Assistant Director, Residence Life

Job Summary

The Assistant Director for Residence Life is a key member of the central Housing and Residence Life (HRL) team and is responsible for the daily operations of multiple residential communities at a large public university. This role oversees the supervision and evaluation of live-in staff members, including Complex Directors (CDs), Desk Assistants (DAs), and Resident Advisors (RAs). The Assistant Director ensures the well-being of residents by implementing and maintaining departmental protocols related to student conduct, community development, staff recruitment and training, academic support initiatives, and student crisis response and follow-up.

Essential Job Functions

• Staff Leadership & Supervision: Provide direct supervision, training, and evaluation for full-time Complex Directors (CDs) and oversight of student staff (Resident Advisors and Desk Assistants), including regular one-on-one meetings, team development, and performance management.
• Staff Recruitment & Training: Lead and participate in the recruitment, selection, onboarding, and ongoing training of residence life staff. Chair or contribute to departmental committees focused on staff development and residence education.
• Community & Student Support: Oversee the implementation of community development initiatives, academic support programs, and crisis response protocols. Provide follow-up and referrals for students in distress and support student leadership organizations such as the Residence Housing Association (RHA).
• Administrative & Operational Oversight: Manage daily operations within assigned residential areas, including student conduct processes, occupancy management, room assignments, and compliance with housing policies and procedures. Serve as a conduct hearing officer and ensure accurate documentation and reporting.
• Facilities & Emergency Management: Coordinate with Facilities Management to maintain residential spaces, conduct inspections, and support summer operations, including camps and conferences. Participate in on-call duty rotation and assist with emergency response, including hurricane evacuation procedures.

Minimum and Desired Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Higher Education or a related field, or 3 years of professional experience, commensurate.
• A minimum of two years of full-time professional experience in Housing and Residence Life, Apartment Management, Leadership Development, Student Conduct, Human Resources, or a closely related area.
• Previous supervision experience of student and/or professional staff.
• Familiarity with word processing, database, and spreadsheet programs is required.
• Experience managing student conduct and crisis response.

• 5 or more years of full-time professional experience working in a Housing Residence Life or Apartment Management.

Supplemental Information

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including conflict resolution and mentoring.
• Ability to lead and implement student retention and academic success initiatives.
• Experience with programming and community building. Organizational skills for managing multiple responsibilities, including programming, facilities, and staff development.

• Moderate physical activity.
• Can require handling objects of average-weight up to 30 pounds or standing and/or walking for more than four (4) hours per day.
• Willingness to work a flexible schedule, which may include evening and weekend hours as required, and emergency management and/or crisis management.
• Willing to assist with the evacuation process of residential students to an off-site location for a tropical storm or hurricane.

• This position is typically in an office environment and may require working extended hours, including evenings and weekends, in response to departmental needs, student emergencies, and or campus events.

Lamar University is An Equal Opportunity Employer

Lamar University is proud to provide employment preference to veteran applicants in accordance with Texas 805 Government Code, Section 657.003.

This position is security-sensitive and thereby subject to the provisions of the Texas Education Code §51.215, which authorizes the employer to obtain criminal history record information.