervisory style if necessary.
Ability to work with and provide work lead direction to Assistant Directors, RLCs, and graduate and undergraduate student staff.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive communications for students, staff, and external agencies.
Knowledge in operations and systems analysis, statistical and research methods
Ability to interpret and evaluate results to develop sound conclusions and recommend new or revised policies.
Ability to understand, interpret, and apply policies and regulations in specific situations to analyze and solve organizational and operating problems related.
Ability to use database systems including StarRez, Google platform and Microsoft systems.
Ability to effectively lead others and communicate with diverse individuals.
Ability to communicate with constituents in a professional and respectful manner.
B.A. Education, public administration, emergency management, or a related field.
Minimum of 3 years’ experience in housing operations, safety management, facilities, or emergency planning.
Demonstrated ability to design and implement safety and emergency response programs.
Experience supervising professional staff.
Exercise design and facilitation experience.

Nice To Haves

M.A. Education, public administration, emergency management, or a related field.
Five years’ experience in housing operations.
Experience working with a campus housing program.
Experience with coordinating safety or emergency operations for a residential population.
Certification in emergency management (e.g., NIMS/ICS) or related training.
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Qualified.

Responsibilities

Develop, implement and maintain housing specific emergency preparedness plans, procedures, and response protocols.
Coordinate all UHS emergency drills and support the departmental liaison to the University’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during incidents.
Lead risk assessments of residence facilities and develop mitigation strategies to reduce safety vulnerabilities.
Maintain emergency supply inventories, communication systems, and staff training logs.
Partner with University Police, Environmental Health & Safety, and the Office of Emergency Management to ensure housing is integrated into campus-wide emergency planning.
Provide operational oversight for all residence hall and apartment community front desks, ensuring consistent staffing, training, and service quality.
Provide oversight of over 200 Community Desk Attendants directly supervised by the Community Desk Specialists.
Work with Community Desk Specialist to ensure delivery of Community Desk services including but not limited to resource information, guest registration, equipment check out, access, check in and check out processes
In collaboration with the AVP for UHS, establish and enforce policies to safeguard residents, guests, and property while maintaining a welcoming environment.
Directly supervise up to four Community Desk Specialists.
Develop and coordinate professional development programs for personnel utilizing the ACUHO-I standards for leadership competencies as a tool for supporting the employee’s development as a Student Affairs professional.
Review and revise procedural manuals and other documents used by staff for instruction and supervision.
Conduct periodic reviews and evaluation, planning and overall development of on-going staff training, and the provision for appropriate staff development opportunities.
Collaborate with Residential Life in the planning and execution of periodic health and safety inspections for all residential buildings.
Coordinate follow-up actions with the UHS Director of Facilities to resolve identified concerns.
Ensure compliance with state and local heath, fire, and environmental codes.
Oversee the operation, maintenance, and strategic expansion of lighting and camera systems across housing facilities.
Work collaboratively with FD&O, IT and UHS Facilities to ensure systems reliability and accessibility for authorized personnel.
Provide regular training on emergency response, and incident management, communications and documentation.
Provide leadership in promoting a departmental culture that prioritizes prevention, preparedness, and continuous improvement.

Benefits

San José State University offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary.
For more information on programs available, please see the Employee Benefits Summary

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