Associate Director, University Housing

Case Western Reserve University, United States

Updated: about 17 hours ago
Location: Campus, ILLINOIS
Job Type: FullTime

Case Western Reserve University is committed to providing a transparent estimate of the salary range available for this position at the time of its posting. The salary range is between $65,779 and $83,210, depending on qualifications, experience, department budgets, and industry data. 

Employees receive more than just a paycheck. University employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare, retirement plans, tuition assistance, paid time off, and a winter recess.

POSITION OBJECTIVE
Serve as the senior operational executive for University Housing, with responsibility for the business, facilities, and service functions supporting a residential system of over 5,000 students and an annual operating and capital budget exceeding $43 million. Reporting to the Executive Director of Housing, the Associate Director provides strategic and operational leadership, ensuring that housing operations are mission-aligned, fiscally sustainable, and student-centered. The Associate Director exercises delegated executive authority on behalf of the Executive Director and directs the planning, coordination, and performance evaluation of all housing operations, including capital planning, occupancy management and analytics, customer service operations, and Greek and guest housing programs. This position represents University Housing in institutional planning groups, finance discussions, and external partnerships, ensuring that the residential system supports institutional goals for community, sustainability, and student success.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
 

  • Executive Leadership and Integrated Operations ¿ The Associate Director provides senior leadership for all University Housing operations, driving long-term strategic planning, policy development, and performance measurement to ensure financial sustainability and an exceptional residential experience. The role exercises delegated executive authority in the absence of the Executive Director and leads the department's five-year strategic planning process, aligning organizational design and workforce strategy with institutional priorities. The Associate Director oversees the department's five operational areas; facilities and capital planning, occupancy and analytics, customer service, Greek and guest housing, and business/technology systems; ensuring they function as an integrated enterprise. Responsibilities include setting operational expectations, providing consistent service delivery, directing cross-unit collaboration, and holding unit leaders accountable for efficient workflows, data-driven decisions, and measurable outcomes tied to departmental goals. (20%)
  • Capital and Facilities Strategy - The Associate Director provides leadership in capital renewal and deferred-maintenance planning for the university's $500 million residential portfolio. This role primarily focuses on establishing and enforcing comprehensive standards for preventative maintenance, custodial services, and asset management across University Housing facilities. The Associate Director serves as the departmental leader for environmental sustainability, developing and implementing long-range strategies for energy reduction, waste diversion, and the adoption of sustainable practices within the housing system. While major design and construction projects are coordinated with Campus Planning and Facilities Management, and external partners to ensure compliance with safety, accessibility, and sustainability standards, the Associate Director takes the lead in partnering with these groups and with external vendors to identify, recommend, and integrate green technologies and capital retrofits as key components of departmental capital planning and asset management. (25%)
  • Student Wellness and Residential Success ¿ The Associate Director ensures that housing facilities, services, and operational practices support student well-being, belonging, and academic success. This includes planning and enhancing residential spaces; such as study areas, quiet zones, and community lounges; to create a healthy, effective living environment. The Associate Director collaborates with Student Affairs and wellness partners to align housing operations with institutional wellness priorities while programmatic and clinical services remain with those units. Using data-informed assessment, the role monitors student satisfaction and engagement with the residential environment, identifies operational barriers to success, and drives continuous improvement of housing facilities and services to support a positive, student-centered residential experience. (20%)
  • Financial Leadership - In the financial leadership capacity, the Associate Director oversees housing operating budgets exceeding $43 million annually, drives fiscal sustainability by developing and implementing multi-year rate models, revenue forecasts, and cost-recovery strategies, and exercises delegated authority over the department's $43 million operating budget by holding functional-area leaders accountable for fiscal performance. Lead the strategic development and expansion of all non-student housing revenue streams (such as summer conferences, guest housing, and potential retail or third-party partnerships), and conduct market analysis and develop business plans to create new revenue opportunities. They also lead the development of a departmental business intelligence (BI) program, directing the creation of dashboards and predictive analytics to enhance data-driven decision-making for occupancy, financial, and operational forecasting. (12%)
  • Leadership Development and Succession Planning - The Associate Director leads and mentors a team of Assistant Directors, Managers, and Coordinators, fostering professional growth, accountability, and innovation. The role provides executive-level counsel and operational support to unit leaders during high-volume periods, staff vacancies, or complex operational challenges. Additional responsibilities include developing succession plans and ensuring leadership continuity across all operational areas. (10%)
  • Policy, Compliance, and Risk Management -This role is responsible for establishing and enforcing operational policies and compliance frameworks that align with university, local, and federal standards. The Associate Director collaborates with Risk Management, Environmental Health & Safety, and General Counsel to mitigate risk and maintain regulatory compliance across all housing operations. (7%)

    •  

    NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 
     

  • Crisis Response and After-Hours Leadership ¿ The Associate Director serves as a senior operational leader in the university's 24/7 residential environment, supervising the on-call rotation and responding to escalated incidents involving student safety, facilities emergencies, and major service disruptions. The role provides after-hours decision-making authority for housing operations, collaborates with Public Safety and campus partners during critical incidents, and ensures timely communication, coordination, and continuity of operations during emergencies. (3%)
  • Representation and Collaboration - The Associate Director represents University Housing in institutional planning committees, capital finance groups, and professional associations, and serves as a university liaison to city officials, vendors, and external partners to advance the university's housing and community engagement objectives. Additional duties include preparing and delivering executive-level reports and presentations on departmental finance, capital projects, and performance metrics for the university's Senior Vice Presidents and Board of Trustees committees and representing the Executive Director and the department in high-stakes external relations and senior-level institutional planning groups. (3%)
  • Perform other duties as assigned. (<1%)
     
     

    • CONTACTS 
    Department: Continuous contact with the Executive Director, Assistant Directors, Facilities Coordinator, Business Analyst, and Department Administrator to coordinate operations and planning. 
    University: Regular contact with Residence Life, Facilities Services, Campus Planning, Finance, UTech, Dining, Access Services, Risk Management, and Student Affairs. 
    External: Frequent contact with vendors, contractors, peer institutions, and city officials regarding capital projects, benchmarking, and service agreements. 
    Students: Occasional contact with student leaders and residents to discuss policy, service quality, and facility initiatives. 
     
    SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES 
    Direct supervision of the Assistant Director, Occupancy, Assistant Director, Guest & Greek Housing, Manager, Customer Service, Coordinator, Facilities, Business Analyst

    Indirect supervision of Department Assistants, Coordinators, Graduate Assistants, and approximately 60 student employees. Responsible for recruitment, performance evaluation, and professional development of all direct reports. 
     
    QUALIFICATIONS 
    Experience: 7 years of progressively responsible leadership in university housing, facilities, or large-scale auxiliary operations, including at least 7 years in management with multi-unit oversight and fiscal accountability. 
    Education/Licensing: Bachelor's Degree required; Master's degree in higher education administration, business, facilities management, or a related discipline preferred  

    REQUIRED SKILLS 

  • Proven success leading multimillion-dollar operational and capital budgets. 
  • Ability to develop and execute strategic and financial plans at the institutional level. 
  • Expertise in facilities planning and vendor management. 
  • Advanced analytical and data-driven decision-making skills. 
  • Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with executive presence. 
  • Demonstrated effectiveness in organizational leadership, innovation, and change management. 
  • Comprehensive understanding of housing operations, risk management, and compliance standards. 
  • Ability to develop multi-year rate models, revenue forecasts, and cost-recovery strategies.
  • Proficiency in data-driven decision-making, including dashboards and predictive analytics.
  • Experience with capital renewal and deferred maintenance planning.
  • Familiarity with sustainability practices and integration of green technologies is preferred. 
  • Demonstrated history of successful support, education, and advocacy for all students, aligned with the values, mission, and messaging of the university, while adhering to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest.
  •  Ability to meet consistent attendance and interact effectively with colleagues, supervisors, and stakeholders face to face. 
  • Willingness to learn and utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI).
     
    WORKING CONDITIONS 
    Standard office environment with regular visits to residential facilities, construction sites, and campus offices. Evening and weekend hours required during openings, closings, emergencies, and major university events. Periodic travel for professional and vendor meetings. Position may qualify for limited hybrid scheduling consistent with university policy. 
     
    •

    This position is eligible for hybrid work arrangement up to two remote days per week at the discretion of the department. New employees may begin a hybrid schedule upon approval from the supervisor, successful completion of an orientation period and signing the remote work checklist certification form.

    Case Western Reserve University is an equal opportunity employer.  All applicants are protected under federal and state laws and university policy from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, protected veteran status, disability, age and genetic information.

    Case Western Reserve University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the CWRU Office of  Equity at 216-368-3066 to request a reasonable accommodation. Determinations as to granting reasonable accommodations for any applicants will be made on a case-by-case basis.

    .

    Similar Positions