Summary of Position

Allegheny College is a four-year residential liberal arts college where on-campus living is integral to student development and success. The Director of Housing and Residence Life plays a pivotal role in shaping this transformative experience. The Director of Housing and Residence Life provides strategic leadership for housing and programs, fostering a safe, inclusive, and engaging residential experience that supports student retention, holistic development, and academic success in alignment with Allegheny College’s Strategic Pathway. The Director champions a culture of continuous learning and innovation, supporting the professional growth of staff and students alike. 

This position is responsible for the design, execution, and continuous maintenance of a robust residential curriculum, ensuring it highlights the educational benefits of the residency requirement. The Director directly supervises two professional Residence Life Coordinators, works collaboratively with a two-person operations team, and oversees the recruitment, training, and management of a 55-person student staff. Critically, this role collaborates with key campus partners—including Academic Success, Athletics, and Operations—to deliver integrated, high-quality services grounded in a comprehensive student development philosophy.

Key Responsibilities

Professional Staff Leadership, Supervision, and Mentorship: Provide direct supervision, performance management, and ongoing professional development to the full-time professional Residence Life staff, ensuring equitable administration of College policy and fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation.

• Residential Curriculum Strategy and Assessment: Lead the design, implementation, and rigorous assessment of the comprehensive Residential Curriculum, utilizing data to demonstrate learning outcomes and measure the impact of the four-year residency model.
• Budget Management and Fiscal Planning: In consultation with the Dean for Student Life, manage and monitor the department's operating and programming budgets, overseeing purchasing, expenditure approval, and long-range capital planning for residential resources.
• Student Staff Development and Talent Pipeline: Direct the recruitment, selection, comprehensive training, and ongoing performance management for approximately 55 student resident life staff members, ensuring high standards for mentorship and service delivery.
• Campus Collaboration and Integrated Services: Serve as the primary departmental liaison for strategic campus partners (e.g., Academic Success, Operations, Athletics), leading collaborative initiatives, joint programming, and policy development to support student retention and experience.
• Crisis Management and Dean-Level On-Call Response: Serve in an escalated, year-round administrative on-call rotation to provide high-level response and critical incident management for campus emergencies and complex student conduct matters.

Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred 
• 4-7 years of related professional experience required

Required Knowledge

• Knowledge of FERPA and other applicable privacy laws and regulations.
• Knowledge of residence education models and student development theory.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Advanced supervisory skills.
• Strong listening and communications skills.
• Ability to manage potentially stressful and crisis situations.
• Ability to hold meetings for 60+ minutes.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues.
• Ability to be adaptive as needed when working with students.

Compensation

Starting salary will be competitive, based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Expected starting salary: $50,000.00 full time, exempt 

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The Hiring Process

We encourage you to apply through our posting website located at Employment Opportunities.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.