The Role of an Apartment Community Director
Apartment Community Directors are the backbone of any meritorious leasing community. They function as employee managers, community representatives, resident relations liaisons, and countless other roles that keep a property running smoothly. In a nutshell, The Community Director is responsible for providing leadership and direction for the efficient day-to-day operations of an apartment community.
Why Compensation Matters
It’s easy to see why ensuring they are compensated correctly can be an important issue. The last thing a company wants is to have their “go-to” person feeling under-appreciated and under-paid. However, funds for higher salaries are not always available when you need to justify paying higher wages to a board of directors.
Key Responsibilities
When considering what pay you will offer your Community Director, first consider the duties you want them to be responsible for. Below is a general list of Apartment Community Director functions:
*Inspects community daily to ensure aesthetic appeal.
*Reviews service requests daily to ensure timely completion and follow up.
*Directs and oversees all activities and responsibilities of community staff.
*Manages staff to include recruiting, training, counseling, motivation, evaluation, and termination.
*Prepares or supervises the timely and accurate preparation of all required reports and forms including weekly activity report, daily bank deposits, monthly collection reports and summary, delinquency reports, accounts payable, statement of deposit accounts, personnel forms, incident reports, monthly market surveys, and monthly owners packages.
*Prepares payroll reporting, verifies accuracy and approves all community associates’ timesheets.
*Review financial statements on a monthly basis with Regional Manager and makes general ledger corrections.
*Communicates effectively and on a regular basis with Regional Manager to update him/her on the community.
*Ensures clean records are maintained on the community by company policies.
*Must stay informed and comply with all policies and procedures as outlined in the Operations Manual.
*Conducts annual inspection of all apartments.
*Adheres to company guidelines for effectively purchasing supplies, maintaining expenses within budget and obtaining bids on appropriate community projects.
*Reviews, ensures accuracy and receipt of supplies and approves all invoices for payment.
*Ensures that the Safety Program is implemented by all staff members.
*Ensures that all community staff members adhere to company key policies.
*Maintains working knowledge of laws, rules, and regulations concerning apartment leasing and management, i.e. fair housing, collections, evictions, towing and pool enclosures.
*Coordinates and participates in resident functions.
*Prepares community newsletter and blog content.
Now, combine all of the above with the fact that they also must be available for evening, weekend, holiday, overnight work, AND be personable to residents and courteous to the staff. You are talking about a leasing property super-hero here!
Beyond the expectations placed on a Community Director, there is also the extensive training required to get them up to speed. This is yet another reason to ensure the salary you offer helps keep the Director in their role.
With high-level hires like a Community Director, it’s often smart to partner with an experienced staffing company. A staffing consultant will advocate for the right salary because they understand what it takes to find a candidate with the unique and extensive skill set needed to succeed.
When hiring—or working to retain—your Community Director, keep your expectations in mind and make sure the salary reflects them. In the long run, you’ll be glad you did.