SUMMARY:

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.

POSITION INFO:

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.

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 –

 

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