Director, Residence Life and Housing

University of Akron•Akron, OH

About The Position

Key Responsibilities Leadership & Vision Provide strategic leadership and oversight for all residence life initiatives, ensuring alignment with the university’s mission and student development goals. Sustain and enhance distinctive residence hall programming, including RHPB and the Emerging Leaders Program, ensuring high-impact experiences that promote student learning, engagement, and leadership. Foster a culture of approachability, responsiveness, and collaboration across professional and student staff. Collaborate with academic and student affairs partners to integrate co-curricular and academic experiences. Represent Residence Life and Housing as a key voice in campus planning, policy discussions, and student success initiatives. Model a collaborative, solution-oriented, and opportunity-minded approach that reflects University values and drives team cohesion. Staff Supervision & Development Provide direct supervision, coaching, and professional development to Associate Directors and live-in professional staff and indirect oversight to student staff across all residence halls. Lead ongoing training, evaluation, and performance management to ensure consistent student support, community standards, and operational excellence. Promote a collegial, responsive, and partnership-oriented departmental culture that supports growth and accountability. Oversee on-call structures and crisis response systems in collaboration with University partners. Housing Partnership & Operational Integration Serve as the primary Residence Life and Housing liaison to the outsourced housing operator for daily operations such as, coordinating assignments, occupancy planning, and service escalation to ensure a high-quality student experience. Provide strategic direction and oversight for the student housing assignment and occupancy management functions, ensuring equitable processes, accurate forecasting, and seamless coordination between Residence Life and Housing operations. Maintain ownership of the student housing assignment and selection process, including system management (e.g., StarRez or equivalent), communications, and timeline development. Collaborate on facility operations, ensuring safe, well-maintained, and engaging residential environments. Manage departmental budget and resources to support both programmatic and operational excellence. Ensure compliance with university policies, state and federal regulations, and student safety standards. Collaborate in the development of occupancy projections, budget planning, and long-term housing strategies. Student Experience & Community Engagement Ensure that residence hall programming advances University priorities related to belonging, retention, and student engagement. Support intentional learning and leadership opportunities through hall programs, peer mentoring, and faculty/staff partnerships. Foster respectful, supportive environments that promote individual wellbeing and encourage open engagement across diverse perspectives. Maintain visibility within residence hall communities through active engagement with students and staff. Assessment & Continuous Improvement Use data and assessment to measure program outcomes, identify trends, and inform strategic decisions. Regularly review and enhance departmental policies, systems, and processes for effectiveness and equity. Partner with Institutional Research, Student Affairs, and other units to align Residence Life and Housing metrics with broader student success measures. Additional Position Information: Qualifications Required: Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, business administration, counseling, or related field. Minimum of five years of progressive experience in residence life, student housing, or student affairs, including staff supervision and crisis management. Demonstrated success leading live-in professional teams and fostering a culture of collaboration and success. Strategic planning, resource allocation, and budget management experience. Preferred: 7-10 years of progressive experience in residence life, student housing, or student affairs, including staff supervision and crisis management. Experience at a mid- to large-sized public university or within a complex housing partnership model. Strong communication, judgment, and interpersonal skills; ability to navigate ambiguity with professionalism and adaptability. Experience with housing software systems (e.g., StarRez, eRezLife) and familiarity with housing operations and occupancy management. Experience applying student development theory, residence hall programming, and holistic student engagement. Strong interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills; exercises sound judgment at multiple decision-making levels. Proven ability to work effectively with external partners or third-party housing providers. Leadership Disposition The successful candidate will be: Responsive and collegial, fostering trust and connection across campus partners. Solution-oriented and adaptable, able to balance structure with flexibility. Committed to doing what’s right, exercising sound judgment and integrity. A visible, approachable leader, who inspires confidence and leads by example. Enthusiastic about the student experience and working at the University. Partnership-minded, advancing collaboration between Residence Life and Housing Services, the third-party housing partner, and the broader University community.

Requirements

Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, business administration, counseling, or related field.
Minimum of five years of progressive experience in residence life, student housing, or student affairs, including staff supervision and crisis management.
Demonstrated success leading live-in professional teams and fostering a culture of collaboration and success.
Strategic planning, resource allocation, and budget management experience.

Nice To Haves

7-10 years of progressive experience in residence life, student housing, or student affairs, including staff supervision and crisis management.
Experience at a mid- to large-sized public university or within a complex housing partnership model.
Strong communication, judgment, and interpersonal skills; ability to navigate ambiguity with professionalism and adaptability.
Experience with housing software systems (e.g., StarRez, eRezLife) and familiarity with housing operations and occupancy management.
Experience applying student development theory, residence hall programming, and holistic student engagement.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills; exercises sound judgment at multiple decision-making levels.
Proven ability to work effectively with external partners or third-party housing providers.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and oversight for all residence life initiatives
Sustain and enhance distinctive residence hall programming
Foster a culture of approachability, responsiveness, and collaboration across professional and student staff
Collaborate with academic and student affairs partners to integrate co-curricular and academic experiences
Represent Residence Life and Housing as a key voice in campus planning, policy discussions, and student success initiatives
Model a collaborative, solution-oriented, and opportunity-minded approach
Provide direct supervision, coaching, and professional development to Associate Directors and live-in professional staff and indirect oversight to student staff across all residence halls
Lead ongoing training, evaluation, and performance management
Promote a collegial, responsive, and partnership-oriented departmental culture
Oversee on-call structures and crisis response systems in collaboration with University partners
Serve as the primary Residence Life and Housing liaison to the outsourced housing operator
Provide strategic direction and oversight for the student housing assignment and occupancy management functions
Maintain ownership of the student housing assignment and selection process
Collaborate on facility operations
Manage departmental budget and resources
Ensure compliance with university policies, state and federal regulations, and student safety standards
Collaborate in the development of occupancy projections, budget planning, and long-term housing strategies
Ensure that residence hall programming advances University priorities related to belonging, retention, and student engagement
Support intentional learning and leadership opportunities through hall programs, peer mentoring, and faculty/staff partnerships
Foster respectful, supportive environments that promote individual wellbeing and encourage open engagement across diverse perspectives
Maintain visibility within residence hall communities through active engagement with students and staff
Use data and assessment to measure program outcomes, identify trends, and inform strategic decisions
Regularly review and enhance departmental policies, systems, and processes for effectiveness and equity
Partner with Institutional Research, Student Affairs, and other units to align Residence Life and Housing metrics with broader student success measures

Benefits

The University of Akron offers a competitive total compensation package comprised of a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits for eligible employees including medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, and paid leave of absences including time off for illness, vacation, and maternity or paternity leave.
In addition, eligible employees and their dependents are provided tuition remission.
All staff and eligible non-bargaining unit faculty have the option to request a Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA).
The University of Akron participates in state retirement systems and offers alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.
Optional investment opportunities are available including deferred compensation programs (403(b) and 457(b)).

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