Position Title: Residence Life Warden
Contract Type: Part Time (10 Hours per week/0.3FTE), Fixed Term from 25 th of August 2025 to 6 th of June 2026 (10 Months)
Organisation Name: Student Life Division, Registry Services
Grade and Salary range: Grade 3 (£23,028-£23,881) Pro rata

EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

This post is only open to matriculated students or research associates at Heriot-Watt University

Essential

• A good understanding of the diverse range of needs/issues of a multicultural campus
• Proven ability to deal with difficult situations
• Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment
• Proven ability to work flexibly and positively as part of a team
• Competent in the use of relevant IT packages
• Demonstrable provision of excellent customer service
• Attention to detail

Desirable

• Experience of working within a similar environment, especially someone who has lived in student halls before either at HWU, or any other University

This job description is intended as a flexible framework which outlines the key general areas of activity in your position. Other activities may be required which are not outlined above but which are appropriate to the position and grade. Your personal objectives (Forward Job Plan) will also set out specific tasks and objectives for you to achieve, including objectives to help your career development.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

A Residence Life Warden is a frontline role, supporting Heriot-Watt University students living on campus. Wardens must handle a wide variety of issues such as providing advice and support as the first point of contact, helping maintain discipline, and referring students to a range of other services. The role involves a lot of walking as the team is required to assist students in their residences and to carry regular nightly patrols across campus.
Each warden is assigned to a specific hall and serves as the primary contact for students living in the building. Wardens are responsible for fostering positive, respectful relationships with students and consistently promoting responsible behaviour within the halls. The wardens also work closely with the Residence Life Assistants and Residence Life Manager, to ensure effective systems and processes for reporting maintenance issues and providing a supportive service for students. The role of a Residence Life Warden can be quite demanding and challenging, so it is crucial for wardens to effectively manage the demands of the role while also fulfilling their academic obligations. Applicants should thoroughly examine the job description before applying and assess how this responsibility might impact their studies.
Working hours - Wardens are expected to work 10 hours per week, typically spread across 2 to 3 shifts, which may be scheduled on any day of the week.
Shift pattern - Shifts generally run from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM, combining a fixed, office-based shift with hall-related duties or activities. There may be occasional late-night shifts (up to 3:00 AM) during key periods, such as Arrivals Weekend and Welcome Week.
Please note: You may be required to cover shifts during university closure periods, including the Christmas, Easter holidays and the summer holidays.
Accommodation : Wardens is expected to live in a studio flat in the Halls of Residence in Edinburgh Campus and enter into the University’s standard form tenancy agreement. The allocated studio flat will be a single-occupancy flat. The warden flat rate for academic year 25/26 is £180 per week and the rent covers electricity, gas, internet connection and maintenance.
Wardens are expected to attend the ResLife training (25th : 28th August) and be on hand to greet the new students over Arrivals Weekend and Welcome Week from 30th August to 6 th of September.
The post holder will be expected to attend events at other times; to assist with occasional residential matters (e.g. fire drills); and to assist in responding to emergency situations at short notice (for example, helping to advise resident students of a disruption to services such as a power cut)

OTHER DUTIES

• Participate in a rota to provide a responsible student presence on site each evening and every weekend until the end the appointment, as per the agreed rota.
• To complete the appropriate training for the role and to familiarise themselves with Residence Life protocols.
• To liaise with the Residence Life Assistants, Residence Life Manager, and other services as required
• Assist in carrying out fire drills as instructed by the Residence Life Manager
• Assist the Residence Life Assistant and Manager in running the Residence Life Hub
• Any other relevant duties as requested by the Residence Life Assistants and Residence Life Manager

COMPETENCIES, TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Teamwork

• Participate in and contribute to the general support across the team
• Support other colleagues within the immediate team when required

Service Excellence

• Create a positive image of the University by being responsive, prompt, and courteous when responding to requests or enquiries from customers

Deal with students

• ' request, promptly and efficiently.
• Produce simple standard reports as requested
• Enter and maintain records and data into the appropriate university system
• Keep working area clean and tidy in line with appropriate H&S requirements

Clear and Consistent Communications

• Always maintain confidentiality by following university policies and guidance in managing confidential information and personal data
• Write standard communications using templates, understanding what parts of the template to use as appropriate
• Use telephone and radio system to receive calls and pass on data/information/messages
• Explain routine instructions, procedures, operating instructions, or information.
• Reply to simple requests for information, routing enquiries where information is standard/routine. Disseminate news and information to relevant colleagues
• Discuss routine work matters with line manager and team

Planning and Organising

• Carry out routine instructions from standard procedures
• File, archive and destroy data in line with the University Data Protection & Retention Policy
• Provide appropriate admin support for meetings and events;
• Support your division and team processes and procedures by meeting schedules and set deadlines

Initiative and Problem Solving

• Act as first point of contact for queries on the phone, email, system-generated and in person
• Use standard procedures and guidelines to solve local, day to day issues
• Use experience and initiative to identify when to pass non-standard issues to line manager

Decision Making

• Provide routine advice and guidance, respond to queries and refer more complex queries to more senior members of the team as appropriate
• Follow set procedures and protocols referring any non-standard requests to line manager
• Understand the appropriate tools to use when undertaking day to day tasks

Management Responsibilities

• There are no management responsibilities within this position

Citizenship

• Always demonstrate the University Values through performance and behaviour
• Participate in ad-hoc duties to support the team/University and for personal development
• Support newer or inexperienced colleagues within and outside the University by offering support, help and advice
• Positively promote the University internally and externally through positive behaviour and supporting University-wide activities