Director of Operations

About Our Client

Our client is an established, privately held owner-operator of apartment communities in the Northern New Jersey / New York City metro market, with a portfolio of roughly 400 units. The business is profitable and growing, and the owner is bringing property management in-house—building a professional, systems-driven management company to run the portfolio and support future acquisitions. (Client name shared upon mutual interest.)

The Opportunity

This is a build role, not a caretaker role. You will stand up the company's in-house property management platform essentially from the ground up—think of it as building a startup, with the advantage that the buildings already exist and the business is profitable. You will start by taking over roughly two buildings (about 100 units), using them to design and prove out the operating system—SOPs, tools, KPIs, and reporting—and then take on the balance of the portfolio over the following twelve to twenty-four months. You will hire and lead your own team as you scale, including site superintendents, a maintenance manager, and administrative/accounting support. You report directly to ownership and will have real autonomy to build it right, with room to grow alongside the portfolio.

Position Mission

Build and lead an institutional-quality property management platform that delivers exceptional resident experiences, maximizes asset performance, and supports the company's long-term growth.

Build the Operating System

• Design and implement standardized operating procedures (SOPs), tools, checklists, and templates the company will run on.
• Define the KPI framework and reporting from scratch — occupancy/vacancy, budget adherence, maintenance and turn performance, and the metrics that best signal operational health.
• Drive continuous process improvement and establish clear accountability across every function.

Build & Lead the Team

• Recruit, hire, train, and develop the property management team as the portfolio ramps — superintendents, maintenance, and administrative/accounting support.
• Set performance expectations, coach regularly, and build a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Financial Performance

• Prepare annual operating budgets and own monthly financial performance.
• Identify NOI-improvement opportunities and control operating expenses.
• Analyze property performance and recommend corrective actions.

Leasing & Revenue

• Oversee leasing strategy and improve occupancy and renewal rates.
• Optimize rent growth and monitor leasing KPIs.

Maintenance & Capital Projects

• Lead maintenance operations and implement preventive-maintenance programs.
• Improve unit-turn times and oversee vendor performance.
• Plan and deliver capital projects on scope, budget, and schedule.

Resident Experience

• Improve resident satisfaction, resolve escalated issues, and set communication standards.
• Strengthen the portfolio's online reputation and reviews.

Technology & Growth

• Build the operating stack around a single property management platform (Yardi Voyager preferred) plus modern ticketing and reporting.
• Support acquisitions and lead the operational integration of newly acquired assets.

• Proven experience as a Regional Property Manager, Director of Operations, or comparable multifamily leadership role.
• Track record managing approximately 500 to 2,000 apartment units (roughly $10–20M annual rent roll) across multiple sites.
• Background with an established, systems-driven multifamily operator — you know what “good” looks like and can define the KPIs that get there.
• Demonstrated success building processes, tools, and teams — a builder, not only a day-to-day manager.
• Strong command of operating budgets, capital projects, and property management software (Yardi Voyager preferred).
• Deep knowledge of the Northern New Jersey / NYC metro market — local brokers, competitors, submarkets, and buildings. This is a local role and not a relocation search; candidates should already be established in the market.

• Base salary that grows with the portfolio: starting at approximately $120,000 and scaling toward $150,000 as the full portfolio comes under management (base is structured on a per-unit basis as buildings are added).
• Annual performance bonus targeted at 20% of salary.
• Onsite housing available for a candidate who wishes to live at one of the properties.
• Vehicle allowance, company-paid cell phone, four weeks of PTO, and company-supported health insurance.
• Long-term upside tied to portfolio growth as the company scales.