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Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
Onsite
MANAGER - SPECIAL POPULATIONS
Reporting to the Assistant Director for Special Populations & Operations, the Manager of Special Populations provides leadership, oversight, and coordination of assignment processes, procedures, and occupancy for residential colleges, living-learning communities, athletics, disability accommodations, and other special populations. LSU Residential Life houses more than 8,000 students across 25 residence halls and three single-student apartment complexes. Residential colleges, living-learning communities, and special-population groups serve more than half of the on-campus population and are closely connected to academic requirements and student engagement. The Manager uses independent judgment grounded in departmental policy and mission when communicating with students, parents, and other constituents, and works with technology-based systems, including the StarRez database.
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THIS POSITION INCLUDE:
• Coordinate occupancy and application processes for residential colleges, living-learning communities, athletics, disability accommodations, and other special populations.
• Maintain assignment criteria, historical process documentation, student records, application and assignment data, and quality-control procedures in StarRez and related systems.
• Build effective working relationships with faculty rectors, Residential Education, scheduling coordinators, special-population sponsors, Marketing & Communications, Admissions, and other campus partners.
• Respond to student and parent concerns, support assignment-related service, and help improve communication and service for the communities served.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERSHIP:
Support Communities with Distinct Academic and Student Engagement Goals
Residential colleges, living-learning communities, athletics, disability accommodations, and other special populations have distinct assignment needs and connections to academic and student-engagement goals. The Manager of Special Populations has the opportunity to review and revise processes in order to keep application and occupancy processes clear and coordinated for students, faculty, staff, and program partners.
Strengthen Partnerships and Assignment Quality
Working with faculty rectors, Residential Education staff, scheduling coordinators, and special-population sponsors to support community participation, the Manager of Special Populations has the opportunity to review how to best keep partners informed about incoming and outgoing students. This will require careful data review, regular reporting, accurate StarRez records, and responsive service ensuring the quality of assignments in our halls.
ATTRIBUTES OF THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE:
• An independent, action-oriented professional who applies departmental policy and sound judgment to assignment decisions.
• A collaborative communicator who can build productive relationships with students, parents, faculty, staff, and campus partners.
• A detail-oriented user of StarRez and other enterprise databases who values accurate records, reporting, and quality control.
• A student- and service-centered problem solver who can respond thoughtfully to complaints, roommate conflicts, and sensitive assignment concerns.
• An organized professional with strong human-relations, customer-service, and communication skills and proficiency in Microsoft Word and spreadsheet software.
ABOUT THE DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS PRIORITIES:
In LSU Student Affairs, we create conditions that matter for student success. This priority guides how we approach our work, make decisions, and serve our students, their families, and our campus community. We pursue quality in all that we do. Students and staff deserve our best, every day, in every way. We consistently search for ways to always look to make it easy for students to succeed, whether by simplifying processes or removing barriers. We are LSU-centric as we think strategically and make decisions that advance LSU’s mission, priorities, and students. We lead with curiosity, explore possibilities, and remain open to better ideas, which means we always start with maybe. Finally, we prioritize relationships.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Program and Community Operations Management (30%): Manages the application, selection, and occupancy processes for Residential Colleges (RC), Living Learning Communities (LLC), and Special Populations (SP) to ensure processes are transparent, consistent, and effectively communicated to students, faculty, staff, and university partners. Coordinates with the Associate Director of Occupancy Management, Faculty Rectors, Residential Education, Marketing and Communications, and program sponsors to establish timelines, clarify requirements, resolve operational issues, and facilitate successful implementation of community assignment processes. Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with faculty rectors, scheduling coordinators, Residential Education staff, and SP program sponsors to support active participation, community engagement, and alignment with established program objectives. Monitors application and occupancy activity, identifies process challenges, and implements operational improvements within established departmental policies and procedures.
Administrative Management and Process Development (20%): Manages administrative procedures, documentation, and operational records related to the development and ongoing administration of RC, LLC, and SP programs. Establishes and maintains assignment codes, eligibility criteria, and processing procedures to support accurate and consistent placement of students within designated communities. Overseas the coordination and maintenance of housing application and assignment databases, ensuring records are complete, accurate, and appropriately maintained. Reviews daily operational reports to identify discrepancies involving application processing, financial transactions, and residential space inventory, and coordinates corrective action with the appropriate departmental or campus partners. Maintains historical documentation of program development, process changes, and operational decisions to support continuity, accountability, and informed decision-making.
Data Integrity, Reporting, and Quality Assurance (20%): Oversees quality control practices for RC, LLC, and SP application, assignment, and occupancy data to ensure accurate reporting and reliable student placement information. Coordinates the preparation and distribution of weekly statistical reports for the Executive Director, Director of Communications and Marketing, departmental leadership, Admissions, faculty, and other university stakeholders. Maintains and validates student records and admissions data within StarRez and associated databases to ensure appropriate community coding, eligibility tracking, and assignment allocation. Establishes procedures for identifying and resolving data discrepancies, monitoring assignment accuracy, and maintaining consistency across departmental systems. Coordinates communication with campus partners regarding incoming and departing students, occupancy changes, and program participation, and supports move-in and move-out activities to facilitate accurate transitions and effective community operations.
Student Services and Assignment Resolution (20%): Manages student and parent inquiries related to housing assignments, housing agreements, roommate requests, room changes, cancellations, and refund requests. Collaborates with Residential Education and other campus partners to address complaints, roommate conflicts, and assignment concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. Evaluates individual cases, determines appropriate resolutions within delegated authority, and refers complex or policy-sensitive matters to the appropriate leadership. Oversees timely and accurate responses to inquiries received through email, telephone, and in-person service channels. Develops, maintains, and updates forms, online resources, and administrative tools supporting occupancy management, housing assignments, and special residential communities to improve service consistency, communication, and the overall student experience.
Other Duties as Assigned (10%): By the Executive Director, Residential Leadership team members, and direct supervisor.
This includes but is not limited to: efforts that support broad division/institution efforts including at least 40 hours per year spent helping divisional initiatives such as Move-In Day, Welcome Week, Family Weekend, Career Expo, Disability Services Finals Testing, other special projects etc.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Three years of experience in a related field.
LSU values skills, experience, and expertise. Candidates who have relevant experience in key job responsibilities are encouraged to apply— a degree is not required as long as the candidate meets the required years of experience specified in the job description.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Master’s degree in College Student Personnel, Higher Education, or a related field.
• At least Four years of experience in Student Affairs.
• Professional experience in occupancy management, residential education programs, student affairs, or a similar field.
APPLICATIONS:
Applications will be accepted online on the LSU Careers website. The search committee will begin reviewing applications immediately and continue to accept applications and nominations until the position is filled. Requested application materials include a letter of interest; curriculum vitae or resume; and the names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of at least three professional references. One of the professional references needs to be your most recent supervisor. Salary will be competitive and commensurate with qualifications. An offer of employment is contingent on a satisfactory pre-employment background check.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/EXPECTATIONS:
• Ability and willingness to work frequent evening and weekend hours.
• This position is considered essential under University Policy Statement 18 and may be required to report to or remain on campus during an emergency or closure.
As with all LSU employees, this position has an obligation to assist students in acquiring necessary services. Students seeking assistance with emotional, behavioral, or mental-health concerns should be referred to the appropriate service within the Student Health Center. If a student appears to be a danger to themselves or others, the employee should immediately contact the Care Team, the Dean of Students, or the appropriate law-enforcement agency. Outside the rights provided under FERPA, the employee should not create an impression of client or patient confidentiality.
Skills Needed:
Adaptability, Collaboration, Communication, Leadership, Policy Development, Project Management, Resource Management, Risk Mitigation
Preferred Skills:
Background Check - An offer of employment is contingent on a satisfactory pre-employment background check.
Benefits - LSU offers outstanding benefits to eligible employees and their dependents including health, life, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement options; various leave options; paid holidays; wellness benefits; tuition exemption for qualified positions; training and development opportunities; employee discounts; and more!
Positions approved to work outside the State of Louisiana shall be employed through Louisiana State University’s partner, nextSource Workforce Solutions, for Employer of Record Services including but not limited to employment, benefits, payroll, and tax compliance. Positions employed through Employer of Record Services will be offered benefits and retirement as applicable through their provider and will not be eligible for State of Louisiana benefits and retirement.
All candidates must have valid U.S. work authorization at the time of hire and maintain that valid work authorization throughout employment. Changes in laws, regulations, or government policies may impact the university’s ability to employ individuals in certain positions.
For questions or concerns related to updating your application with attachments (e.g., resumes, RS:17 documents), date of birth, or reactivating applications, please contact the LSU Human Resources Management Office at 225-578-8200 or email HR@lsu.edu. For questions or concerns regarding the status of your application or salary ranges, please contact the department using the information provided in the Special Instructions section of this job posting.
