Assistant Director of Residential Programs and Services

Location: Big Rapids (Main Campus)

Department: 62102 - Housing and Residence Life

Summary of Position: Provide primary responsibility for the administration of the Residence Halls, Apartments, and Suites on campus. Provide leadership and supervision for residential programs and services. Assist in the development and implementation of comprehensive policies and procedures for on-campus housing operations. 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, H1B, etc.

Position Type: Staff

Required Education: Bachelor's degree in personnel administration, counseling, or related field. Required Work Experience:3-5 years of work experience in University housing and residence life with responsibilities which involved supervision (student or professional), corrective action, conflict resolution, and programming in a University setting.

Duties/Responsibilities: Provide leadership of the residence hall, apartment, and suite system. Recommend for hire, train, and supervise approximately seven full-time, professional hall and community director staff. Guide selection, training, and supervision of approximately 100 student hall staff, including Resident Advisors (RA), Community Advisors (CA), and Senior Staff Advisors (SSA), as well as approximately 50-60 Desk Services Assistants (DSA).Develop and implement processes for effective response to crisis situations. Facilitate and participate in on-call rotation for crisis management. Provide supervision for desk operations in approximately 13 on-campus living communities. Direct professional staff recruitment initiatives. Coordinate Hall and Community Director involvement in support of other department/division operations and programs. Advise the Residence Hall Association (RHA) student organization, which leads programming for and represents on-campus residents. Coordinate assessment initiatives for the department. Provide guidance for residence hall staff and students. Serve as a referral agent to ensure student needs are met. Develop and maintain RA Resource area and materials. Serve as a liaison to other offices, including the Office of Student Conduct. Develop, maintain, and supervise budget standards for individual residence hall operations. Serve as first appeal for off-campus requests, staff discipline, and student employment issues. Visit and inspect all on-campus living areas, monitor programming efforts, and facilitate staff meetings. Represent the department on special committees and meetings Assist with central office management. Assist with operations management, facilities management, enrollment initiatives, and marketing. Operate a university or personal vehicle safely while carrying out job responsibilities. Will authorize, pursuant to university policies and procedures, a driving record check, and will meet the driving authorization requirements through the course of employment in a position where you are authorized to drive a vehicle as part of your duties. Carries out responsibilities in accordance with university policies and applicable laws. Train and supervise professional and student staff on safety and emergency procedures, crisis response, mandated reporting responsibilities, incident report writing, community building, programming, and other university processes and functions to ensure the building of a highly responsive, compassionate, and responsible on-campus living environment for approximately 3,400 student residents. Cultivates an environment of belonging that values, respects, supports, and celebrates individual similarities and differences, allowing students, faculty, and staff to thrive authentically. Support, promote, and develop university student enrollment and retention initiatives. Any other duties assigned within the position classification area.

Skills and Abilities: Understand student development theory. Demonstrate communication skills, including the ability to speak to large groups. Work collaboratively with other University and community constituencies. Demonstrated ability to supervise and lead a diverse group of students and staff. Mediate conflict successfully. Use basic computer programs. Demonstrated successful experience working directly with people from diverse backgrounds, including cultural, educational, socioeconomic, and life experiences. Required Documents: Cover LetterResumeUnofficial Transcript 1Optional Documents: Unofficial Transcript 2Special Instructions to Applicants: Unofficial Transcript 1 (REQUIRED): Applicants must attach a copy of an unofficial transcript of their bachelor's degree. Transcripts must include the institution name, the applicant's name, the date the degree was attained, and the degree awarded. Finalists will be required to submit an official transcript. Unofficial Transcript 2 (OPTIONAL): Applicants who have attained a Master's degree in student affairs leadership or related field please attach a copy of unofficial transcript. Transcript must include: Institution name, applicant name, date degree attained, degree awarded. Finalist will be required to submit an official transcript Initial Application Review Date: September 28, 2026 Open Until Position is Filled?:YesPosting Close Date: EEO Statement: Ferris State University, an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, is committed to enhancing equity, inclusion, and diversity within its community. 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. The University actively seeks applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and other underrepresented groups. For more information on the University's Policy on Non-Discrimination, visit: Ferris Non-Discrimination Statement. Click here to learn more about working at FSU and KCAD.