Property Manager Job Description (Sample)

This property manager job description was generously shared by Tarragon Management!

APARTMENT PROPERTY MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION

REPORTS TO: REGIONAL PROPERTY MANAGER 

FLSA STATUS: Exempt-non eligible for overtime 

OVERVIEW: The PROPERTY MANAGER is totally accountable for all community operations. The purpose of the PROPERTY MANAGER is to effectively manage and coordinate persons, activates, and available resources in order to accomplish community objectives as set forth by the Regional Property Manager and property owner. These objectives will include maximizing occupancy levels and community values. In addition, the PROPERTY MANAGER will train the assistant manager to assume all managerial duties in the event of the property manager’s absence. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct all business in accordance with TMI policies and procedures. Fair Housing, Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, and all other Federal and State laws.

FINANCIAL

• In conjunction with the RPM, the property manager will assist in formulation of budgets for each upcoming calendar year. The property manager is responsible for staying within the established budget guidelines throughout the year.
• Actively maintain and report monthly variances and narratives.
• Ensures that all rents are collected when due, and posted in a timely manner. Males sure that all bank deposits are made immediately and deposits are reported to the corporate office on a daily basis.
• Performs evictions, utility cut-offs and landlord liens as required on delinquent rents.
• Constant vendor/contractor communications concerning work scheduling, billings, vendor relations and certificates of insureance. The property manager is responsible for approving and submitting all invoices to corporate office for payment
• Makes rental rate recommendations to Regional Property Manager.

HUMAN RESOURCES

• Hires, trains, motivates and supervises all on-site staff in order to achieve operational goals of assigned community. This includes new employee orientation and training, ongoing formal and informal performance evaluation, review and approval of timesheets, instructing and advising on-site staff of employee procedures and guidelines.
• Provides comprehensive feedback to non-performing employees. Facilitates disciplinary procedures and documentations up to and including terminations of employment if necessary.
• Conducts on-going training with office staff; e.g., leasing paperwork, workplace safety, and any other type of training that may be needed on a daily basis.

SAFETY

• Reports all liability and community incidents to the corporate office immediately. Ensures that all workers’ compensations claims are reported and proper paperwork is completed.
• Property manager will complete any pertinent safety checklists with maintenance staff.

ADMINISTRATIVE/OFFICE

• Ensures that lease files are complete and that completion of leases is being executed property. Approves in writing all leases on the property.
• Responsible for offices opening on schedule, condition of office, and model apartment.
• Attends scheduled corporate management meetings, usually held on a quarterly basis at the regional office.
• Maintains records on all aspects of management activity on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Submits required reports to corporate offices on a weekly and monthly basis.

RESIDENT RELATIONS

• Maintain a positive customer service attitude.
• Periodic inspection with residents move-in/move-outs.
• Review all notices to vacate to determine the cause of the move-out.
• Initiate and implement policies/procedures to maintain resident communications; e.g., complaints, service requests, etc.

MAINTENANCE

• Physically walk and inspect community on a regular basis; check on vacant apartments.
• Updates board indicating vacancy status on a daily basis. Coordinates with maintenance and make-ready staff to ensure timely condition of apartments after move-out.
• Work closely with Maintenance Supervisor to monitor and schedule all maintenance activity.

MARKETING/LEASING

• Conduct market surveys monthly and provide trend report information. Shop competition and be aware of neighborhood market conditions.
• Welcome and show community to prospective new residents. Also, handle incoming phone calls from prospective new residents and complete appropriate paperwork.
• Maintains awareness of market/industry conditions and trends via trade publications, professional organizations, etc.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Position prefers 3 years experience in on-site property management; 1 as property manager. Must have background in supervision and successful track record of accomplishments. 

Computer Skills: Word Processing/On-Site Rental System (Must be proficient with a calculator, Excel) 

Work Hours: Full time hours- salaried position. Must be available on weekends for staffing needs and emergencies. 


DRIVING/TRAVELING REQUIREMENTS:

• Frequent need (20% to 25% of the time) to utilize personal transportation to inspect apartment community ands surrounding neighborhood, make trips to the back and visit the corporate office.
• Occasional use of golf cart may be necessary.
• Must have valid driver’s license and automobile insurance.

View Tarragon Management Jobs

(This is just an example property manager job description, and by using this job description, you agree to hold Multifamily Insiders and the companies providing the job descriptions harmless from any situation that arises from the use of the job description.  Also, in some cases, references to "community manager" were changed to "property manager" - use the term that fits your company culture best.)

Tips on Creating A Property Manager Job Description

Indentifying the Major Elements of Your Job Description

We have one of the most active job boards in the property management industry, so we see boundless examples of property managers job descriptions.  One of the biggest mistakes we find is that the job description only serves one purpose, when it really should serve several. 

                What Should A Property Management Job Description Include?

Your job description should do at least three things in order to be successful:

1. Inspire applicants to apply to your job
2. Prequalify those applicants so you streamline your hiring process
3. Share the information about the property manager job and what it entails

There could be more elements to the job description, but those are the big ones.  The problem is that many times they only cover one or two of these vital elements.

                Do You Want Quantity or Quality From Your Job Applicants?

A struggling job applicant will apply to just about anything that somewhat fits their current need.  They are often already out of work and simply need to have cash flowing through the door.  There is nothing wrong with this type of applicant, but it is often why our property manager job descriptions focus so much on the prequalifying aspect compared to the inspiration aspect.

Now consider the opposite type of job seeker, or even more challenging, the person that isn’t even a “seeker” at all, but might be perfect for your job position.  This type of person is going to be very discerning, and only interesting to something new if the job description really wows them.  Unfortunately, all too often our property management job descriptions are working so hard to prequalify the applicants, that they forget to inspire them!  So this segment of job seekers, those that have many opportunities in front of them because they are the most talented, often leave your job posting without a second thought.

So in the end, the property manager job description must quickly entice job seekers to make the extra effort and apply with you.  Yes, you will end up with more applications over all, but you are better off pulling from a larger mix that includes great applicants, rather than a smaller pool that only includes the most desperate.

Thinking About Your Property Manager Job Description From a Job Seeker Point Of View

Does it ever seem like job descriptions are written by lawyers just to cover themselves?  Rather than share what it is really like to work at a company, a job description gets boiled down to a list of 100 things that the person will be required to do or skills/qualifications in order to get the job.  And after a job seeker has seen three of these property manager job descriptions, do you really think they are still paying attention to the 15^th item on your list of property manager duties?

It seems as though companies are so flush with qualified talent that they only want their job description to weed out the mass of fantastic workers trying to break down their doors.  But the reality is that most companies constantly struggle with retaining great talent, no matter how wonderful their company is.  That means that companies always need to bring passionate, knowledgeable people back into the fold, and to find these types of people, they must entice them! 

Above we shared some standard property manager job descriptions, which are completely fine to use.  But consider for a moment seeing your job description from a marketing point of view.  Would your marketing department ever put out a job description like those you typically see?  Of course not!  The marketing department would look to see what draws someone’s attention, what makes them want to take action such as applying, and what makes them desperate to get hired by your company.  Isn’t that the best way to find quality talent – by making your company more desirable?

So as you are preparing your property manager job description, dare to be different! Consider breaking all the rules and see what type of response you get.

Job Description Requirements – What Types of Things Make Sense to Require?

As you read this article, let me ask you a question:  Are you competent?

Of course you are!  Very few people think to themselves, “I’m pretty incompetent”, and even for those that do, they would never admit that or have that stop them from applying for a job. 

Deciding on the requirements for a property manager job description often come down to this very issue, that job applicants will never admit to not fulfilling a subjecting job requirement.  If they want the job, they will probably try to fake it.  There might be some good strategies on figuring out how to resolve this issue, but oftentimes, the answer is simply do not make requirements that ask the applicant to make a subjective judgment about themselves. 

So what types of requirements should we be including in our job descriptions?  The best types of requirements are those that can be verified and are tangible.  Do they have a college degree, do they have their CAM, etc, are great questions because the applicant immediately knows where they stand.  Although it might be worth it to make any firm requirement especially obvious.  We often hear from applicants who ask if the company really only accepts college graduates, or if that is just listed on their job description.  So if you want to make it required, put in very blunt language to that effect!

A Quick Note About Property Manager Duties

One thing I would like to cover is the job duties section of the job description, which many companies feel compelled to detail out to the most minute detail.  One element that the property manager property has do as part of his or her job is to use a computer and get on the phone.  But should that really be part of the "Property Manager Duties"?  Of course not!  Most people realize that jobs often entail a laundry list of to-do items, and then many times that of unscheduled, unexpected, and absolutely strange things that are a part of property management.  So a property management job description should include elements that truly explain the job's core essentials rather than a list of 20 job duties that the job seeker will never even read.  Consider limiting this list to five, with an opportunity to share some of the humor we experience in property management as a bonus job duty, as well.  (Assuming your company has that type of culture, of course)