Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Dorm Supervisor (Residence Hall Supervisor)

🎯 Role Definition

The Dorm Supervisor (Residence Hall Supervisor) is a frontline housing operations leader responsible for the day-to-day supervision of a residence hall, ensuring student safety, property maintenance, community development, student conduct management, and the training and oversight of student staff. This role balances administrative housing operations with hands-on crisis response, roommate mediation, programming support, and compliance with campus policies, FERPA and Title IX considerations.

Key keywords: Dorm Supervisor, Residence Hall Supervisor, Resident Life, Student Housing, housing operations, campus safety, student conduct, crisis response, resident programming, RA supervision.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Resident Advisor (RA) or Lead RA with documented supervisory experience
Front Desk or Housing Desk Coordinator experienced in housing operations
Campus Safety Officer or Student Activities Coordinator

Advancement To:

Area/Community Director or Senior Residence Life Coordinator
Associate Director of Residence Life or Assistant Director of Housing
Director of Residence Life or Head of Campus Housing Operations

Lateral Moves:

Student Conduct Officer / Title IX Coordinator (entry-level positions)
Housing Assignment & Billing Coordinator
Facilities or Operations Coordinator for campus housing

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Supervise and mentor a team of student staff (Resident Assistants, Desk Attendants, Peer Mentors), including selection participation, training design, performance coaching, scheduling, and formal performance documentation to maintain a high-performing residential life team.
Serve as first responder for after-hours emergencies and routine incidents in the residence hall, providing immediate assessment, crisis intervention, coordination with campus safety/EMS, and clear incident documentation and follow-up.
Enforce campus housing policies, residence hall rules, and student conduct expectations by conducting investigations, completing incident reports, recommending sanctions, and coordinating with the Office of Student Conduct and Title IX when appropriate.
Lead conflict resolution and roommate mediation sessions, facilitating restorative conversations, drafting written agreements, and implementing action plans to resolve interpersonal conflicts and improve community living.
Oversee daily housing operations including opening/closing procedures, key control, access management, campus ID checks, lockouts, and coordination with locksmiths or security vendors for lost/misplaced keys and access issues.
Maintain accurate incident logs, duty reports, occupancy statistics, housing records, and confidential student documentation in compliance with FERPA and institutional record-keeping standards.
Coordinate routine and emergency maintenance requests with Facilities Management, prioritize work orders in high-impact scenarios, inspect common areas and rooms for safety hazards and deferred maintenance, and escalate complex issues to supervisors.
Develop, plan, and support residence life programming designed to promote student engagement, retention, academic success, wellness, diversity and inclusion, and community-building across the residence hall.
Administer housing assignments, room changes, waitlists, and roommate matching processes using housing management systems (e.g., StarRez, RMS, eRezLife), ensuring accuracy and fairness in occupancy decisions.
Facilitate move-in, move-out, and break housing logistics including check-in/check-out processes, damage assessments, billing coordination, and communication of housing policies to residents and families.
Monitor building safety systems and compliance including fire alarms, smoke detectors, emergency lighting, sprinkler systems, and coordinate required drills, reporting, and follow-up with Environmental Health & Safety.
Conduct regular rounds and inspections of residence hall common areas, bathrooms, laundry rooms and study spaces to ensure cleanliness, safety, and compliance with posted rules and public health recommendations.
Provide one-on-one student support and referrals for mental health, academic resources, financial aid, and career services; follow up to ensure referrals are completed and escalate high-risk concerns to counseling services.
Manage behavioral interventions including progressive discipline plans, safety plans, housing probation, and eviction procedures in collaboration with legal counsel and campus leadership when necessary.
Participate in on-call rotation, weekend and holiday coverage, and scheduling flexibility to ensure consistent supervisory presence and rapid incident response in the residence community.
Prepare and manage modest operating budgets for residence hall programming, supplies and student staff events; track expenditures, reconcile receipts, and adhere to institutional procurement policies.
Deliver or coordinate training workshops on topics such as conflict de-escalation, mandatory reporting, bystander intervention, sexual misconduct prevention, fire safety, and inclusive community practices for student staff and residents.
Act as liaison between students, parents, campus departments (Facilities, Public Safety, Dining Services, Accessibility Services), and external vendors to resolve operational issues and communicate timely updates.
Maintain clear, professional communications—email, bulletin postings, social media, and residence hall newsletters—to ensure residents are informed about policies, health & safety notices, event schedules, and emergency protocols.
Conduct move-in/move-out damage assessments, document room condition reports, coordinate billing for repairs, and work with custodial staff to ensure timely remediation and turnover of rooms.
Implement and monitor COVID-19 or other public health response plans as required by institution policy, including quarantine/isolation housing coordination, testing referrals, and communication of health guidance.
Analyze occupancy trends, student feedback, incident patterns, and program assessment data to recommend improvements to residence life operations, staffing, and student engagement strategies.

Secondary Functions

Support student staff professional development through regular coaching sessions, goal-setting, and skills-development workshops to strengthen leadership pipelines.
Assist with housing marketing, resident recruitment initiatives, open houses, and campus tours to promote the living-learning environment and optimize occupancy rates.
Maintain inventory of residence hall supplies (first aid kits, educational materials, programming supplies) and request replenishment in a timely manner.
Collaborate with dining and custodial teams to coordinate special events, building clean-ups, and health inspections.
Participate in departmental committees for emergency preparedness, diversity & inclusion initiatives, and retention strategy planning.
Provide administrative support to the Residence Life office including data entry, compiling reports, and supporting annual assessment and accreditation activities.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Residence life operations and student housing management (StarRez, RMS, eRezLife or equivalent housing software)
Student conduct administration and incident investigation, including report writing and evidence documentation
Emergency response, crisis management, and basic life support coordination (CPR/First Aid/AED certification preferred)
Knowledge of FERPA, Title IX, ADA/accessibility, and student privacy compliance
Fire and life safety procedures, evacuation planning and coordination with Environmental Health & Safety
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) and ability to manage rosters, budgets and scheduling
Experience with on-call scheduling, campus dispatch protocols, and multi-shift coverage Excel or Google Sheets
Basic budget tracking, purchase order submission, and petty cash reconciliation for residence hall needs
Familiarity with student programming assessment, event logistics, and risk management for public events
Ability to produce clear written documentation for disciplinary records, housing agreements, and occupancy reports

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people management skills with a focus on mentoring and developing student staff
Excellent verbal and written communication tailored to diverse student populations, parents, and campus stakeholders
Conflict resolution, mediation, and restorative practices to resolve roommate and community disputes
Cultural competence and inclusive practice when working with students from diverse backgrounds
High emotional intelligence and ability to remain calm under pressure during crisis situations
Decision-making and sound judgment in on-call, after-hours, and ambiguous scenarios
Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and time management in a multi-tasking environment
Coaching and teaching mindset to deliver training and feedback to student employees
Professional discretion, confidentiality, and ethical handling of sensitive student information
Customer service orientation and ability to respond empathetically to student needs

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED required; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be accepted.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Education, or related field preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Higher Education Administration
Student Affairs / Student Development
Counseling, Social Work, Psychology
Public Safety or Emergency Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1–5 years of relevant experience in residence life, student affairs, housing operations, campus safety, or related fields.

Preferred:

2+ years supervising student staff in a residence hall environment, experience with on-call rotations and crisis response, and demonstrated success managing housing operations, student conduct processes, and programming initiatives.