Director of Housing Assignments

Founded by Thomas Jefferson with a vision to advance human knowledge and cultivate leaders, the University of Virginia (UVA) blends historic purpose with modern innovation. At UVA, ideas grow and shape the future.

Reporting to the assistant vice president and executive director of housing and residence life, the director for housing assignments (director) provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all aspects of student housing assignments, camps and conferences, occupancy management, room selection processes, and related customer service functions. This role ensures an equitable, efficient, and student-centered housing experience that supports institutional goals for recruitment, retention, and student success. The director collaborates extensively across the university and uses data-driven practices to optimize occupancy and operational performance.

The UVA housing and residence life portfolio encompasses approximately 110 residential buildings, including traditional residence hall rooms, suites, and apartment complexes. Residential students can participate in specific living and learning programs such as residential colleges and language immersion houses.

Other key responsibilities of the role:

• Oversee a team inclusive of the director of Conferences@UVA, assistant director of housing assignments, assistant director for conferences, two housing assignments coordinators, marketing coordinator, and approximately 30 student staff members working in conference services.
• Develop and implement comprehensive housing assignment strategies to ensure efficient occupancy management and to support enrollment planning, student success initiatives, and institutional priorities.
• Oversee the management of housing assignments, camps, and conferences, occupancy planning, forecasting, and data analytics to ensure optimal utilization of the housing inventory and efficient workflow.
• Oversee the management of Conferences@UVA, which coordinates all tasks and activities related to camps and conferences at the university.
• Evaluate and adjust assignment policies and procedures to align with best practices, legal requirements, and other considerations.
• Manage the full lifecycle of housing assignments, including applications, room selection, waitlists, and contract management.
• Ensure timely preparation and rollout of timelines, communications, and system updates.
• Manage and ensure effective use of housing management software and databases. Collaborate with university information technology (IT) and software vendors to maintain and enhance housing management systems.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for the StarRez Housing Management System and/or other systems directly supporting assignments and conferences.
• Oversee occupancy reporting and prepare data for leadership, finance, and facility partners.
• Ensure a high-quality, student-centered service experience through transparent processes and effective communication.
• Resolve complex or escalated concerns from students, parents, and campus partners with professionalism and empathy.
• Develop communication strategies around assignments, deadlines, policies, and appeals.
• Partner with the student disability access center (SDAC) to support housing accommodations based on disability or medical needs.
• Foster a culture of customer service excellence, continuous improvement, and professional development.
• Manage staffing structures, workload distribution, and team priorities.
• Continuously review and enforce housing policies, assignment guidelines, and contract terms, and analyze trends and emerging needs to recommend policy updates.
• Ensure compliance with Fair Housing, ADA, FERPA, and other applicable regulations.
• Contribute to revenue forecasting and housing demand analysis.
• Manage operational budgets related to areas of responsibility.
• Support long-range planning for housing expansion or renovation impacts on inventory.
• Advise the executive director and university leadership on matters relating to housing assignments, camps, and conferences.
• Represent housing and residence life on committees and special projects as needed.

A bachelor’s degree in higher education, business administration, or a related field, and a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in university housing, occupancy management, enrollment services, or closely related areas, are required. A master’s degree and experience in large, residential university settings, navigating housing operations during construction, renovation, or enrollment shifts, are preferred.

Candidates must demonstrate advanced proficiency with the StarRez housing management system and possess strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret data, develop reports, and support forecasting and decision-making. Evidence of effective communication, customer service, and conflict-resolution skills, as well as experience supervising staff within a complex, fast-paced operational environment, will also be important considerations in the selection of the next director.

In addition to the qualifications stated above, key stakeholders identified the following capabilities and attributes of a successful candidate:

• A strategic thinker with a detailed and analytical approach to managing complex housing processes (room selection, assignments, waitlists), and the ability to align housing assignment work with institutional goals.
• A professional who capably prioritizes the student experience through a student-centered mindset and utilizes a fair and inclusive approach to policy creation and decision-making.
• A collaborative leader who partners effectively with university stakeholders and housing and residential life team members to design and implement a comprehensive assignment process that accounts for intersecting priorities and operational needs.
• A skilled and experienced supervisor who can train, support, and encourage a professional staff team.
• An innovative thinker who can solve problems creatively and decisively.

In transitioning to the University of Virginia, the director of housing assignments will encounter the following opportunities, priorities, and challenges, as shared by key campus stakeholders:

• With over 2,000 new non-UVA residential beds opening near the university in the coming years and no projected growth in incoming class size, housing demand will become significantly more competitive, requiring proactive efforts by housing and residence life, especially by the director of housing assignments.
• With approximately 750 new beds coming online in the fall of 2027, housing and residential life must actively increase demand for on-grounds housing; the next director must leverage strategic assignments and early, targeted marketing to boost student retention from 40 percent to 60 percent by encouraging students and families to choose on-grounds beyond the first year.
• The next director will be responsible for building a cohesive, high-performing team following the integration of the housing assignments and Conferences@UVA teams. They must establish a unified culture, strengthen collaboration, and align staff around the unit’s shared goals and priorities.
• UVA’s housing portfolio includes historical and newly built state-of-the-art facilities. The director will join a department with a strong working relationship with facilities management, no deferred-maintenance backlog, and a facilities plan for all necessary future upkeep.
• Conferences@UVA generates approximately over $2 million in annual revenue; the director will partner with the director of Conferences@UVA to identify innovative strategies to increase revenue and develop new income streams.

The items listed below will define the director of housing assignment’s success throughout the first year of employment:

• The housing occupancy rate remains at 95-99 percent with a managed waitlist reflective of strong demand.
• The director has established and sustained strong cross-campus partnerships with key stakeholders, including admissions, student financial services, and the dean of students, while ensuring clear and timely communication of critical housing dates, processes, and timelines.
• A strong sense of ownership and accountability within the housing assignments and conference team is established, ensuring staff understand their contributions to, and alignment with, the broader mission and strategic vision of housing and residence life.