Residence Manager

Flair TM • Pretoria, Gauteng, ZA

12 days ago

Job description

Residence / Building Manager Jobs | Student Accommodation | Residence Management | Property Operations | Pretoria

Residence / Building Manager | Student Accommodation

Lead the Residence. Build the Community. Create an Exceptional Student Living Experience.

Are you an experienced Residence Manager, Building Manager, Student Accommodation Manager or Hospitality Manager who is passionate about creating well-run, welcoming and engaging residential environments?

A leading Student Accommodation Property Management Company is seeking a hands-on Residence / Building Manager to take responsibility for the day-to-day operational management of a student residence.

This is not a technical Facilities or Maintenance Manager role. The successful candidate will be the operational leader and custodian of the residence, responsible for building operations, student experience, resident engagement, customer service, staff leadership, operational readiness and overall building performance.

If you have experience in Student Accommodation, Residence Management, Hospitality, Hotels or Property Management, this is an excellent opportunity to use your operational and people-management skills in the growing student housing sector.

About the Role

Reporting to the Property Manager, the Residence / Building Manager will oversee the daily operations of the residence and provide operational leadership to teams including Customer Liaison, Student Assistants / Residence Ambassadors, Housekeeping, Security and Cleaning Contractors.

You will be responsible for ensuring that the residence is professionally managed, operational standards are maintained and students experience a safe, welcoming, inclusive and vibrant living environment.

Key Responsibilities

Residence & Building Operations

Take ownership of the day-to-day operational management of the residence, including:

Front office and reception services
Resident administration and communication
Building presentation
Cleaning and housekeeping standards
Security service delivery
Access control
Common-area management
Operational inspections
Inventory management
Operational risk management
Compliance with company operational standards

You will ensure the residence remains professionally managed and consistently delivers high operational standards.

Student Experience & Resident Engagement

Create an exceptional student living experience by:

Building a vibrant and inclusive residence community
Planning and delivering student engagement activities
Coordinating social, educational and wellbeing programmes
Supporting first-year student integration
Promoting diversity and inclusion
Encouraging resident participation
Managing Student Assistants / Residence Ambassadors
Supporting student wellbeing through appropriate referrals
Managing resident complaints professionally
Building positive relationships with students and parents
Driving resident satisfaction and retention

Team Leadership & People Management

Lead and develop the operational team through:

Daily operational management
Setting performance objectives
Conducting team meetings
Coaching and mentoring
Performance management
Identifying training requirements
Supporting recruitment and onboarding
Promoting teamwork and accountability

The objective is to create a positive, professional and service-driven workplace culture.

Student Intake & Operational Readiness

Lead annual student intake and turnover preparations by ensuring:

Rooms are prepared for occupation
Cleaning standards are achieved
Furniture and equipment are inspected
Welcome packs are prepared
Staff are fully trained
Building inspections are completed
Deficiencies are identified and resolved before occupation
Student arrivals are efficiently managed

Customer Service Excellence

Maintain exceptional service standards by:

Responding promptly to resident enquiries
Resolving complaints effectively
Monitoring service levels
Maintaining regular communication with residents
Conducting resident satisfaction surveys
Implementing service-improvement initiatives

Building Inspections & Property Standards

Conduct regular operational inspections of:

Student rooms
Common areas
Reception areas
Study spaces
Recreational facilities
Cleaning standards
Security standards
Furniture and equipment

Record findings and ensure corrective actions are implemented.

Facilities & Maintenance Coordination

The Residence / Building Manager will work closely with the Facility Manager regarding maintenance requirements but is not responsible for technical maintenance or statutory building compliance.
Responsibilities include:

Reporting maintenance requirements
Prioritising operational maintenance needs
Coordinating contractor access
Monitoring maintenance completion
Following up on outstanding work orders
Communicating maintenance activities to residents
Identifying recurring building issues

Operational Budget & Cost Management

Manage the operational budget for the residence by:

Monitoring operational expenditure
Managing consumables
Controlling stock
Managing petty cash where applicable
Approving operational purchases within delegated authority
Identifying cost-saving opportunities
Ensuring responsible use of resources

Governance, Risk & Compliance

Ensure operational compliance with:

Company policies and procedures
Residence rules
Operational standards
Internal controls
Risk-management procedures
University accommodation requirements
Incident-reporting protocols

You will also support the Facility Manager with emergency preparedness and safety procedures.

Reporting, Administration & Property Systems

Prepare and maintain accurate:

Weekly operational reports
Incident reports
Resident engagement reports
Resident satisfaction reports
Operational KPI reports
Occupancy readiness reports
Budget reports
Inspection reports

The role also requires effective use of FG Nexus for resident records, inspections, operational dashboards, incidents, service requests and operational reporting. Experience with FG Nexus or an equivalent Property Management System will therefore be valuable.

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications

Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Property Management, Hospitality Management, Business Management or a related discipline

Advantageous:

Qualification in Student Affairs, Community Development or Leadership
Professional membership with SAFMA, SAPOA or a related professional body
First Aid and Fire Marshal certification

Experience

Minimum 3–5 years' experience in Property Management, Hospitality, Residence Management or Student Accommodation
Previous supervisory or management experience
Experience leading customer-facing teams
Experience organising community or resident-engagement programmes
Operational budget-management experience advantageous

Coming from Hospitality?

Your experience could be highly relevant.
Candidates from Hotels, Hospitality, Serviced Accommodation and other customer-focused residential environments may have many of the skills required for this position.
Experience in Front Office Operations, Guest Services, Housekeeping, Customer Experience, Team Leadership, Complaint Resolution, Operational Standards and Community Engagement can translate particularly well into Student Accommodation.

Key Skills & SEO Keywords

Who We're Looking For

We are looking for someone who is professional, highly organised, energetic, approachable, resilient, ethical and customer-focused, with a genuine passion for creating outstanding student communities.
This role requires a visible, hands-on leader who enjoys working with people, solving operational problems and maintaining high service standards while holding teams accountable.
Success will be measured by an exceptional student living experience, resident satisfaction and retention, operational standards, building presentation, student engagement, team performance, budget control and effective coordination of maintenance requirements.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

Join an established Student Accommodation Property Management environment
Take ownership of the day-to-day operation of a student residence
Lead and develop customer-facing operational teams
Make a direct impact on student experience and resident retention
Gain exposure to property operations, budgets and operational reporting
Build experience within the growing Student Accommodation / Student Housing sector

Apply Online

If you're an experienced Residence Manager, Building Manager, Student Accommodation Manager, Residence Operations Manager, Hospitality Manager or Accommodation Manager, we'd like to hear from you.

APPLY ONLINE
Flair Talent Management – www.flairtm.com