PeakMade Real Estate · 10 hours ago
Assistant Director of Operations
Chicago, IL
Full-time
Onsite
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
5+ years expPeakMade Real Estate is overseeing University Center, a multi-use student housing complex. The Assistant Director of Operations plays a key leadership role, managing financial, operational, and leasing tasks while collaborating with various departments to ensure the property’s success.
ConsultingDigital MarketingMarket ResearchProperty ManagementReal EstateSEO
Responsibilities
Own and execute all accounting month-end activities, including pre-close and close reports, reconciliations, accruals, reclasses, capital reporting, variance analysis, and cash forecasting. Coordinate with corporate accounting to ensure all month-end activities are completed by the monthly deadlines
Monitor and analyze financial performance on an ongoing basis, providing insights and recommending actions to meet or exceed financial goals. Coordinate with department heads monthly, to maintain their annual budgets and spending
Review and approve invoices and property credit card transactions
Interface with senior executives and ownership on a regular basis. Prepare professional, articulate executive summaries and other communications to ownership as needed
Lead the annual budget preparation process, including operating expenses, capital projects, five-year capital planning, and other advanced accounting requirements
Support and lead strategic initiatives that drive University Center’s long-term financial health, operational efficiency, and overall property performance through collaboration with senior leadership and department heads
Maintain and enhance key financial Excel workbooks and models (Master Lease Billing, StarRez Income, Retail NNN, etc.)
Review all vendor contracts to ensure compliance with PeakMade and University Center standards. Coordinate with department heads to ensure vendor services are aligned with contracts, budgets, and expected timelines
Coordinate with Housing and Operations teams to administer all master leases, including drafting leases, reviewing leases, entering leases in Entrata, issuing invoices/notices, and maintaining master lease records
Collaborate with legal counsel to review and update individual and master lease agreements annually
Maintain insurance and COI compliance for all vendors, tenants, and residents
Support all audit and compliance requirements with accurate documentation and timely responses
Develop the strategy for, and manage the leasing of, non-master-leased beds. Including management and oversight of day-to-day activities of the leasing team and assisting in the leasing office as needed
Oversee all property-wide marketing and brand management efforts, including strategy development, execution, and cross-department alignment. Supervise online advertising, website updates, collateral creation, promotional product ordering, and outreach leasing initiatives to ensure a cohesive and effective brand presence
Oversight for all marketing vendors, including partners for website development, social media content, SEO, digital advertising, and promotional products. Oversee all branded item requests across departments and ensure consistency in quality, spending, and brand standards
Maintain and review resident ledgers, scheduled billing, payments, and delinquency to ensure accuracy and collection efforts
Maintain a positive relationship with all retail tenants. Maintain and audit retail ledgers and insurance requirements, send retail notices, and other actions as required in retail leases
Lead a team of 1–2 staff members to achieve all objectives and tasks, fostering accountability, accuracy, and professional growth
Candidates must be available in the evenings and on occasional weekends during peak student housing and financial periods
Candidates must be available to travel for conferences and work-related activities approximately 2 weeks per year
Additional responsibilities as required
Qualification
Required
In depth knowledge of property management operations and financial concepts such as: budgeting, revenue, NOI, leasing, and compliance
Knowledgeable in property management software and/or experience in financial management within student or multi-family housing
Intermediate to advanced capabilities utilizing Microsoft Excel to build/maintain workbooks used to analyze, audit, and/or present financial data
A self-starter who is highly organized and motivated, can take on responsibilities and initiate projects while working independently, as well as part of a large team
Demonstrates strong customer service and relationship management skills with a variety of clients, vendors, and partners
Flexible and capable of prioritizing tasks when working in a busy and changing environment
5+ years of accounting, financial operations, property management, or related experience
Strong analytical and organizational skills, with a focus on accuracy and process improvement
Exceptional communication skills and the ability to translate financial data into clear insights
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and familiarity with accounting and property management systems
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and build strong professional relationships
Exceptional customer service and professionalism
Willingness to obtain Illinois Leasing license within 120 days
Bachelor's Degree or high school diploma/equivalent with additional courses and/or relevant experience
Preferred
Entrata experience preferred
Experience with StarRez or Entrata preferred but not required
Company
PeakMade Real Estate
PeakMade Real Estate provides property management, development, and consulting services.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Rebecca Shady
Director of Strategic Initiatives - Office of the CFO
Recent News
2025-08-05
Multi-Housing News
2024-04-26
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