Director, Student Housing and Residence Life

Cameron University • Lawton, OK

23h • Onsite

About The Position

The Office of Student Housing and Residence Life (SHRL) is one of the university's largest auxiliaries and operational departments. SHRL supports students through facilities management, educational programming, administrative services, and residential community development. The department is rapidly growing and evolving with innovative ideas and initiatives to better support the student experience. The Director of Student Housing and Residence Life serves as a campus leader and the Senior Housing Officer for Cameron University. This position requires a diplomatic, strategic, and student-centered approach, working collaboratively with multiple campus partners. The Director provides operational oversight of the housing auxiliary under the authority granted by the Board of Regents as an operations manager, managing all aspects of daily operations, including budgeting, residential facilities, administration, and crisis response. This is a 12-month position that will oversee the university’s residence halls and apartments and reports to the Dean of Students.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Three years of experience working in residence life at an institution of higher education.
• Supervisory experience.
• Experience administering budgets.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with university colleagues
• Ability to work well with diverse populations
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment
• Willingness to be on-call and work evenings and weekends as necessary.
• interpersonal skills including excellent written and oral communication skills
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and ability to be insured under the University’s policy.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree
• Five or more years of residence life experience at an institution of higher education.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the recruitment, development, supervision, and evaluation of professional, paraprofessional, and student staff, including coordinators, administrative assistants, and other assigned personnel.
• Maintain accountability for the financial success of the housing operations. Responsibilities include forecasting, planning, developing, and managing operational budgets; conducting financial analyses; overseeing long-range capital planning and transaction structuring; and ensuring financial sustainability.
• Monitor multiple accounts, including personnel, operational, and programming budgets, to ensure alignment with institutional goals and fiscal responsibility.
• Collaborate with Physical Facilities and other university departments to manage capital planning, construction, renovations, maintenance, housekeeping, and related projects.
• Provide strategic guidance on housing occupancy management, including bed utilization and forecasting, to optimize both student experience and revenue generation.
• Negotiate, manage, and maintain vendor contracts for services such as laundry, maintenance projects, and other operational needs.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive lifecycle and capital improvement plans that align with divisional and university master planning efforts.
• Represent the Office of Student Housing and Residence Life on university-wide committees and initiatives
• Provide oversight of all Residence Life operations to cultivate a supportive, inclusive, and engaging residential community that promotes student growth, belonging, and retention.
• Supervise the residence life team in the development and delivery of educational programming, student engagement initiatives, and staff training aligned with the university’s mission and student development theory.
• Promote a student-centered work environment by communicating goals clearly, resolving emergency situations, and serving as a liaison with campus and community partners
• Serve as the chief judicial officer for residential conduct, managing policy violations through a developmental approach that encourages accountability and learning.
• Participate in a 24/7 on-call rotation to respond to emergencies and crises impacting residential students.
• Serve as a member of the university’s CARE/Behavioral Assessment Team, ensuring appropriate outreach, support plans, and wellness checks for students of concern.

Benefits

• Budgeted at $50,960 annually plus benefits.
• Benefits include a partially- furnished 2 -bedroom on-campus apartment and an on-campus meal plan in addition to the overall University benefits.
• Opportunity for performance compensation subject to approval and budgetary availability.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees