Director of Residence Life

Commonwealth of Massachusetts • Salem, MA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Director establishes a vision for the residential experience that aligns with institutional priorities and ensures that residence life programs, services, and facilities contribute meaningfully to student development and retention. Reporting to the Senior Associate Vice President and Dean of Students, the director is responsible for the overall direction of residence life, including professional staff leadership, residential education oversight, housing operations, and long-range planning for campus housing. This role works collaboratively across the institution and with external partners to advance a high-quality, student-centered residential environment. Salem State University is a place where your career can flourish. We embrace and celebrate the uniqueness of every employee, creating an inclusive and supportive environment where you can do your best work. Our commitment to civic engagement ensures that your contributions will positively impact both the university and the community. Join us and be part of a transformative community that enriches lives across the Commonwealth.

Requirements

• Master's degree in higher education, student affairs, community development, business administration, or a closely related field
• A minimum of 5-7 years of progressively more responsible management experience and demonstrated leadership
• Supervisory experience including hiring, training, and evaluating professional and/or paraprofessional staff
• Crisis response and on-call management experience
• Experience with student conduct processes
• Demonstrated experience with staff supervision, development, and mentoring

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Maxient and Star Rez (or similar software)
• Demonstrated leadership in crisis management preferably in a higher education setting
• Experience working at a public college/university

Responsibilities

• Establishes a vision for the residential experience that aligns with institutional priorities.
• Ensures that residence life programs, services, and facilities contribute meaningfully to student development and retention.
• Responsible for the overall direction of residence life, including professional staff leadership, residential education oversight, housing operations, and long-range planning for campus housing.
• Works collaboratively across the institution and with external partners to advance a high-quality, student-centered residential environment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director