Community Standards & Engagement Manager in Stirling

Reporting to the Head of Community Engagement, the Community Standards and Engagement Manager (CSEM) will be responsible for the ongoing development and delivery of the Residence Life programme that supports student wellbeing, belonging, inclusion and success within accommodation. The role will support students' transition into and out of University accommodation and be responsible for the day-to-day management of community development, student engagement, wellbeing interventions, conduct processes and community standards.

To assist in the delivery of the Residence Life programme, the role holder will manage a team of Residence Life Professional Staff and Residence Assistants who provide proactive, responsive and student-focused community engagement, wellbeing support and developmental opportunities. The role holder will ensure effective support is available to students living in accommodation, promoting positive community living, successful independent living and early engagement where concerns arise.

An important part of the role will involve liaising with colleagues across the University to build strong relationships, develop collaborative programmes and support pathways, and ensure service delivery is as seamless as possible. Internally, the CSEM will work closely with Accommodation and institutional colleagues to enhance the residential student experience and support institutional priorities relating to wellbeing, retention, belonging and positive behaviour.

The business operates 24/7 and is both fast-paced and demanding, requiring the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously. As a front-line manager within the department, the role holder will be responsible for providing leadership and support on resident wellbeing, conduct and community matters, participating in a year-round 24/7 on-call rotation and working evenings and weekends as required.

Description of Duties

• Team Leadership
  • Lead and manage Residence Supervisors and Residence Assistants, providing effective leadership, coaching, support and performance management.
  • Lead the recruitment, selection, induction, training and performance management of Residence Assistants and, where applicable, seasonal staff, ensuring ongoing development programmes are in place to support role effectiveness, engagement and service delivery.
  • Hold regular one-to-one meetings, team meetings and performance reviews to support staff development, accountability and service excellence.
  • Ensure staff are appropriately trained in wellbeing awareness, accessibility, inclusion, safeguarding, risk management and restorative approaches to conflict resolution.
  • Manage staffing arrangements to ensure appropriate deployment of resources across residence life activities, wellbeing interventions, conduct processes and key accommodation events.
  • Manage HR processes including attendance, performance, discipline, grievance and payroll administration in accordance with University and SHS policy.
• Community Building and Wellbeing
  • Lead the development and delivery of a diverse Residence Life programme that supports engagement, belonging, wellbeing and student success throughout the resident lifecycle.
  • Co-create and deliver a residential curriculum, educational initiatives and engagement strategy, incorporating resident feedback and representation opportunities.
  • Establish effective communications and engagement channels that provide residents with timely information, support resources and opportunities throughout the student lifecycle.
  • Maintain a visible presence across University accommodation, building positive relationships with residents and supporting community development.
  • Lead Residence Life contributions to institutional engagement and transition initiatives including Be Connected.
  • Build strong relationships with internal and external partners to support community wellbeing, successful independent living and collaborative initiatives.
• Education, Behaviour and Conduct Management
  • Lead and coordinate accommodation-based wellbeing, conduct and community standards interventions, ensuring appropriate support, referrals and follow-up actions are implemented.
  • Oversee residential wellbeing, conduct and community support cases, ensuring a consistent, fair and supportive approach is applied.
  • Lead the operational management of occupancy breaches, student conduct matters and community standards issues arising within residences, escalating to the Heads of teams and Director of Accommodation Services as required.
  • Visit residences where required to address welfare concerns, anti-social behaviour, flat disputes and other community-related issues, meeting with students to agree actions and interventions.
• Finance and Administration
  • Manage the Residence Life budget, ensuring resources are allocated effectively and expenditure remains within agreed limits and supports service objectives.
  • Oversee Residence Life systems and administrative processes, including Residence Assistant activities, incident reporting, case management, engagement records, communications and programme delivery.
  • Produce management information and performance reports relating to engagement, wellbeing, conduct, community standards, resident issues and service delivery, using data and insight to support continuous improvement and service development.

Essential Criteria

• Educated to HNC level or equivalent relevant experience.
• Significant management experience within a large, complex organisation, ideally within higher education, student accommodation, hospitality or another customer-facing environment.
• Experience of developing services, programmes or initiatives that enhance student engagement, wellbeing, community experience or customer service.
• Experience of conflict management, mediation, conduct processes and dispute resolution.
• Excellent crisis management, decision-making and problem-solving skills.
• Experience of leading, developing and motivating teams.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build effective relationships with students, staff and stakeholders.
• Experience of reviewing services, identifying trends and using data to inform decision-making and service improvement.
• Experience and competence in using Microsoft Office applications and digital management systems.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgement and manage competing priorities.

Desirable Criteria

• Demonstrable experience in a student-facing environment, in one or more of the following areas: supporting wellbeing, conduct, accessibility and inclusion, student support, community development or student experience initiatives.
• Knowledge and understanding of student development, wellbeing and inclusion within residential communities.
• Knowledge and understanding of student conduct processes, occupancy agreements and community standards.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, risk assessment and student referral processes.
• Mental Health First Aid, ASIST, SafeTALK or equivalent wellbeing-related training.
• Experience of using an Accommodation Management System, case management system or equivalent platform.
• Experience of managing services across multiple locations.

Additional Information

• Full time, Open ended.
• The closing date for applications is midnight on Wednesday 14 October 2026.
• Interviews are expected to take place on Friday 23 October 2026.
• This role will require a Level 1 Disclosure check.
• An offer of employment will be subject to a satisfactory outcome of this process.
• This post may be eligible for sponsorship, depending on candidate circumstances, under SOC code 1251.

The University of Stirling recognises that a diverse workforce benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers and welcome applications from those who would contribute to further diversification of our staff and ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion is woven into the substance of the role. We strongly encourage applications from people from diverse backgrounds including gender, identity, race, age, class, and ethnicity.