Property Manager

About the job

Location: Chichester and surrounding area

Hours: Flexible / Part-time initially, with potential to grow. Initially 20-25 hours per week, potential to grow.

Salary: £30,000-£35,000 pro rata and dependent on experience

About the Role

We are looking for a confident, highly organised and practical Property Manager to oversee a growing portfolio of shared accommodation in the Chichester area.

Our properties provide good-quality accommodation to a range of tenants and residents, including adults who may be vulnerable or experiencing difficult circumstances. We therefore need someone who combines excellent organisation with a calm, professional and respectful approach to people.

This is a hands-on role. You will be responsible for making sure properties are safe, well maintained, clean and operating effectively, while acting as the main local point of contact for residents, contractors and partner organisations.

The role would suit someone who enjoys autonomy, takes ownership of problems and is comfortable making sensible decisions without needing constant supervision.

Working hours will need to be flexible. Most work can be planned during normal working hours, but occasionally issues will arise outside these times that require attention or coordination.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day operation of properties across Chichester and Havant.
• Carry out regular property inspections and identify maintenance or compliance issues.
• Coordinate cleaners, tradespeople and other contractors.
• Ensure repairs and maintenance issues are dealt with promptly and cost effectively.
• Prepare rooms and properties for new residents.
• Manage arrivals, departures, keys and property access.
• Maintain accurate records for each property.
• Monitor property condition, cleanliness and communal areas.
• Build positive and professional relationships with residents.
• Liaise with District Councils and other accommodation/referral partners where required.
• Help resolve resident issues calmly and professionally.
• Identify and escalate safeguarding or welfare concerns appropriately.
• Monitor occupancy and help minimise the time rooms remain empty.
• Coordinate replacement furniture, appliances and household items when required.
• Check that fire safety equipment, emergency lighting and other property safety measures are functioning and inspections are completed when due.
• Maintain inventories and report damage or unusual property issues.
• Help manage utility, broadband and other property services.
• Provide regular updates to the property owners, highlighting occupancy, maintenance, incidents and anything requiring a decision.
• Develop good relationships with reliable local contractors and suppliers.
• Look for sensible opportunities to reduce operating costs without compromising property standards or resident experience.

About You

We are particularly interested in someone who is:

• Highly organised – able to manage multiple properties, residents, contractors and tasks simultaneously.
• Confident – comfortable dealing with residents, councils, contractors and occasionally challenging situations.
• Calm under pressure – able to deal with unexpected problems without becoming flustered.
• Compassionate but professional – able to work respectfully with vulnerable adults while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
• Practical – you don't necessarily need to be a tradesperson, but you should be comfortable assessing basic property problems and deciding who needs to deal with them.
• Commercially aware – understands that good property management means balancing resident experience, property standards and operating costs.
• Reliable – if you say something will be done, it gets done.
• Technology comfortable – able to use apps, email, spreadsheets and property management systems to keep good records.
• Flexible – willing to adjust working hours occasionally when property or resident issues require it.

Experience

Previous property management experience would be useful but is not essential.

Experience in any of the following environments could also be particularly relevant:

• Supported or temporary accommodation
• Housing associations
• Local authorities
• Hotels or serviced accommodation
• HMOs or student accommodation
• Facilities management
• Social care or community services
• Estate or letting agencies

The individual's attitude, judgement and organisational ability are more important to us than having followed a traditional property-management career path.

Requirements

The successful candidate will need:

• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Confidence using basic technology and online systems.
• The ability to work independently and manage their own diary.
• A professional and discreet approach to confidential information.
• Willingness to undertake appropriate safeguarding training.
• Willingness to undergo a DBS check where appropriate for the role.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role is straightforward:

Properties are full, residents are treated well, problems are dealt with quickly, properties remain in excellent condition, compliance is kept up to date and the owners don't need to become involved in routine day-to-day issues.

As the portfolio grows, there is significant potential for the role to develop into responsibility for a larger accommodation operation and potentially additional team members.