Director of Residential Experience

Job Summary 
     
The Director of Residential Experience is a full-time, 12-month professional staff member responsible for providing leadership, strategic direction, and long-term planning for a complex residential program serving approximately 3,365 students. Reporting to the Executive Director of Housing and Residence Life, the Director directly supervises two Associate Directors and provides indirect supervision and work direction to five full-time professional staff members and one security guard.

As a member of the department’s senior leadership team, the Director collaborates with Housing Operations, Facilities, and Business Services to ensure that residence life programs align with departmental and university priorities. The position develops, assesses, and revises residence life policies and procedures; responds to concerns from students and families; and represents residential needs and initiatives in divisional leadership meetings.

The Director builds partnerships across the Division of Student Life and Enrollment to support student success and serves as the department’s primary liaison to the Dean of Students Office regarding student conduct, crisis response, and critical student support. The position also coordinates with faculty, Academic Advisement, the Jordan Center, and other university partners.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

• Knowledge of university housing operations, policies, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Knowledge of student development theory and its application within a residential education environment.
• Knowledge of crisis intervention, emergency response, and behavioral threat-management practices.
• Knowledge of student conduct principles, policies, and procedures, with the ability to address conduct matters using a developmental and educational approach.
• Skill in providing strategic leadership and aligning residence life programs and services with departmental and university priorities.
• Skill in strategic planning, program assessment, and data-informed decision-making.
• Skill in leading, developing, and evaluating professional and student staff.
• Skill in fostering an inclusive residential environment and effectively supporting students from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Skill in developing, administering, and analyzing budgets and allocating resources effectively.
• Skill in managing complex projects and organizing, prioritizing, and completing multiple assignments within established deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to facilitate sensitive or challenging conversations.
• Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with students, families, faculty, staff, university leadership, and external constituents.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and respond calmly and appropriately in sensitive, urgent, or crisis situations.
• Ability to build productive working relationships and contribute effectively within a collaborative leadership team.
• Ability to learn and integrate new technologies, hardware, and software to improve operational effectiveness and efficiency.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, including:
  • Observing and assessing residential environments and responding appropriately to routine and emergency situations.
  • Communicating effectively with students, staff, supervisors, and emergency personnel during routine and crisis interactions.
  • Using keys, access-control devices, elevators, telephones, computers, and other job-related systems and equipment.
  • Accessing and responding to situations throughout residential facilities, including student rooms, bathrooms, hallways, stairwells, elevators, and building lobbies.
• Ability to support the university’s mission, vision, and values through the performance of assigned responsibilities. 

Required Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in higher education administration, student development, social work, counseling, or a related field and five (5) or more years of relevant progressively responsible experience at the professional, full-time level. 
  OR 
• Five years of work experience with a social services program. 
  OR 
• A combination of education and work experience. 
• Successful completion of a background check required as a condition of employment.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience in residence life, residential education, housing operations, or student development within a higher education setting.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise professional staff and support their growth through coaching and feedback.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. 

Physical Demands (as needed) 

• Sitting for extended periods (e.g., at a computer or workstation) 
• Climbing stairs or ladders 
• Reaching overhead or below waist level 
• Carrying files, equipment, or supplies short distances 
• Pushing or pulling carts, furniture, or equipment 
• Frequent typing or keyboard use 
• Visual acuity to read printed and electronic materials 
• Hearing to distinguish sounds (e.g., phone calls, alarms)  

Compensation & Benefits

• Job Family – Student Services Management 2
• Salary: Market Range 9 (Salary Schedules)
• For information on benefits please visit www.etsu.edu/human-resources/benefits/.

Application Instructions

• Exempt positions are only required to be posted for a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days. The closing date for this posting is subject to change without notice to applicants.
• Employment contingent on a satisfactory background check. 

ETSU is an equal opportunity employer.

University Overview

East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is an institution with over 14,000 diverse students highly ranked graduate and undergraduate programs. Located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee, ETSU serves as a hub for community, discovery, and service. Aligned with the institution's mission, we value efforts to engage in teaching, scholarship, creative activities, and service that involve community partners and address significant societal needs in our region and beyond. Recognized in 2024 as a Great College to Work For, recent strategic initiatives prioritize the institution’s focus on community engagement.

Disclaimer: The Job Summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work individuals perform in this classification. It is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to revise the job or require different tasks to be performed as assigned to reflect changes in the position. Employees must be able to perform the position's essential functions satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations.