Professional Staff Information

Professional staff are on 12 month contracts and are expected to work over academic breaks unless using earned time away. 

Community Directors:

Salary: starting $35,568. 12 month contract; furnished apartment (laundry or laundry allowance included); 7-day meal plan; full MSU benefits including vacation, sick time, insurance and retirement; staff tuition waiver (6 credits).

This position is exempt, full-time (40 hour week) with weekend and evening commitments that constitutes a portion of standard working hours.

Full time professional staff accrue sick leave based on hours worked. Employees must completed a waiting period of ninety (90) calendar days of continuous employment to be eligible to use sick leave. 

Full time professional staff accrue vacation at a rate of 15 days per year not to exceed 120 hours per year (use primarily when residential community demands permit and with supervisor approval). Employees must complete a waiting period of six (6) calendar months of continuous employment to be eligible to take annual leave. 

Employment is contingent upon satisfactory results for a criminal background investigation. 

• Online application available: January 2025
  • Application can be found here: montana.edu/jobs
  • Search “Community Director” 
  • The application requires a resume/CV, cover letter and three (3) references.
• Priority Application Date: 
  • Applications will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis
• First Round Interviews (via phone): 
  • Candidates must have an active application in order to receive a first round phone interview. University Student Housing will conduct first round interviews of candidates that meet minimum work requirements. These interviews will be 30 minutes long and provide a chance for us to get know candidates and the candidates to get to know us. 
  • All on-campus interviews will be determined from first round interviews. 
• On-Campus Interviews (via WebEx or on campus): 
  • We will invite finalists to “on-campus” interviews. An on-campus interview is a full-day experience and consist of two interviews, informal meetings with students and staff, campus tour, a presentation, and a wrap-up with members of the director team. For the presentation, candidates will be given a prompt 1 week in advance and asked to prepare a short response (no more than 25 minutes). We want candidates to have a good understanding of who we are and what they can expect in the role. 
• Final Offers: University Student Housing may choose to make rolling offers
  • Generally speaking, most community placements are made in late spring and after most interviews are concluded. Staff members are hired for the department and then placed based on the department’s needs and the skill set that the CD brings. We aim to hire candidates who could work anywhere within our system, and may modify placements each year based on department needs and desired professional development. 
• Anticipated Start Date: June 1  

CDs are on-call an average of 10-12 days per semester. CDs and Assistant Community Directors are on-call in pairs for the entire campus. Holidays, school breaks, and high-traffic weekends are assigned “points” and each Community Director is required to earn a certain number of points by “scooping” on-call days. Points days are set in the summer during training and include times during high traffic weekends, thanksgiving break, winter break and spring break when CDs are expected to present. The regular on-call schedule is set by semester during summer and winter training.

Sr. Staff On-Call Shifts are typically 5pm-8am (when offices are open the next day) and 5pm-5pm (when offices are closed the next day). Sr. Staff are expected to be within 5 minutes of campus while on-call. 

Community Directors are expected to be present in their communities in order to establish a strong presence, oversee daily administration, and provide supervision to staff. CDs can request time away during the academic year and approval is based on campus coverage. Below are dates/events that are considered restricted due to staff coverage needs:

• Fall Training, Move In, Opening (June 1 - September 2)
• MSU Fridays (TBD)
• Gold Rush
• Homecoming
• Thanksgiving Break
• Fall Closing (December)
• Winter Break
• Spring Training (January 9-20)
• Spring Break 
• Spring Closing (May)

University Student Housing sets aside professional development money for the professional staff team as a whole and for each individual. Professional staff work with their direct supervisor to development an individual development plan and request professional development funds from the Associate Director.

There are scheduled trainings and professional development opportunities that professional staff will be expected to participate in throughout the year. There are other opportunities through the department and university that professional staff are encouraged to consider.

University Student Housing has created guidelines and policies for full-time live-in and live-on staff members regarding their apartments and affiliates, dependents, or guests. Additionally, there is an approval process for live-in/live-on staff to have a pet. 

Upon hire, professional staff are expected to disclose if they plan to have a partner, dependent or pet live in their apartment. 

Professional staff receive $40 per month for reimbursement for their cell phones. You will be asked to submit a current cell phone bill and carrier information upon hire.

University Student Housing does not provide parking passes to community directors. Some apartments have staff designated parking. Professional Staff should purchase a Bobcat parking pass if in a live-in position (Community Director) and a University Student Apartments parking pass if in a live-on position (Area Coordinator). More information on parking can be found on the Parking Services website.. 

Dana Beaty - "I came to Montana State University from a small private catholic institution in Helena, Montana. Thinking of the transition to MSU was both intimidating and exciting. When I got to MSU the nerves went away because of the welcoming atmosphere. The transition has been amazing because of the support and mentorship that MSU has to offer. While Bozeman is a bigger a city with a much bigger campus than what I was familiar with, the staff still creates a close and tightknit feeling. MSU has continuously amazed me by the level of support that is present for staff and students."

Lauren Smith  - "I worked at a for profit college in Nashville, TN in Student Services before I came to MSU. It was a huge transition from being in the south to moving out west to a state I had never been to before. I really wanted to work at a public university and wanted to start in Housing since I had previous experience as an RA in my undergrad years. Montana was a new adventure that I was excited to add to my higher education journey."

Bryce Gill - - "The CD position has given me plenty of experience in supervising, building management, and event planning. I have also attended numerous trainings on mental health, diversity, and event planing over the years, in addition to on-the-job experience in these fields. Moving forward, I know the organizational and people skills I’ve gained as a CD will transition into any career."

Lauren Smith - - "I have been able to grow professionally by serving as a Survivor Advocate in the VOICE center here on campus that serves students who are survivors of sexual assault or domestic violence. I also have attended diversity workshops and have been working towards earning the diversity certificate on campus. These opportunities have provided me a way to connect with other departments on campus and expand my experiences and knowledge of working on a college campus and collaborating with different departments."

Jenna Severson - - "I love how intertwined in the Bozeman community MSU is. Bozeman is the perfect size in my opinion-- a city with plenty of activities to keep you occupied, but with a small-town feel. One of my favorite parts of the Bozeman community is how friendly and caring people are."

Bryce Gill - - "My favorite things about living in Bozeman are the outdoor activities, local food, and the community events. As someone who loves to climb, hike, and explore the outdoors, Bozeman is a great place to be, with plenty of outdoor activities within 30 minutes of campus. In town, the food is fantastic and there always seems to be something going on."

Josh Bishop - - "The best part about Bozeman is the people and the mountains. If you ask anyone at MSU why they continue to work at MSU, the number one answer you will get is that they stay for the people they work with, friends they have made, and the community. The second most popular answer would be the mountains and outdoors. Bozeman is home to some amazing places to adventure to within 30 minutes of stepping outside your front door."