Lease-Up Property Manager

Lease-Up Property Manager

Meritus Property Group is seeking an exceptional Lease-Up Property Manager to lead the launch, stabilization, and long-term operational success of a new multifamily community. This is a high-impact leadership role for a proven operator who knows how to build momentum before opening, inspire a team through the intensity of lease-up, and create a resident experience that converts first impressions into long-term value.

The ideal candidate has successfully managed a multifamily lease-up previously and understands the discipline, pace, and precision required to take a new asset from pre-leasing through stabilization. This person must be a confident leader, strong communicator, financially capable, highly organized, and comfortable using data to make smart operational decisions.

At Meritus, we believe that strong property performance begins with strong people, thoughtful care, and meaningful community connection. Our work is guided by our vision pillars:

• Centered on People
• Committed to Care
• Connected by Community

The Lease-Up Property Manager will be responsible for bringing these pillars to life through team leadership, resident experience, owner communication, operational execution, and financial performance.

This is not a maintenance-only or leasing-only management role. This is a true business leadership position. The successful candidate will understand how to operate the property as an asset, lead the site team as a high-performing unit, and make daily decisions that support occupancy, revenue, reputation, and long-term value.

This is an opportunity to lead the full story of a new community from the beginning. The Lease-Up Property Manager will shape the culture, establish the operating rhythm, build the resident experience, and help define how the community is introduced to the market. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-moving environment, enjoys building systems from the ground up, and takes pride in seeing a property become a vibrant, well-managed community.

The right leader will not simply "manage" the property. They will launch it, own it, and elevate it.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lease-Up Strategy & Execution
• Leadership & Team Development
• Financial Management, Budgeting & Revenue
• Yardi, Systems & Reporting
• Resident Experience & Community Building
• Marketing & Market Positioning
• Operations, Compliance & Risk Management

Required qualifications include:

• Prior experience successfully managing at least one multifamily lease-up from pre-leasing or opening through stabilization.
• Minimum of 3 to 5 years of multifamily property management experience, with progressive leadership responsibility.
• Strong working knowledge of Yardi.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, financial reporting, revenue performance, expenses, delinquency, and operational metrics.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to recruit, train, motivate, coach, and hold a team accountable.
• Strong leasing, sales, closing, customer service, and resident relations skills.
• Experience managing market-rate multifamily assets; affordable housing, MFTE, or mixed-income experience is a plus.
• Strong understanding of Fair Housing, landlord-tenant law, leasing procedures, resident communication, and property operations.
• Ability to analyze market data, leasing performance, rent positioning, concessions, and competitor activity.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing competing priorities in a fast-paced lease-up environment.
• Comfortable communicating with ownership, senior leadership, vendors, residents, prospects, and team members.
• Ability to remain calm, professional, and solution-focused under pressure.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Experience managing a new construction lease-up.
• Experience with phased building deliveries and first move-in coordination.
• Experience with revenue management platforms, CRM tools, online leasing, AI leasing tools, or centralized leasing support.
• Experience preparing owner reports, budget variance narratives, weekly lease-up reports, and market updates.
• Experience managing or supporting reputation management, social media presence, outreach marketing, and resident events.
• Strong local market knowledge or demonstrated ability to quickly learn a new submarket.

Core competencies include:

• Leadership Presence
• Financial Acumen
• Operational Discipline
• Sales & Leasing Excellence
• Resident-Centered Mindset
• Ownership Mentality

Meritus Vision in Action:

• Centered on People
• Committed to Care
• Connected by Community

Success in this role looks like:

• The community launches with strong organization, clear communication, and a prepared team.
• Lease-up goals are met or exceeded through disciplined sales, marketing, pricing, and follow-up.
• The site team is engaged, trained, accountable, and aligned.
• Residents experience a smooth, professional, and welcoming move-in process.
• Financial reporting is accurate, timely, and clearly communicated.
• Delinquency, concessions, vacancy loss, and expenses are actively managed.
• Ownership and leadership have confidence in the property's performance and communication.
• The community develops a strong reputation for service, quality, and connection.

Compensation & Benefits:

Meritus Property Group offers a competitive compensation package based on experience, qualifications, and market factors. Benefits may include medical, dental, vision, paid time off, rental discount eligibility, bonus opportunities, professional development, and additional company-sponsored benefits.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Meritus Property Group is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful, and professional workplace where all team members have the opportunity to contribute, grow, and succeed.

How to Apply:

Qualified candidates are invited to submit a resume and a brief summary of their prior lease-up experience, including the size of the community, lease-up timeline, occupancy goals achieved, systems used, and leadership responsibilities.