Student Life Manager
Residential Life & Dormitory Operations
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced, highly organized, and results-oriented Student Life Manager to lead residential life operations, supervise dormitory staff, and oversee student life programs at our high school.
The ideal candidate has proven management experience in a boarding school or residential education environment, with the ability to independently manage dormitory operations, develop and implement policies and SOPs, and lead a team effectively.
This role requires a hands-on manager with strong leadership, organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills who can establish clear goals, improve operational processes, and maintain a safe, structured, and supportive residential environment.
Key Responsibilities
1. Residential Life & Dormitory Management
- Independently oversee daily operations across multiple student dormitories.
- Manage student attendance, room checks, curfews, check-in/check-out procedures, visitor access, and dormitory safety.
- Ensure consistent enforcement of dormitory rules, student conduct expectations, and disciplinary procedures.
- Identify operational challenges, establish priorities, and implement effective solutions.
- Develop operational plans and maintain consistent standards across all dormitories.
- Monitor dormitory operations and provide regular updates to school leadership.
2. Staff Supervision & Team Leadership
- Directly supervise, train, and manage residential life and dormitory staff.
- Oversee staff scheduling, task assignments, performance, and accountability.
- Provide onboarding, coaching, and ongoing professional development for residential staff.
- Establish clear team expectations and ensure consistent execution of responsibilities.
- Address staff performance concerns and promote effective teamwork.
3. Dormitory Policies & SOP Development
- Independently develop, implement, and improve dormitory policies, SOPs, and student conduct guidelines.
- Establish standardized procedures for room inspections, curfews, student outings, safety protocols, and disciplinary matters.
- Develop clear processes for incident reporting, documentation, escalation, and follow-up.
- Train staff on established policies and ensure consistent compliance.
- Regularly review and improve residential life procedures to enhance safety and operational efficiency.
4. Student Safety & Behavioral Management
- Oversee student well-being, safety, and behavior within the residential community.
- Manage student conflicts, disciplinary issues, and emergency situations.
- Maintain accurate incident reports and student conduct records.
- Communicate with parents, school administrators, teachers, and residential staff regarding student concerns.
- Promote a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for domestic and international students.
5. Student Activities & Program Management
- Plan, organize, and oversee after-school programs, student clubs, weekend activities, and community-building events.
- Manage activity schedules, resources, and program coordination.
- Encourage student engagement, leadership development, and positive campus participation.
- Evaluate program effectiveness and implement improvements based on student needs.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Minimum 3–5 years of relevant experience in residential life, dormitory management, student life, or a related educational setting.
- Prior experience in a manager-level or equivalent leadership position with direct staff supervision responsibilities.
- Proven experience independently overseeing dormitory or residential life operations.
- Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, or improving dormitory policies and SOPs.
- Strong leadership skills with experience supervising, training, and managing employees.
- Excellent organizational, planning, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to set clear goals, prioritize responsibilities, and independently execute operational plans.
- Experience managing student behavior, disciplinary issues, and safety concerns.
- Ability to make sound decisions and take ownership of daily operations.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Education, Student Affairs, Educational Leadership, Psychology, or a related field.
- Previous experience as a Residential Life Manager, Dormitory Manager, Assistant Director of Residential Life, Dean of Students, or similar leadership position.
- Experience working in a U.S. boarding school or residential high school.
- Experience overseeing multiple dormitories or residential teams.
- Experience working with international students and families.
- Experience managing student clubs, extracurricular activities, and student engagement programs.
- CPR/First Aid certification.
Ideal Candidate
We are looking for a hands-on, structured, and goal-oriented manager who can independently lead residential operations, supervise staff, establish effective policies, and continuously improve student life programs.
The successful candidate should demonstrate strong ownership, clear communication, effective planning, and the ability to lead a residential team with minimal supervision.