Associate Director, Resident Support

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Resident Support provides strategic and operational leadership for all resident-facing functions within Columbia Residential. The role reports to the Director of Leasing Operations and is responsible for cultivating a customer service-driven culture that prioritizes responsiveness, professionalism, and fairness across every resident interaction.

Responsibilities

• Develops and enforces standards of service, including defined response timelines, escalation protocols, and quality benchmarks, to deliver a seamless and efficient resident experience.
• Oversees the systems, tools, and data processes used to track inquiries and resolutions, ensuring accurate documentation, trend analysis, and accountability.
• Manages ongoing relationships with housing liaisons from Columbia’s schools and administrative units, ensuring timely communication of housing policies, updates, and initiatives.
• Serves as a central resource for gathering and sharing feedback to improve transparency and coordination between Columbia Residential and its campus partners.
• Oversees student conduct and behavioral issues within Columbia Residential housing. Collaborates with the Center for Student Success and Intervention (CSSI), Deans of Students, and other university offices to coordinate case management, mediation, and follow-up to ensure compliance with university policies and community standards.
• Led cross-departmental coordination with the Office of General Counsel (OGC), the University’s Legal Services team, and Columbia Residential’s Operations team to address complex or sensitive resident concerns requiring policy interpretation, compliance review, or operational intervention. Ensures these collaborations are structured, timely, and solution-oriented, with clear communication and consistent documentation.
• Applies data-driven strategies to identify trends, recommend policy or procedural updates, and strengthen the overall effectiveness of resident engagement and issue resolution. Through collaboration with the Assistant Directors of Student Leasing and Faculty Leasing, ensures alignment of service delivery across all housing portfolios and provides consistent communication on key resident issues.
• Implements policy changes, streamlines processes, and ensures that Columbia Residential remains responsive, equitable, and efficient in supporting its diverse resident community.
• Serves as a leader and mentor, developing a high-performing Resident Support team through training, professional development, and coaching. Instills accountability, empathy, and problem-solving as core values, ensuring the team delivers high-quality, customer-centered support aligned with the mission and standards of Columbia Residential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree
• Minimum 5 years of related experience required
• Strong skills with the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and Outlook
• Demonstrated technical and analytical skills and proficiency with lease management software systems is required
• Facility with specialized financial reporting and report development tools required
• Experience working with data generated from disparate systems helpful
• Knowledge of data analysis tools and industry-specific software is required

Skills

• Advanced degree preferred
• Specific housing and Leasing operations, Residence Life, or Customer Service experience preferred
• Experience conducting and evaluating performance assessments preferred