Please note that references provided at the time of application for staff positions will not be contacted until the applicant has been offered the position.
- Description:
Reporting to an Assistant Director of Residential Education, the Hall Director is a 12-month, live-in professional staff member who supports the creation of welcoming residential environments that encourage student engagement and involvement within the residence hall and the broader campus community. The Hall Director assists in supporting the safety, security, and well-being of students living on campus and participates in a shared 24/7 professional on-call rotation.
The Hall Director is responsible for the physical and developmental function of a residence hall. Emphasis is placed on contributing to the advancement of the Residential Education vision, mission, and goals. This position serves as an educator, training and supervising student paraprofessional staff members and enforcing college policies in the residence hall. The Hall Director must be an individual that is highly motivated and enthusiastic about actively contributing to the success of Berea College students.
In support of Berea College’s eight Great Commitments, the Hall Director works to foster diverse, equitable, and inclusive residential communities that promote educational opportunity and an appreciation for the dignity of labor. The Hall Director carries out core housing and residential education responsibilities while supporting Student Affairs goals, policies, and administrative processes under the guidance of department leadership. This position requires the ability to manage multiple responsibilities, work collaboratively within integrated team structures, and exercise growing independence and sound judgment appropriate to an early-career professional role.
Following long-standing tradition and practice at Berea College, this position includes responsibility for supervising, mentoring, and developing students in the College's integrated Work College Program. This supports student learning, career readiness, and the program's learning goals and outcomes. The Work College Program provides a developmental framework that guides student learning while creating a structured mentorship opportunity, with role-specific training that equips faculty and staff mentors to support student development. Faculty and staff mentors play an essential part in helping students connect their work-learning-service experiences with broader academic, professional, and personal development. For faculty, this aligns with Berea's tenure and promotion criteria.- Your Key Responsibilities:
- Support the development of an inclusive and engaging residential community that promotes student belonging, respects differences, and affirms diverse identities, through relationship-building, programming, and supportive interventions.
- Responsible for coordinating Facilities Management and Public Safety to complete maintenance, custodial services, and promote safety and security within assigned residence hall.
- Maintain accurate records and utilize housing and Student Affairs systems (e.g., rosters, keys, incident reports) in accordance with departmental procedures.
- Support the development of an inclusive and engaging residential community that promotes student belonging, respects differences, and affirms diverse identities, including LGBTQ residents, through relationship-building, programming, and supportive interventions.
- Encourage resident growth and development as responsible community members who respect differences by providing mentoring, guidance, and referrals, and by supporting conflict resolution and mediation processes as appropriate.
- Serve as a diligent and timely reporter by accurately documenting incidents, student interactions, and policy concerns in the appropriate reporting systems, ensuring thorough follow-up and communication with supervisors as needed.
- Participates in the Residential Education on-call rotation providing after-hours response to residential incidents and student concerns, and consulting with administrative staff regularly to ensure support, documentation, and follow-up.
- Support residence hall openings, closings, break transitions, occupancy changes, and room change processes by coordinating logistics, communicating expectations to residents, ensuring policy compliance, and maintaining accurate occupancy records in collaboration with departmental leadership.
- Adjudicate assigned student conduct cases within the residential community, meeting with students, documenting outcomes, and consulting regularly with a supervisor for guidance and case review.
- Assist with efforts to engage diverse student communities and promote inclusive residential environments through relationship-building and participation in culturally relevant programs and initiatives.
- Support student belonging and safety in gender-inclusive and co-educational residential communities, including affirming and inclusive practices for LGBTQ residents.
- Maintain a visible and approachable presence in the residence halls and participate in campus and College events as appropriate.
- Support the supervision and development of student staff and/or paraprofessional staff through training, coaching, and feedback, under the guidance of an Assistant Director.
- Assist with training, supervision, and evaluation processes for student staff, with an emphasis on community development, inclusion, and student well-being.
- Collaborate with campus partners to support students’ academic success, engagement, transition to college, and overall well-being.
- Assist with managing financial resources for assigned hall(s) in accordance with established budgets and institutional guidelines.
- Participate in a Student Affairs functional or collaborative assignment, contributing to programs, projects, or initiatives as designated by department leadership; scope and time commitment may vary.
- Participate in the assessment of programs and services and contribute to continuous improvement efforts aligned with student learning outcomes and departmental goals.
- Serve as a collaborative and engaged member of the Residential Education team in support of the mission and vision of Berea College and the Student Affairs division.
- Model Berea College’s motto, “God has made of one blood, all peoples of the Earth,” through inclusive, ethical, and respectful professional practice.
- Support and uphold Berea College policies, procedures, and expectations outlined in the Student Handbook.
- What You'll Bring:
Education required to ensure success in this position:
- Bachelor’s degree required
- Master’s degree in higher education, college student personnel, counseling, human development, or related field preferred
- 1-2 years of experience in higher education, student affairs, K-12 education, counseling, or a related field through professional roles, internships, graduate assistantships, practicum experiences, or significant student leadership involvement.
- Demonstrated experience working with college students in advising, mentoring, programming, or support capacity.
- Experience engaging with diverse student populations and supporting inclusive communities, including LGBTQ , BIPOC, and students from Appalachia, or a demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and student belonging.
- Demonstrated interest in building positive, supportive relationships with students, colleagues, and campus partners.
- Strong organizational, interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills for an early-career professional.
- Commitment to inclusion and the ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds; experience with or openness to learning about culturally diverse populations.
- Integrity, sound judgment, and the ability to make decisions aligned with institutional values and policies.
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team while also managing responsibilities independently.
- Basic understanding of budgeting concepts and a willingness to learn foundational accounting skills.
- Reliability, punctuality, and demonstrated follow-through on commitments.
- Ability to provide respectful, responsive customer service to students, families, and campus partners.
- Ability to learn and use housing and student information systems (e.g., StarRez, Banner) and proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite and similar desktop and online programs and platforms.
- Aligned with the mission of a private liberal arts college and role of an on campus residential experience in student learning and development.
- Creativity, adaptability, cultural competence, and a positive, solution-oriented approach to work.
- Valid Driver’s License
- Ability to work a flexible schedule, including some evening and weekend hours, based on programmatic and departmental needs.
- Ability to move through campus facilities and residence halls and to perform essential job functions.
- Ability to observe, communicate, and respond appropriately to routine and emergency situations in a residential or student-facing environment.
- The position has a live-in requirement and requires completion of a lease agreement.
- The position has regular evening and weekend office hours.
- Must be willing to work in shared office space environment as part of team structure.
- Ability to operate a motor vehicle in accordance with institutional policies, or ability to obtain and maintain eligibility to do so.
- Ability to use standard computing technologies (e.g., email, word processing, spreadsheets) and willingness to learn job-specific systems.
- Ability to operate standard office equipment such as printers, copiers, and telephones.
Founded in 1855, Berea College is nationally recognized as the first coeducational and interracial college in the South. Berea has a longstanding commitment to interracial education and is one of the most racially diverse private liberal arts colleges in the United States. With an emphasis on service to Appalachia and beyond, Berea enrolls more than 1,500 students from 46 states and U.S. territories and more than 70 countries. Berea College admits students who are unable to afford tuition and provides all of them with a no-tuition promise. Berea’s students excel in the College’s supportive yet demanding academic environment, and most are the first in their families to attend college. As one of only ten federally recognized Work Colleges, all Berea students are expected to work 10-12 hours weekly in various positions across campus. Berea College is also the only institution in Kentucky to receive the 5-Star Rating from Money Magazine, 2025. Washington Monthly has named Berea College the #1 Best College in the nation in its 2025 College Guide. Berea College appears in their rankings as #1 College (overall): Best College for your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars, #1 Best-in Class College, #1 Liberal Arts College and #1 Best Bang for the Buck Southern College.
Located where the Bluegrass Region meets the Cumberland Mountains, the town of Berea (pop. 16,000) lies forty miles south of Lexington and is approximately two hours from Cincinnati, Louisville, and Knoxville. More information about Berea College is available at
Berea College, in light of its mission in the tradition of impartial love and social equality, welcomes all people of the earth to learn and work here.
Berea College is always looking for talented, self-motivated individuals to join our team. If you think you are ready to be a part of an exciting team, then we encourage you to continue with this applicant friendly, online job application!
Berea College is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.