Residence Assistant

Resident Life Assistant.

Grade 4, £24,700 – £26,615 per annum (pro rata).

0.8 FTE (Part-time – 28 hours per week) open-ended.

28 days annual leaveplus 9 buildings-closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday). Use our total rewards calculator:  to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

The role of Residence Life Assistant is integral to the provision of professional and effective support to Heriot-Watt University students living on campus. The role holder will deal with a wide variety of issues as they arise and will often be the first point of contact for advice and support, responsible for processing maintenance requests, assisting in maintaining discipline and referring students to a wide range of other services.

The Residence Life Assistant will work closely with Residence Life Manager, fellow Residence Life Assistants and Residence Life Wardens to ensure effective systems and processes for reporting maintenance issues and providing a supportive service for students. They will also work on a shift pattern, including evening, weekends and building closed days, and work closely with other services on campus.

The role is very active as it involves significant amount of walking, as the team is required to assist students in their residences across campus. The role subject to Disclosure Scotland check.

• Be a friendly and approachable first point of contact for students.
• Provide advice, support, and signposting to appropriate University services.
• Work closely with Wellbeing, Safeguarding, Accommodation, Estates, and other campus teams to support students.
• Help foster a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive residential community.

• Assist students with accommodation-related queries, concerns, and maintenance issues.
• Support arrivals, departures, and day-to-day residence operations.
• Deliver excellent customer service through in-person, telephone, and email support.

• Promote positive behaviour and encourage residents to adhere to University and accommodation expectations.
• Respond and manage disciplinary incidents accordingly.
• Support conflict resolution and, including issuing disciplinary penalties where appropriate.

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the wider University.
• Build positive working relationships with campus partners, including Hospitality, Wellbeing, and Safeguarding team.
• Contribute to shared responsibilities during key periods such as Welcome Week and end-of-term departures.

• Plan, promote, and deliver events and activities that enhance the student experience.
• Encourage community engagement and resident participation.
• Support social media, noticeboards, and other communication channels.
• Identify opportunities for improvement based on student feedback.

• Support the day-to-day operation of the Residence Life Hub.
• Maintain accurate records and complete administrative tasks as required.
• Complete regular documented health and safety inspections the residential estate to ensure compliance with all relevant policies and procedures, including mid-term inspections.
• Participate in training, team development, and the staff rota.
• Undertake additional duties (including holiday cover and midnight shifts during busy period) as reasonably requested by the Residence Life Manager or Head of Student Service Centre.

• Experience of delivering high quality customer service.
• A good understanding of the diverse range of needs/issues of a multicultural…