Chief Student Development Officer

Overview

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 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.

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.

San Diego State University is more than a campus—it is 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.

• 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.; evenings and weekends are often required due to the role’s nature.
• The individual hired into this role…