| Position Title: |
Director of Housing and Residence Life |
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| Location: |
Big Rapids (Main Campus) |
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| Department: |
62102 - Housing and Residence Life
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| Advertised Salary: |
PG 16 $89,471 Min. See Job Summary for details on salary placement. Salary commensurate with education, experience, and other requirements. Comprehensive benefit package (health care, vacation, etc.) |
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Benefits:
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Comprehensive benefits package (health care, vacation, etc.). Please see the following link for a list of benefits offered with this position.
Admin / Admin Temp Benefit Plans
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| FLSA: |
Exempt |
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| Temporary/Continuing: |
Continuing |
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| Part-Time/Full-Time: |
Full-Time |
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| Union Group: |
N/A |
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| Term of Position: |
12 Month |
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| At Will/Just Cause: |
At Will |
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| Summary of Position: |
The Director of Housing and Residence Life provides strategic leadership and administrative oversight for the University’s residence halls, suites, and apartments. Reporting to the Dean of Student Life, the Director creates safe, welcoming, inclusive, and academically supportive residential communities that advance student learning, belonging, holistic development, persistence, and success.
The Director leads residential education, housing operations, occupancy management, fiscal stewardship, facilities coordination, and crisis response. The position supervises professional staff and, through the departmental leadership structure, professional, paraprofessional, and student employees. The Director builds a collaborative team through clear expectations, consistent communication, coaching, professional development, and accountability.
As a member of the Student Life leadership team, the Director partners across Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and administrative units to strengthen the residential experience and support enrollment and retention. The Director uses assessment and sound judgment to improve services, balance student needs with operational effectiveness, and guide long-range housing planning.
The selected candidate for this position must be authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire without employer assistance or sponsorship now or in the future. The University will not assist with any F-1 EADs, OPT, H-1B, or similar employment sponsorship.
Offers are determined based on a review of the candidate's qualifications, including education, training, experience, and internal pay equity considerations.
Placement within the range will generally be based on the following factors:
Entry-Range: Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and core requirements of the position.
Mid-Range: Candidates with three or more years of directly related professional experience and who demonstrate proficiency in the key responsibilities of the role.
Final compensation will be determined based on the candidate's overall qualifications, experience, and alignment with the University's compensation philosophy in consultation with Human Resources. |
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| Position Type: |
Staff |
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| Required Education: |
• Master’s degree in Higher Education, College Student Personnel, Student Affairs Administration, Counseling, Business Administration, or a related field from an accredited institution. |
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| Required Work Experience: |
• Seven or more years of progressively responsible professional experience in university housing and residence life, including residential education and housing operations.
• At least three years of experience supervising professional staff, including recruitment, hiring, training, coaching, and performance evaluation.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, occupancy, and housing operations.
• Experience with student conduct, crisis response, and professional on-call systems in a residential setting.
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| Required Licenses and Certifications: |
• Valid driver’s license |
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| Physical Demands: |
- Office Environment
- Bending
- Carrying
- Inclement Weather
- Moving
- Reaching
- Sitting
- Twisting
- Balancing
- Driving
- Lifting
- Repetitive movement
- Standing
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| Additional Education/Experiences to be Considered: |
• Ten or more years of progressively responsible housing and residence life experience, including service at the director or associate director level.
• Experience at a public university with a residential system serving 2,500 or more students.
• Experience with auxiliary or self-supporting budgets, rate development, capital planning, and renovation or construction projects.
• Experience developing, implementing, and assessing a residential curriculum or living-learning communities.
• Experience with StarRez or a comparable housing management system and Banner or a comparable student information system.
• Experience supporting enrollment, retention, and student success at a regional comprehensive university.
• Active participation in ACUHO-I, GLACUHO, or related professional associations. |
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| Essential Duties/Responsibilities: |
Develop, implement, and assess the department’s mission, strategic plan, and annual goals in line with University and divisional priorities. Set a vision for residential life that integrates student development, service quality, and financial sustainability.
Use assessment data, resident feedback, satisfaction surveys, occupancy trends, and retention data to identify needs, evaluate effectiveness, and improve programs and operations.
Develop, review, communicate, and administer departmental policies, procedures, the residence hall handbook, and housing contracts with appropriate University offices.
Serve on divisional leadership teams and University committees. Represent Housing and Residence Life to students, families, campus partners, and community stakeholders.
Promote housing programs and services through coordinated marketing, outreach, and recruitment. Keep communication accessible and resolve student and family concerns promptly and fairly.
Directly supervise Assistant Directors and other designated professionals responsible for residence life, programming, facilities, and business operations. Oversee Hall Directors and indirectly supervise other professional, paraprofessional, and student staff, including Resident Advisors, Senior Staff Advisors, Community Advisors, and desk and night security staff.
Lead recruitment, selection, onboarding, training, supervision, evaluation, and retention of professional and student employees under University policies and Human Resources procedures.
Set clear roles, workload, and service and accountability expectations. Hold regular supervisory meetings and provide coaching, constructive feedback, recognition, and timely performance management.
Oversee annual training curricula and ongoing development for professional and student staff, including Resident Advisors. Prepare staff for crisis response, student support, community development, and departmental operations.
Foster a collaborative workplace that values staff expertise, seeks staff input on decisions affecting their work, and supports employee growth and well-being. Review staffing and coverage and recommend adjustments through established processes.
Prepare, administer, and monitor the auxiliary operating budget. Approve spending within delegated authority, maintain fiscal controls, and steward resources responsibly.
Project occupancy and revenue, recommend competitive housing rates through University approval processes, and implement strategies to meet approved occupancy and financial goals.
Oversee housing applications, contracts, assignments, room changes, release requests, billing, appeals, and related communications. Ensure consistent, transparent processes that balance student needs with University requirements.
Oversee housing technology, including data accuracy, access controls, system improvements, and resident communications. Coordinate with Information Technology and other system partners.
Coordinate opening, closing, move-in, break housing, summer and conference housing, and housing support for major University events, including Bulldog Welcome.
Coordinate accessible housing assignments and implement accommodations with the University office responsible for disability accommodations and other appropriate partners.
Provide timely occupancy, financial, staffing, and operational reports to the Dean of Student Life, Dean of Enrollment Services, and University leadership.
Lead residential curriculum and community building grounded in academic initiatives, supportive living environments, holistic development, diversity, and global awareness. Set learning outcomes and assess students’ residential experiences.
Partner with Academic Affairs on living-learning communities, the residence hall Learning Center, academic support, and other initiatives that connect residential life with learning.
Oversee and support the Residence Hall Association and Hall Councils through advising, leadership development, and opportunities for meaningful resident input.
Integrate Ferris Cares and a culture of care into residential practice. Train staff to recognize concerns, connect students with resources, make warm referrals, and coordinate follow-up.
Support enrollment, transition, retention, and persistence through outreach to prospective students and families, welcome programs, early identification of concerns, and campus partnerships.
Partner with Facilities Management, Campus Auxiliary Services, and other responsible units to keep residential facilities safe, clean, functional, accessible, and welcoming.
Coordinate maintenance priorities, inspections, custodial concerns, furniture replacement, preventive maintenance, and resident communication about work affecting them.
Contribute to long-range housing master and financial planning, capital requests, renovations, and new construction. Recommend priorities based on facility conditions, resident needs, occupancy projections, and financial data.
Represent residential program needs throughout project planning and implementation. Coordinate resident impacts, relocation, service continuity, and communication as needed.
Lead departmental emergency planning and the professional on-call system. Serve in the rotation as assigned and provide emergency leadership and consultation, including after hours. Maintain the availability and proximity required to meet on-call and emergency response expectations.
Serve on the University Care Team and Threat Assessment Team and on the Core Care Team as assigned. Coordinate responses to student welfare concerns with the Dean of Student Life, Public Safety, Counseling Center, Title IX, and other appropriate offices.
Partner with Student Community Standards to administer educational, fair, and consistent residential conduct processes within delegated authority. Serve as a hearing or appeal officer as assigned under applicable procedures.
Carry out duties, including supervisory and fiscal responsibilities, within delegated authority and in accordance with University policies and applicable laws. Coordinate with responsible offices to ensure departmental compliance with Federal and State laws including but not limited to Title IX, the Clery Act, ADA, FERPA, and fire and life-safety requirements.
Promptly report and refer safety concerns, threats, alleged misconduct, and sexual misconduct through established channels. Maintain accurate records and protect confidential information under University policy and applicable state and federal law.
Work primarily in an office, with regular duties in residence halls, suites, apartments, and other campus facilities. Work evenings and weekends as required, particularly during opening, closing, staff training, and major campus events.
Travel occasionally for University business, professional development, and recruitment. Safely operate a University or personal vehicle for job duties, authorize a driving record check under University procedures, and meet driving authorization requirements throughout employment.
• Carries out responsibilities in accordance with university policies and applicable laws.
• Responsible for maintaining confidentiality of information pursuant to university policies and/or state or federal laws.
• Cultivates an environment of belonging that values, respects, supports, and celebrates individual similarities and differences, allowing students, faculty, and staff to thrive authentically.
• Any other duties assigned within the position classification area.
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| Marginal Duties/Responsibilities: |
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| Skills and Abilities: |
• Knowledge of student development theory, residential education, community development, and practices that support student belonging and success.
• Knowledge of housing operations, occupancy management, auxiliary finance, strategic planning, and facilities and capital planning.
• Working knowledge of Title IX, Clery Act, ADA, FERPA, and fire and life-safety requirements relevant to housing and residence life.
• Strong leadership, supervision, coaching, team-building, conflict resolution, and organizational skills.
• Sound judgment, composure, and timely decision-making during crises and complex student or personnel situations.
• Effective written, verbal, and interpersonal communication with students, families, employees, administrators, and external partners.
• Ability to analyze data, assess outcomes, prepare reports, prioritize competing needs, meet deadlines, and translate findings into improvements.
• Ability to develop collaborative partnerships, manage change, and implement creative, practical solutions.
• Demonstrated commitment to responsive student service, equitable practices, and inclusive residential and workplace communities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ability to use student information systems, housing software, and related reporting and communication tools.
• Ability to safely operate a University or personal vehicle when required for University business.
• Demonstrated successful experience working directly with people from diverse backgrounds, including cultural, educational, socioeconomic, and life experiences.
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| Required Documents: |
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Unofficial Transcript 1
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| Optional Documents: |
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| Special Instructions to Applicants: |
Unofficial Transcript 1 (REQUIRED): Applicants must attach a copy of unofficial transcript of Master’s degree in Higher Education, College Student Personnel, Student Affairs Administration, Counseling, Business Administration, or a related field from an accredited institution.
Transcript must include: Institution name, applicant name, date degree attained, degree awarded. Finalist will be required to submit an official transcript.
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Initial Application Review Date:
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December 14, 2026 |
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| Open Until Position is Filled?: |
Yes |
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Posting Close Date:
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| EEO Statement: |
Ferris State University, an Equal Opportunity employer, is committed to cultivating an environment of belonging that values, respects, supports, and celebrates individual similarities and differences within its community, allowing students, faculty, and staff to thrive authentically. Ferris offers employment opportunities to qualified candidates seeking careers in a student-focused environment that values opportunity, collaboration, diversity and educational excellence. Learn more about the Ferris Mission and community at ferris.edu. For more information on the University’s Policy on Non-Discrimination, visit: Ferris Non-Discrimination Statement. |
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Click here to learn more about working at FSU. |
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