Lead, Inspire, and Transform Student Life at SDSU!

Become the Chief Student Development Officer / Executive Director of Residential Education

San Diego State University (SDSU) is searching for a dynamic, student-centered leader to shape the living and learning experience for thousands of students. As our Chief Student Development Officer / Executive Director of Residential Education (CSDO/EDREO), you will play a bold, visionary role in designing programs, communities, and support structures that help students thrive personally, academically, and socially. This is more than an administrative role. It’s an opportunity to transform lives at scale.

You will lead one of the most influential student-facing portfolios on campus—Residential Education, Career Services, the Center for Student Rights & Responsibilities, and Program Evaluation, Compliance & Assessment, each serving as a pillar of belonging, growth, and student success. Your leadership will directly impact how students experience campus, build community, develop leadership skills, grow in resilience, and chart their pathways to graduation and beyond.

What You’ll Do: Empower, Elevate, and Innovate

Help Students Thrive—On Campus and Beyond

• Lead the Residential Education program for nearly 9,000 students (growing to 12,000), ensuring every student finds community, safety, connection, and pathways to success.
• Build vibrant living-learning environments focused on identity development, life skills, leadership, academic momentum, and belonging.
• Champion a student experience rooted in respect, curiosity, personal responsibility, and cultural humility.

Guide a High-Impact Division of Student Success Units

• Provide strategic oversight for Residential Education, Career Services, the Center for Student Rights & Responsibilities, and Program Evaluation, Compliance & Assessment.
• Shape programs and services that support the whole student - mind, body, and spirit.
• Drive initiatives that strengthen retention, persistence, well-being, and personal development.

Lead with Vision, Heart, and Integrity

• Inspire and mentor a diverse team of directors, staff, graduate students, and student leaders.
• Foster a culture where students feel empowered, seen, respected, and supported in their academic and co-curricular journeys.
• Promote equity-centered practices and help cultivate a campus where every student knows they belong.

Be on the Front Lines of Care and Support

• Serve as a key campus crisis response leader, supporting students during some of their most critical moments.
• Partner on emergency operations, expressive activities, risk management, and complex student situations.
• Offer calm, compassionate leadership in times of challenge.

Build for the Future

• Collaborate on new housing construction projects, residential community expansion, and long-term staffing and budget planning.
• Strengthen academic partnerships that bring coordinated care advising, learning communities, and student success centers directly into the residential environment.
• Ensure the living experience reflects SDSU’s commitment to innovation, belonging, and excellence.

Why Work at SDSU?

San Diego State University is more than a campus—it’s a community dedicated to curiosity, growth, and student success.

We change lives: You will have a direct hand in creating spaces where students form lifelong friendships, discover their passions, and grow into the leaders they are meant to be.

We value equity and belonging: Our division is nationally recognized for its commitment to inclusive excellence, cultural humility, and care-driven leadership.

We innovate boldly: SDSU is expanding its residential communities, academic partnerships, student leadership pipelines, and holistic support systems. You will help shape the next decade of student life.

We work collaboratively and care deeply: You’ll join a strong leadership team that believes in supporting one another, centering students, and making meaningful, student-focused decisions.

Position Information

• This is a full-time, at-will role, offering comprehensive benefits.
• Position is designated exempt under FLSA and is not eligible for overtime compensation.
• Standard SDSU work hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., however, due to the nature of the role, evenings and weekends are often required.
• The individual hired into this role will work on campus at SDSU in San Diego.

Department Summary

The Campus Life subdivision within the Division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity plays a central role in shaping the student experience at San Diego State University. Anchored by the Residential Education Office (REO), this portfolio supports students’ learning, well-being, community engagement, and personal development from their first days on campus through graduation. Residential Education creates dynamic, inclusive living-learning environments for thousands of students each year, promoting belonging, academic success, life skills, leadership development, and community responsibility. Through a comprehensive residential curriculum, culturally responsive programming, and close partnerships with academic and student support units, REO ensures that students living on campus are connected, supported, and thriving.

The Chief Student Development Officer also provides strategic leadership for several student-impacting departments that work collaboratively to strengthen campus life and advance the university’s mission:

• Career Services – empowering students’ professional growth, career exploration, and post-graduation success.
• Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities – promoting a safe, respectful, and accountable campus community through education and conduct processes.
• Academic Initiatives and Student Care – bridging academic and student affairs to support holistic student success, well-being, and coordinated care.
• Program Evaluation, Compliance, and Assessment – ensuring continuous improvement, data-informed decision making, and alignment with institutional priorities.
• Residential Community Leadership – including First-Year Communities, Second-Year, Upper-Division & Graduate Communities, all of which cultivate student development and belonging within diverse residential neighborhoods.

Together, these departments create an integrated network of support that centers the student experience. They collaborate to foster inclusion, promote student responsibility, engage students in meaningful learning opportunities, and build communities where every student can succeed academically, socially, and personally.

For more information regarding Student Affairs and Campus Diversity, click here.

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in student affairs, higher education, educational leadership, or a related field.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in student affairs leadership, ideally within a comprehensive university setting.
• Experience supervising professional staff and managing complex programs or departments.
• Experience working with diverse student populations and advancing equity and inclusion.
• Demonstrated professional experience in residential education, crisis response, student conduct, or student success initiatives.

Key Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of student development theory and best practices in residential education and student affairs.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, build partnerships, and collaborate across campus divisions.
• Proven experience managing budgets, staff, and operational systems in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to make sound decisions in crisis situations and support coordinated emergency response efforts.
• Skilled in assessment, program evaluation, and data-informed planning.
• Commitment to student-centered leadership, inclusive excellence, and fostering belonging.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities with initiative, judgment, and resourcefulness.

Compensation and Benefits

At San Diego State University, we value our team members and offer a competitive salary that reflects your qualifications and experience. But that’s just the beginning! Our exceptional benefits package is designed to support your well-being and work-life balance:

• Generous Leave Benefits: Enjoy 15 paid holidays, 24 vacation days, and 12 sick days per year.
• Retirement Security: Benefit from a CalPERS defined benefit pension plan, with reciprocity with the UC Retirement Plan, plus retiree healthcare benefits.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Access a variety of health, dental, and vision plans at no or low cost to you.
• Educational Opportunities: Take advantage of the California State University system fee reduction program for yourself or a qualified dependent.
• Voluntary Benefits: Opt into additional benefits like Auto & Home Insurance, Life and Disability Insurances, a Legal Plan, Pet Insurance, and the ScholarShare 529 Plan for college savings.

The expected hiring salary for this position ranges from $180,000 - $202,404 annually.

SDSU Values

At SDSU, our diversity gives us power and benefits every single member of our community.  Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU provides equal opportunity for all in education and employment.  We encourage all members of our community to purposefully learn from one another through open and respectful dialogue and responsible engagement. We strongly preserve the right to free expression and encourage difficult conversations that help lead to improved individual and community learning and cohesion.

Principles of Community

At San Diego State University, we are a community of diverse individuals who have and represent many perspectives, beliefs, and identities. This diversity lends our community strength, and we commit to creating and sustaining an inclusive and intellectually vibrant environment that benefits all members of our university. 

SDSU’s Principles of Community is an aspirational statement that is intended to evolve over time. The statement reflects the ideals we are encouraged to uphold in our interactions with one another. 

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, San Diego State University (SDSU) provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. SDSU complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices. 

SDSU is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At SDSU, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.

Supplemental Information

This position is open to current SDSU employees only. Apply by February 3, 2026 to ensure full consideration. Applications submitted after this date will be reviewed on an as-needed basis, and the position will remain open until filled.

The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. 

San Diego State University is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions (e.g., H-1B visa). Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Offers of employment are contingent upon the presentation of documents that demonstrate a person's identity and authorization to work in the United States, which are consistent with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act. 

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily and is required for employment. SDSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current SDSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

SDSU is a smoke-free campus. For more information, please click here.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who request an accommodation by contacting Casie Martinez at cmartinez12@sdsu.edu.