General Manager

Overview

At CLS Living, our mission is simple: to deliver an unparalleled resident experience and foster an exceptional workplace environment. We are committed to building a world-class team of passionate individuals who thrive in a culture of positivity, creativity, and continuous growth.

Each day brings new opportunities to innovate, lead, and make a meaningful impact. We take pride in our vibrant, design-forward communities and in the devoted teams who manage them with care and integrity. Our success starts with our people—and when our team thrives, our residents do too.

Company Benefits & Perks

We believe in rewarding our team with benefits that support both personal and professional well-being:

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)

• 401(k) with Company Matching

• Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance

• Health Savings Account (HSA) & Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

• Life Insurance & Parental Leave

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Relocation Assistance

• Professional Development & Advancement Opportunities

• Supportive, Fun, and Flexible Work Environment

• Access to an Unmatched Company Culture that values individuality and innovation

Responsibilities

CLS Living is seeking an experienced, hands-on General Manager to lead a property through an exciting period of transformation, renovation, and repositioning.

This is a unique opportunity for a leader who combines strong operational expertise with exceptional leasing and marketing instincts. As the majority of the property's renovation work will be substantially complete as this leader steps into the role, the focus will increasingly shift toward maximizing the property's new potential—strengthening operations, accelerating leasing performance, building market presence, developing the team, and positioning the asset for long-term success.

Student housing experience is not required. We are looking for someone who has successfully managed an asset through change, repositioning, renovation, operational challenges, financial planning, and team development.

The ideal candidate is hands-on, organized, direct, proactive, financially savvy, and energized by transformation.

The property is undergoing significant investment and transformation, creating an opportunity for the next General Manager to help shape what comes next.

The GM will be responsible for balancing:

• Operational excellence
• Leasing and marketing performance
• Property repositioning
• Team development
• Financial performance
• Preventative maintenance and capital planning
• Ownership communication
• University and community relationships

The strongest candidate will see the property not simply as an asset to manage, but as an opportunity to build something better and drive meaningful growth.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Asset Management & Property Operations

• Lead the property through the final stages of renovation and ongoing repositioning.
• Take ownership of the property's operational performance and long-term success.
• Proactively identify operational issues and develop solutions before they become larger problems.
• Evaluate property systems, infrastructure, and operational processes and communicate potential exposure to leadership.
• Develop action plans and partner with regional leadership and ownership to prioritize improvements.
• Identify when capital expenditures, preventative maintenance, staffing, or outside resources may be necessary.
• Balance immediate operational needs with long-term asset strategy.
• Establish processes and standards that support the property's next phase of growth.
• Maintain awareness of legal and compliance requirements and know when to involve legal counsel.
• Ensure the property consistently delivers a strong resident experience while meeting company and ownership expectations.

Leasing & Marketing Leadership

A significant component of this role will be driving leasing performance and building upon the property's transformation.

• Lead the property's leasing strategy and overall leasing performance.
• Maintain a high-energy, accountable leasing culture.
• Identify opportunities to increase occupancy, improve conversion, and strengthen renewal performance.
• Analyze leasing trends, traffic, pricing, competitors, and market conditions.
• Develop and execute creative marketing and outreach strategies.
• Take a hands-on approach to leasing and marketing when needed.
• Build relationships with universities, student organizations, departments, and strategic partners.
• Strong preference for candidates with knowledge of the University of Maryland/Baltimore market and the ability to develop meaningful relationships with UMD and surrounding universities.
• Represent the property at university, community, and outreach events.
• Partner with regional and corporate marketing resources to maximize property visibility.
• Help establish the property as a compelling housing option within the local market.
• Bring the energy, urgency, and accountability associated with a new lease-up or newly repositioned asset.

Property Repositioning & Transformation

The majority of the major renovation work will be substantially complete as the new GM assumes leadership. This creates an opportunity to transition the property's focus from renovation execution to operational excellence, market repositioning, leasing growth, and long-term performance.

The GM will have the opportunity to be heavily involved in:

• Final renovation and repositioning initiatives
• Operational improvements
• Preventative maintenance
• Garage improvements
• Certification and compliance requirements
• Capital planning
• Leasing and marketing strategy
• University partnerships
• Team development
• Resident experience
• Financial performance

The successful candidate will understand how to translate investment in an asset into stronger operations, stronger leasing, and stronger financial performance.

OWNERSHIP & LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION

• Serve as a strong and professional representative of CLS during ownership calls and communications.
• Build credibility and trust with ownership stakeholders.
• Provide consistent, clear updates regarding property performance, projects, challenges, opportunities, and financial considerations.
• Develop and communicate actionable plans with ownership and regional leadership.
• Communicate proactively and frequently when circumstances require it.
• Demonstrate sound judgment regarding what can be handled independently and what requires escalation.
• Communicate challenges with solutions—not simply problems.
• Maintain transparency while demonstrating confidence, accountability, and ownership.

FINANCIAL & STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

The GM must understand how operational decisions affect the property's financial performance.

• Read and understand property financials.
• Use financial information to guide operational and strategic decisions.
• Determine what needs to be addressed immediately, budgeted, deferred, resourced, or escalated.
• Understand the financial relationship between operations, renovations, preventative maintenance, staffing, leasing, marketing, capital expenditures, and property performance.
• Help develop and execute the property's financial and operational plan.
• Identify opportunities to improve performance while protecting the long-term value of the asset.
• Partner with ownership and regional leadership on capital and financial planning.

TEAM LEADERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT

The GM will be responsible for creating a positive, accountable, high-performing team culture.

• Build trust and accountability across the property team.
• Establish clear expectations, structure, and priorities.
• Assess individual and team training needs.
• Provide coaching and development across leasing, administration, and maintenance.
• Work collaboratively with the maintenance team while providing clear leadership and direction.
• Provide organization, coaching, and development to the Maintenance Supervisor.
• Help team members understand not only what needs to be done, but why it matters.
• Address performance issues directly and professionally.
• Create an environment where team members feel supported while still being held accountable.
• Be a leader the team welcomes and trusts—direct without being rigid, willing to listen, and comfortable providing context while maintaining expectations.

LEASE-UP & LEASING INCENTIVE

Earn an additional incentive compensation based on achieving monthly lease targets and key leasing milestones throughout the season. This performance-based opportunity directly rewards the GM for driving leasing momentum, occupancy growth, and property performance.

Compensation & Benefits

Starting Salary: $90,000 annually, plus eligibility for a generous General Manager Bonus Package.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s degree preferred OR 2–5 years of experience in student or multifamily housing, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and property management software (Entrata preferred).

• Working knowledge of market rate and LIHTC programs, Fair Housing Laws, and EEO laws.

• Strong skills in staff recruitment and development, financial management, marketing strategy, scheduling, and operational oversight.

WHY THIS OPPORTUNITY?

This is an opportunity to step into a property at a transformational point in its lifecycle.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to:

• Help bring an asset through a major transformation.
• Take a newly improved property and maximize its market potential.
• Drive leasing and marketing performance.
• Build university and community partnerships.
• Strengthen operational processes.
• Develop and elevate the property team.
• Influence capital and financial planning.
• Work directly with ownership.
• Create a stronger resident experience.
• See the tangible impact of their leadership on the property.

This is a great opportunity for a leader who wants to roll up their sleeves, solve problems, build a team, drive leasing performance, and make a measurable difference.

Who You Are

We’re looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, hands-on environment and who sees every challenge as an opportunity to improve the resident experience. The ideal candidate will:

• Be a passionate mentor and team builder, invested in the growth and development of others.

• Act as an ambassador of the CLS Living culture, bringing energy, pride, and leadership to the community.

• Have a personal drive to excel, grow within the company, and take ownership of their role.

• Possess an entrepreneurial spirit, always looking for innovative ways to enhance operations, resident satisfaction, and property performance.

• Demonstrate a solutions-first mindset, handling challenges with professionalism and integrity.