Application Deadline: Application review will begin as applications are received and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants can be assured of full consideration if submitted by: March 6, 2025.
Position Summary: Washburn University is a teaching-focused, student-centered, public institution located in the metropolitan setting of Topeka that has earned national recognition for its high-impact programs for first-generation students. Washburn has a student body of over 5,500 undergraduate, graduate, and law students, a significant and growing number of whom are first-generation and Pell-Grant eligible. The University has created educational pathways for all students to be successful and achieve their educational goals.
Washburn is dedicated to recruiting and retaining a multiskilled faculty, staff, and student body and cultivating a vibrant learning and working environment and curriculum. We employ more than one thousand faculty and staff on our campuses throughout Topeka and strive to offer competitive wages, an excellent benefits program, and a supportive culture and a healthy work/life balance. Washburn seeks to create an environment that reflects our core values for creating positive IMPACT: inclusion, modernization, partnership, achievement, community, and transformation. In 2024, Washburn was recognized as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to Great Colleges to Work For® program.
The Director, Residential Living is responsible for a comprehensive living-learning environment for all campus housing and administrative functions such as contracting, budgeting, and billing. The Director, Residential Living is a student conduct administrator, a University Behavior Assessment Team (UBAT) member, and works collaboratively across campus to benefit Washburn students.
Essential Functions: • Direct responsibilities include unit operations management, annual budget development, administration, professional staff training and development, supervision and management, student educational and social development, learning community development, program development, student judicial education, occupancy management, and crisis management. • The Director, Residential Living facilitates collaboration with other university units, such as Washburn University Police, Counseling Services, Facility Services, Business Services, and other campus resources, to develop, support, and implement safety and security policies and procedures to provide emergency response for the residential community. • Engages in strategic planning for the unit in collaboration with the Vice President of Student Life and the Associate Vice President for Student Life (AVPSL)/Dean of Students, promotes Washburn University Core Values, and directs the Department toward meeting the goals outlined in the Strategic Framework. Responsible for recommending improvements to the program to appropriate staff. • This position requires highly independent thinking, decision-making, diplomacy, policy development and implementation, problem analysis, and strategic planning. • The Director, Residential Living supervises and develops full-time and indirectly part-time residential and support staff, recruits, hires, trains, schedules, and evaluates the performance and effectiveness of assigned staff and students, providing feedback and professional development opportunities. The director independently oversees day-to-day operations and determines subordinates' goals and performance expectations. The director effectively manages the team to maximize employee performance and facilitate professional growth. • As the team leader and motivator, the director maintains a healthy and fair work environment by promoting and exercising teamwork and collaboration. Actively encourages a professional workplace culture of mutual respect and collegiality for all institution members. Works to build positive and cooperative professional relationships and encourages staff to work toward individual and departmental goals. • Performs additional job-related duties as assigned or as appropriate.
Non-Essential Functions: • Serves on various university and Student Life committees to represent the unit's interests and support University and Departmental activities.
Required Qualifications: • Master's degree in Student Personnel, Counseling, Education, Higher Education, or related field. • Five years of experience in Residential Life, Housing, or related areas, that includes student judicial affairs. • A demonstrated intercultural competence and knowledge of organizational development, group dynamics, strategies for change, and principles of community. • Proven ability to comprehend, explain, and enforce university and departmental policies, regulations, processes, and procedures. • Demonstrated effective interpersonal, group, and cross-cultural communication and leadership skills. • Demonstrated experience with residential living areas facilities management. • Proven ability to effectively communicate clear and concise policy statements, reports, and memoranda on subjects of a sensitive nature with sound arguments. Experience interacting in sensitive situations with individuals from various academic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds. Demonstrated knowledge and skills in making sound independent judgments while maintaining a calm and professional demeanor to promote civil and professional communication. • Proven supervisory, leadership, or personnel management skills. Knowledge of organizational development and evaluation. • Skilled in leading and promoting leadership with varied populations, particularly students. Proven leadership skills with the ability to act independently and exercise sound judgment, identifying system performance measures and actions to improve performance, and the acumen and sensitivity to determine decisions and activities requiring higher-level consultation or group collaboration. • Demonstrated knowledge of principles and procedures involved in risk assessment for housing units/communities. • Demonstrated successful project and program management and ability to implement and evaluate comprehensive projects and programs. • Theoretical and experiential knowledge in budget development, planning, and financial management or an equivalent combination of education and strong demonstrated management experience. • Knowledge of standard University-specific computer application programs and a commitment to regularly update technology skills as required.
• A valid driver's license with a driving record that meets University standards.
Preferred Qualifications: • Knowledge and understanding of national practices and trends in residential life and on-campus housing affect higher education and student development. • Three years of supervisory experience, highly preferred in housing. • Familiarity with and knowledge of student needs and concerns. • Ability to research, evaluate, assess, and find solutions for changing student needs. • Experience with occupancy management.
Exempt, Full-time, Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm Background check and driving history required
Washburn is a top-notch public university in an urban setting where students are becoming their best selves.
Nestled in the heart of Topeka - the capital city with about 127 thousand residents - Washburn offers students from small towns a big-city feel, while providing students from major metropolitan areas a more manageable environment.
Washburn's beautiful campus - on 160 acres - is easy to navigate with state-of-the art facilities. Our Tech campus on Huntoon offers industry-standard programs leading to in-demand jobs. And with our low student/faculty ratio and small classes, you're going to get to know your professors.
Internally, we're organized into five schools, the College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Applied Studies, the Business School, the School of Nursing, the School of Law and the Washburn Institute of Technology (Washburn Tech.)
And the academic environment is one hard to beat. Consider these facts:
Affordable education: Tuition is charged per credit. If you're from any state in the U.S., you'll pay resident tuition as an undergraduate student.
Student/faculty ratio: 14:1. And approximately 60 percent of undergraduate courses have fewer than 20 s...tudents.
Courses taught by experienced faculty: 71 percent of Washburn’s full-time faculty members hold doctorates or the highest degree awarded in their discipline. No courses are taught by graduate teaching assistants. This means undergraduate students work directly with professors in courses, research and other projects.
Academic options: More than 200 courses of study are offered.
Nationally recognized: U.S. News and World Report has recognized Washburn for its low student debt upon graduation.
Graduate with experience: More than 1,000 Washburn students participate in an internship each year. In several majors, an internship or other hands-on experience in a professional work environment is required for graduation.
Public or private? Washburn is publicly funded, independently governed and state coordinated. In addition to funding from city and county taxes, Washburn receives financial support from the State of Kansas.
