What is an Assistant Community Manager?

An assistant community manager is the person who works closely with the community manager of a residential apartment or townhouse complex. He is actively involved in all daily activities relating to rentals, property management and tenant communications. In the absence of the community manager, he is the person in charge.

The job of assistant community manager requires exemplary customer service skills to attract new tenants and retain current residents. He is often the first point of contact for prospective tenants on the telephone and when they visit the property. His personality can be a deciding factor for a tenant in the market for a new residence. On a daily basis, he is regularly required to interact with tenants to resolve sensitive issues relating to rent, repairs and community relations.

Good written communication skills are also necessary. Written correspondence with vendors and contractors is usually part of his job, as is writing resident notices, newsletters and memos. The professionalism of these documents reflects the reputation of the apartment management as a whole.

When the assistant community manager is not involved in tenant relations, he is normally performing a wide variety of administrative tasks. These include budget management, updating service agreements, coordinating vendor visits, and controlling inventories and supplies. He is also in charge of the leases, including collecting rents and processing move-in, move-out and eviction paperwork. If a prospective tenant desires a lease, the assistant verifies references and income, collects the deposit and processes the application. All of these responsibilities require proficiency in business software and Internet applications.

An assistant community manager may be required to train new leasing consultants and monitor their job performance. This requires him to be knowledgeable about creative sales strategies and how to quickly assess the needs of potential tenants. His responsibilities may also include marketing the property at community functions or shopping other communities to help his company remain competitive.

Many people in this position aspire to be full-fledged community managers. Others may use the position to gain skills in public relations and leasing operations that may help them transition to a position in real estate. The experience gained in the position of assistant community manager is so diverse it could be applied to almost any service industry.

A four-year college degree and two years of relevant experience in leasing, sales or properly management are strongly preferred for this position. Equally important are a high energy, upbeat personality and the ability to be flexible to constantly changing situations. Due to the nature of the industry, weekend work is the norm rather than the exception.