Director, Residential Operations - FT

Under the general direction and supervision of the Vice President of Campus Operations & Development, the Director of Residential Operations provides college-wide leadership and oversight of the operational functions of SCC’s multi-campus residence hall program. This position is responsible for ensuring safe, well-maintained, and efficiently managed residential facilities across the Beatrice, Lincoln, and Milford campuses, including budget management, facilities coordination, safety and security protocols, operational procedure development, housing compliance, and direct supervision of resident assistants assigned to operational duties. The Director of Residential Operations works in close partnership with the Director of Residential Student Experience to ensure a cohesive, well-supported residential environment for all students. This is a full-time regular position requiring regular travel to all three campuses.

Essential Functions

1. Housing Operations Management: Oversees the day-to-day operational functions of college-wide residence hall facilities across all campuses, including move-in and move-out coordination, room condition management, front desk operations, mail distribution, key management, and room changes. Ensures consistent and standardized operational processes are in place and followed across all residential locations. Coordinates with the Director of Residential Student Experience on room assignment processes and housing eligibility verification to ensure operational execution aligns with student-facing decisions. Travels regularly to all three campuses to maintain operational visibility, support campus staff, and fill in as needed for residence hall events and activities.
2. Budget Management and Financial Oversight: Prepares and manages the annual residence life operating budget in coordination with campus AVPs and the Business Office. Monitors expenditures, identifies and resolves variances, and ensures spending aligns with actual operational demand. Tracks housing fee collection and coordinates with Accounts Receivable to resolve disconnects between housing charges and payment status. Provides input on room rate structures to support rate recommendations. Ensures budget visibility and reporting is accessible to appropriate campus leadership.
3. Facilities Coordination and Capital Planning: Coordinates with campus maintenance departments to ensure residence hall facilities and equipment are maintained in safe, functional, and code-compliant condition. Monitors, submits, and tracks work orders and deferred maintenance needs. Manages furniture and equipment inventory across all campuses. Partners with campus AVPs to identify capital project needs, develop project scopes, and ensure timely execution of approved capital expenditures. Addresses ADA accessibility concerns and ensures physical environments meet applicable standards.
4. Safety, Security, and Risk Assessment: Serves as the primary operational liaison with campus Safety & Security for residence hall safety protocols, access control, and emergency response planning. In coordination with the campus Safety & Security Coordinator, ensures implementation and evaluation of safety initiatives, including visitor registration, overnight security coverage, key and access card management, and door security compliance. Monitors vendor and contractor performance for contracted security services. Develops and maintains youth protection protocols for residential programs or conferences involving minors. Coordinates with Safety & Security staff for evacuation drills and serves on the emergency response team for incidents in the residence halls.
5. Operational Procedure Development: Develops, implements, and regularly reviews residence life operational processes and procedures to ensure they reflect current practice, institutional standards, and applicable law. Establishes and maintains formal procedures for room searches, check-in/check-out, evictions, visitor management, fire safety, and emergency response. Ensures procedural documentation is complete, current, and accessible to all relevant staff across all three campuses. Reviews best practices on an ongoing basis to ensure SCC’s residential operations meet and exceed expectations.
6. Room Damage Assessment and Charge Processing: Oversees the assessment, documentation, and processing of room damage charges across all residence halls. Coordinates with campus Residential Assistant Directors and custodial staff to conduct damage inspections at move-out and at key points throughout the year. Enters and maintains damage charge records in eRezLife, ensuring accuracy and timely communication to Student Accounts. Ensures consistent application of damage standards across all three campuses.
7. eRezLife Systems Coordination: In coordination with the Director of Residential Student Experience, supports eRezLife housing management platform functions related to room assignments, occupancy tracking, maintenance issue tracking, damage charge processing, and front desk operations. Coordinates on system configuration, eligibility functions, and shared reporting needs to ensure operational staff have appropriate access and training.
8. Supervision of Operational Resident Assistants: Directly supervises and trains resident assistants assigned to operational duties, including front desk coverage, mail distribution, key management, and room changes. Establishes clear performance expectations, schedules, and accountability standards for operationally assigned RAs. Coordinates with the Director of Residential Student Experience and Residence Life Assistant Directors to ensure RA assignments are appropriately designated and communicated. Partners with the Director of Residential Student Experience on RA onboarding and training.
9. Co-Supervision of Residence Hall Custodians Co-supervises residence hall custodial staff in coordination with campus physical plant. Establishes expectations for custodial standards in residential facilities, coordinates scheduling around operational needs, including move-in, move-out, and summer sessions, and provides input on custodial performance in consultation with physical plant supervisors. Ensures residential facilities always meet cleanliness and habitability standards.
10. Summer Housing Operations and Camp Coordination: Manages summer housing operations, including planning for reduced-semester occupancy, services for students remaining on campus, and coordination of youth camps and conference groups utilizing residential facilities. Develops and implements youth protection protocols for summer programs. Coordinates with campus AVPs, Continuing Education, and campus safety personnel to ensure summer operations are safe, well-staffed, and appropriately resourced.
11. Communication Infrastructure and Operational Correspondence Establishes and manages a standardized, campus-specific communication framework for operational housing communications, including move-in instructions, procedure updates, maintenance notices, and emergency notifications. Ensures communications are location-specific, approved through appropriate channels, and coordinated with campus partners, including Admissions, Campus Deans of Students, and campus leadership, before distribution. Maintains a centralized housing information hub for students, staff, parents, and campus partners.
12. Housing Compliance and Regulatory Reporting: Ensures residence hall operations comply with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including Clery Act reporting requirements, fire safety codes, ADA standards, and Fair Housing considerations. Coordinates with the Director of Institutional Compliance on compliance matters. Maintains documentation and records required for regulatory reporting and institutional audits. Coordinates with the Title IX Coordinator to provide operational support as needed during investigations.
13. Cross-Divisional Collaboration and Strategic Planning: Establishes and maintains clear operational decision rights and accountability structures for residence life functions across campuses. Serves as the operational point of contact for campus partners, including Facilities, Safety & Security, Admissions, Financial Services, and IT. Initiates and facilitates strategic planning for residence life operations, including annual goal-setting, operational assessments, and continuous improvement cycles. Collects and analyzes operational data, including occupancy rates, maintenance response times, staffing coverage, and budget performance to identify trends and inform decisions. Reports operational findings and recommendations to divisional leadership.

Promote a Culture of Belonging

Support and promote an environment of belonging where all students, faculty members, and college employees feel welcomed, valued, and empowered to contribute. Foster a community where each individual and their varied perspectives enrich the educational experience and create a safe and respectful environment. Support the College’s policies and programming related to access, fair employment, and equal opportunities for all.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree in Education, Facilities Management, Business, Management, Finance, Accounting, Student Affairs, Psychology, Statistics, or a related field of study.
2. Three (3)* or more years of progressively responsible experience in housing operations, facilities management, or a related field in a college or university setting, including demonstrated experience in budget management, operational procedure development, and staff supervision.

*A related Master’s degree in the required fields of study may be substituted for one (1) year of the required work experience.