University of Southern Indiana
Director of Housing and Residence Life
University of Southern Indiana, Evansville, Indiana, United States, 47725
Director of Housing and Residence Life – University of Southern Indiana
The University of Southern Indiana is seeking a dedicated student‑centered leader to guide campus housing operations and enrich the student housing and residential life experience. The Director serves as the chief housing officer managing a comprehensive campus housing and residential life operation, collaborating with campus service organizations to provide services to more than 2,600 residents, including business operations, administrative services, housekeeping, maintenance, and more. The Director oversees more than 100 full‑time, part‑time and student employees, an annual operational auxiliary budget of $11 million, 43 apartment buildings and four residence halls. This position works closely with students, Resident Assistants (RAs), campus partners and university leadership to ensure that residential communities foster personal growth, safe and healthy spaces, opportunities for engagement, and student success.
Duties / Responsibilities Leadership and Staff Development
Provide strong leadership, team development, and inspire a shared vision for the future of Housing and Residence Life (HRL).
Establish and implement effective operational and strategic planning processes to support the realization of shared goals and vision for HRL.
Maintain strength of residential life.
Employ, train, supervise, lead, and evaluate an effective team of professional, support, and student staff to achieve departmental goals.
Create, develop, and improve staff professional development opportunities.
Promote professional development and/or training to enhance problem solving, leadership, and communication skills.
Organize and attend ongoing professional development and in‑service training for all residence life staff members.
Review and oversee the selection and training of all resident assistants.
Serve in the highest level of HRL on‑call responsibility duties (as back up to Area Coordinators and Leadership Team).
Serve as a representative on divisional and university committees as assigned by the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Ensure ongoing effective marketing, recruitment, and retention initiatives for the department, including in‑person presentations at various professional organizations.
Operations and Management
Direct and supervise the housing application, room selection, and occupancy processes.
Address student concerns related to room changes, special accommodations, and their housing appeal experience.
Oversee effective financial management of the housing and residence life operation, including monitoring the budget and recommending capital purchases.
Work with staff to develop and refine promotional material, website, and social media efforts.
Data Management
Assess program outcomes and goal achievement by providing opportunities for student evaluation of the housing and residential life system and implementing appropriate recommendations.
Supervise the development, implementation, and evaluation of the residential curriculum.
Provide assessment for residence life and housing policies, processes, and initiatives.
Review housing trends and make recommendations to retain students in campus housing.
Prepare retention reports for senior leadership and stakeholders.
Maintain and revise policies that impact retention (e.g., housing agreement processes, grievance procedures, etc.).
Ensure compliance with fair housing laws and organizational standards.
Student Advocacy and Engagement
Actively seek student feedback to improve housing policies, programs and living conditions.
Serve as a primary resource for students regarding housing concerns, roommate conflicts, and residence life experiences from external partners.
Be visible and accessible to students and family/guardian members through office hours, apartment and residence hall visits, and campus events.
Community Building and Relationships
Set the tone for the implementation of a residential environment that is positive, engaging and challenges students’ growth.
Foster a sense of community in apartments and residence halls through student‑centered activities.
Support and mentor staff to enhance the residential experience.
Develop and sustain strong and effective collaborative partnerships and relationships with key constituencies across campus.
Establish and maintain relationships with HRL staff across the state and region.
Foster an environment for students to participate in an array of opportunities such as leadership learning, social and educational programming, and community responsibility.
Policy Enforcement, Conflict Resolution and Crisis Management
Create and maintain HRL programming policies and procedures to enhance student satisfaction, promote academic success, and contribute to student retention.
Provide leadership in resolving student housing disputes, roommate conflicts, and community concerns.
Respond to and manage emergencies as needed.
Partner with Public Safety to create and maintain a safe and secure housing environment through the implementation of various safety awareness programs.
Serve as a hearing officer for housing conduct cases as needed.
Serve as a core member of the university Campus Action Response and Engagement (CARE) Team.
Serve as a core member of the University’s Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT).
Other duties as assigned.
Required Knowledge and Skills
Master’s degree in student personnel, educational administration, business administration, or related areas.
Seven (7) years of progressive experience in housing and residence life, including a minimum of three (3) years at the associate director level or higher.
Strong leadership and operational skills with a service orientation and refined problem‑resolution expertise.
Skilled in policy and process development and implementation.
Experience with budget development and management; analytical and numeric aptitude for managing large, complex budgets.
Familiarity with legal issues (including Title IX, Clery Act, VAWA, and other compliance requirements) impacting higher education.
Excellent oral and written communication skills and a positive image of Housing and Residence Life.
Interpersonal skills to develop and maintain strong relationships with students, parents/guardians, and all staff levels.
Commitment to student leadership development and the ability to interact effectively with students.
Effective public speaking and marketing skills to promote the student population and community outreach initiatives.
Highly effective organizational, prioritization, and time‑management skills.
Refined judgment and discretion with the ability to maintain confidentiality.
High level of integrity.
Competence with personal computers, databases, word processing and spreadsheet programs.
Knowledge of assessment as a method to improve department efforts.
Preferred Knowledge and Skills
Knowledge of Maxient, StarRez, and Banner.
Knowledge of Title IX rules and regulations to obtain Deputy Title IX Coordinator certification (training provided if not yet obtained).
About USI The University of Southern Indiana is a public higher education institution located on a beautiful 1,400‑acre campus in Evansville, IN.
Benefits for this position include:
Affordable medical, dental, vision, life, and short‑term and long‑term disability insurance plans.
Retirement plan with a 11% total contribution from the University.
Full tuition fee waiver for employees; 75% for spouses and dependent children.
Vacation and sick time.
Holiday pay.
Free access to the Recreation, Fitness & Wellness Center.
Access to on‑campus University Health Center and Dental Hygiene Clinic.
For more information about the benefits that USI offers, visit
https://www.usi.edu/hr/benefits .
Seniority level Director
Employment type Full‑time
Job function Management
Industries Higher Education
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Duties / Responsibilities Leadership and Staff Development
Provide strong leadership, team development, and inspire a shared vision for the future of Housing and Residence Life (HRL).
Establish and implement effective operational and strategic planning processes to support the realization of shared goals and vision for HRL.
Maintain strength of residential life.
Employ, train, supervise, lead, and evaluate an effective team of professional, support, and student staff to achieve departmental goals.
Create, develop, and improve staff professional development opportunities.
Promote professional development and/or training to enhance problem solving, leadership, and communication skills.
Organize and attend ongoing professional development and in‑service training for all residence life staff members.
Review and oversee the selection and training of all resident assistants.
Serve in the highest level of HRL on‑call responsibility duties (as back up to Area Coordinators and Leadership Team).
Serve as a representative on divisional and university committees as assigned by the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Ensure ongoing effective marketing, recruitment, and retention initiatives for the department, including in‑person presentations at various professional organizations.
Operations and Management
Direct and supervise the housing application, room selection, and occupancy processes.
Address student concerns related to room changes, special accommodations, and their housing appeal experience.
Oversee effective financial management of the housing and residence life operation, including monitoring the budget and recommending capital purchases.
Work with staff to develop and refine promotional material, website, and social media efforts.
Data Management
Assess program outcomes and goal achievement by providing opportunities for student evaluation of the housing and residential life system and implementing appropriate recommendations.
Supervise the development, implementation, and evaluation of the residential curriculum.
Provide assessment for residence life and housing policies, processes, and initiatives.
Review housing trends and make recommendations to retain students in campus housing.
Prepare retention reports for senior leadership and stakeholders.
Maintain and revise policies that impact retention (e.g., housing agreement processes, grievance procedures, etc.).
Ensure compliance with fair housing laws and organizational standards.
Student Advocacy and Engagement
Actively seek student feedback to improve housing policies, programs and living conditions.
Serve as a primary resource for students regarding housing concerns, roommate conflicts, and residence life experiences from external partners.
Be visible and accessible to students and family/guardian members through office hours, apartment and residence hall visits, and campus events.
Community Building and Relationships
Set the tone for the implementation of a residential environment that is positive, engaging and challenges students’ growth.
Foster a sense of community in apartments and residence halls through student‑centered activities.
Support and mentor staff to enhance the residential experience.
Develop and sustain strong and effective collaborative partnerships and relationships with key constituencies across campus.
Establish and maintain relationships with HRL staff across the state and region.
Foster an environment for students to participate in an array of opportunities such as leadership learning, social and educational programming, and community responsibility.
Policy Enforcement, Conflict Resolution and Crisis Management
Create and maintain HRL programming policies and procedures to enhance student satisfaction, promote academic success, and contribute to student retention.
Provide leadership in resolving student housing disputes, roommate conflicts, and community concerns.
Respond to and manage emergencies as needed.
Partner with Public Safety to create and maintain a safe and secure housing environment through the implementation of various safety awareness programs.
Serve as a hearing officer for housing conduct cases as needed.
Serve as a core member of the university Campus Action Response and Engagement (CARE) Team.
Serve as a core member of the University’s Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT).
Other duties as assigned.
Required Knowledge and Skills
Master’s degree in student personnel, educational administration, business administration, or related areas.
Seven (7) years of progressive experience in housing and residence life, including a minimum of three (3) years at the associate director level or higher.
Strong leadership and operational skills with a service orientation and refined problem‑resolution expertise.
Skilled in policy and process development and implementation.
Experience with budget development and management; analytical and numeric aptitude for managing large, complex budgets.
Familiarity with legal issues (including Title IX, Clery Act, VAWA, and other compliance requirements) impacting higher education.
Excellent oral and written communication skills and a positive image of Housing and Residence Life.
Interpersonal skills to develop and maintain strong relationships with students, parents/guardians, and all staff levels.
Commitment to student leadership development and the ability to interact effectively with students.
Effective public speaking and marketing skills to promote the student population and community outreach initiatives.
Highly effective organizational, prioritization, and time‑management skills.
Refined judgment and discretion with the ability to maintain confidentiality.
High level of integrity.
Competence with personal computers, databases, word processing and spreadsheet programs.
Knowledge of assessment as a method to improve department efforts.
Preferred Knowledge and Skills
Knowledge of Maxient, StarRez, and Banner.
Knowledge of Title IX rules and regulations to obtain Deputy Title IX Coordinator certification (training provided if not yet obtained).
About USI The University of Southern Indiana is a public higher education institution located on a beautiful 1,400‑acre campus in Evansville, IN.
Benefits for this position include:
Affordable medical, dental, vision, life, and short‑term and long‑term disability insurance plans.
Retirement plan with a 11% total contribution from the University.
Full tuition fee waiver for employees; 75% for spouses and dependent children.
Vacation and sick time.
Holiday pay.
Free access to the Recreation, Fitness & Wellness Center.
Access to on‑campus University Health Center and Dental Hygiene Clinic.
For more information about the benefits that USI offers, visit
https://www.usi.edu/hr/benefits .
Seniority level Director
Employment type Full‑time
Job function Management
Industries Higher Education
#J-18808-Ljbffr