Description

Position Overview

The Complex Director (CD) is part of the Residence Life team in Housing & Residence Life at KU and responsible for the daily operations and management of a residential area housing 500-800 students. The Complex Director supervises one to four residential graduate assistants (Assistant Complex Directors), 8-24 undergraduate staff members (Resident Assistants, Food Board Managers, Proctors), and indirectly supports front desk operations.

The CD has a foundational role in supporting residential community members in realizing their full potential as individuals, members of the KU community, and members of society as a whole. The CD works to provide an engaging community that increases awareness and advocacy, self-responsibility, interdependence and continued knowledge building. Additional duties include community development, student development and retention, staff development, student conduct, crisis intervention, student engagement and leadership, and budget management.

The CD is supervised by an Assistant Director of Residence Life and serves in an on-call duty rotation as the crisis management contact for the on-campus residential population. Housing & Residence Life is home to over 5500 students on the Lawrence campus in residence halls, on-campus apartment complexes, and scholarship halls. Complexes vary in physical size, student population, and programmatic emphasis. This is a full-time, 12-month live-in staff position.

Job Description

30% Supervision

• Supervise graduate assistant staff members including their recruitment, selection, training, and development while guiding their supervision of undergraduate staff.
• Supervise undergraduate student staff in their recruitment, selection, training, and development.
• Establish clear expectations and accountability measures that align with departmental and university mission, vision, and values.
• Address performance concerns in a timely and developmental manner, utilizing coaching and progressive accountability practices.
• Provide consistent formal and informal feedback to staff regarding job performance, goal setting, and skill development, while supporting their personal well-being and academic success.
• Maintain regular staff and individual meetings with direct reports and complex team, including frequent formal and informal communication with staff regarding their responsibilities, personal well-being, and academic success.
• Cultivate a team environment that emphasizes communication, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Support and recognize individual and group achievements.

25% Student Learning & Advocacy

• Implement and assess community development strategies aligned with the Residential Curriculum, placing an emphasis on student engagement and holistic learning. Contribute to student retention and success through intentional interactions, early interventions, and advocacy for student needs. Be an active, engaged, and recognized member of the community.
• Foster communities that promote respect, personal responsibility, and care for shared spaces, while encouraging students to navigate conflict and community living effectively. Actively engage in the evolution of the community climate, develop plans that promote belonging, and engage the community through dialogues and events to establish shared expectations and standards of living that uplift all students.
• Advise and support student leadership groups (like Hall Councils), enhancing leadership development and community engagement. Build and maintain relationships with university support services and oversee the referral of students to university resources.

25% Student Conduct, Support & Crisis Intervention

• Serve as a university student conduct hearing officer and primary case manager for residential conduct; ensure that graduate students adjudicate student conduct with a student learning approach.
• Oversee the documentation, tracking, and management of student incidents and referrals through Maxient, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and appropriate follow-up. Provide intentional follow up with and aftercare support to staff and students regarding their involvement in incidents.
• Assess and respond to individual and community concerns by making referrals to campus partners and appropriate resources.
• Participate in rotating on-call duty schedule, responding to emergencies and critical incidents on campus. Utilize crisis response and intervention skills to support students in crisis, ensuring appropriate documentation, communication, and follow-up.
• Serves as a mandatory reporter under Title IX and a Campus Security Authority (CSA) under the Clery Act.

20% Administration & Building Management

• Collaborate with central occupancy management staff to oversee and manage building occupancy processes and front desk functions.
• Manage and monitor budgets for programming and student personnel, including purchasing and budget reconciliation.
• Conduct regular facilities walkthroughs and identify, report, and follow-up with ongoing facilities and safety/security concerns in partnership with facilities staff.
• Coordinate and implement all building opening and closing procedures.
• Support departmental summer operations for camps, conferences, and summer school in consultation with the central office staff.
• Understand and follow all relevant compliance rules and regulations (FERPA, PCI, NCAA, Clery, Minors on Campus etc.) and maintain privacy with respect to student, staff, and guest information.
• Serve on departmental committees, including, but not limited to recruitment (full-time, graduate, and undergraduate); staff education (training); residential curriculum; policies and procedures; assessment and retention; and large-scale events.
• Serve as a representative of Housing & Residence Life, Student Affairs, and the university in interactions with students, families, and campus partners.
• Engage in professional development initiatives to remain current with best practices in higher education.
• Perform other related duties as assigned in support of departmental and institutional priorities.

Position Requirements

1. On-site, essential employee. Monday- Friday, 8 am to 5pm with some evenings and weekends, on-call responsibilities

Required Qualifications

1. Master's degree conferred by date of appointment OR Bachelor's degree and at least 3 years of full-time live-in professional experience in a residence life/housing position
2. At least one (1) year of experience in residence life administration or university student services.
3. Experience supervising staff that could include training, development, and/or performance management, as evidenced in application materials.
4. Ability to effectively communicate and work with student populations in a student-centered environment as evidenced in application materials.

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector, ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices, enhances collaboration with external partners, and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations

Additional Candidate Instruction

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

• Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
• Resume
• List of three (3) professional references

Only complete applications will be considered.

Application review begins March 30, 2026, and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants are identified.

Disclaimer

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university's programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and procedures and is the Title IX Coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY. Reports can be submitted by contacting the Title IX Coordinator as provided herein or using the Title IX online report form and complaints can be submitted with the Title IX Coordinator or using the Title IX online complaint form.