Portfolio Area Manager - Goleta, CA

Position Summary

At The Towbes Group, we proudly create communities where people thrive. Headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, The Towbes Group is an award-winning, fully integrated property management, development, and construction services firm with over 60 years of experience on the Central Coast. We live and breathe these attributes with all we do. As an integral Residential Property Management team member for the Towbes Group, this position will provide extraordinary customer service to our internal team members and external customers, exemplifying the core values and our dedication to quality and service. This position will have direct responsibility as a Residential Property Management team member to assist in the accomplishment of the department’s goals and objectives. This position will elevate the team as a member of the company’s high-performance culture that emphasizes Community, Integrity, Quality, ROI, Sustainability, Team, and Customer Service.

Job Overview/Purpose

The Portfolio Area Manager has authority, responsibility, and accountability for supporting operational continuity, performance, and support across multiple residential properties within the portfolio. This role requires strong leadership, operational expertise, and the ability to adapt quickly to the unique needs of diverse communities.

The Portfolio Area Manager serves as on-the-ground operational support, stepping in to cover vacancies, assist with leasing, and provide leadership coverage as needed, while ensuring compliance with company policies, Fair Housing, DRE regulations, and other industry standards.

This position plays a key role in the success of the Residential Property Management team by supporting on-site teams, identifying operational improvements, and promoting high service standards across the portfolio. The Portfolio Area Manager is expected to effectively convey the company’s mission, “Creating Communities Where People Thrive,” by ensuring team members are customer-focused and consistently delivering exceptional service to residents, prospects, vendors, and internal partners.

Job Requirements / Essential Duties

• Promote Towbes’ mission of Creating Communities Where People Thrive by providing on-site support, ensuring adherence to property standards and operational polices, mentoring site team members, and coverage when needed.
• When serving as Acting Community Manager, assume full Community Manager responsibilities, coordinating with the Regional Manager and Human Resources on coaching, performance feedback, and corrective action. May be required to temporarily serve as the Responsible Party for a community in the absence of an assigned manager, in accordance with company policy and regulatory requirements.
• Deliver consistent feedback to site teams regarding performance and best practices.
• Review and countersign all resident leases when serving as Acting Community Manager, ensuring accuracy.
• When acting as Community Manager, approve operational expenses up to $5,000 and check requests up to $1,000, consistent with established Community Manager authority.
• Support NOI, occupancy, retention, and financial performance targets across assigned properties; when acting as Community Manager, hold direct accountability for meeting or exceeding those targets.
• Partner with vendors to ensure cost-effective services and high-quality standards across the portfolio, including coordination during coverage assignments.
• Coordinate with Associate Counsel and Regional Managers on lease enforcement, eviction proceedings, and Fair Housing matters when acting on-site.
• Assist the Director of Residential Properties and Regional Managers with portfolio-wide operational projects and initiatives.
• Assist with property dispositions, including operational transition support, due diligence coordination, document gathering, vendor coordination, and support of ownership and buyer transition needs.
• Ensure communities consistently follow standard operating procedures.
• Support properties in compliance with Fair Housing, ADA, DRE regulations, and local, state, and federal laws.
• Maintain working knowledge of subsidized and program-specific compliance requirements, including LIHTC/CTAC (Cypress Meadows), HUD financing and REAC inspections (Rancho Franciscan), and HOME Program/City of Goleta affordable housing (Sumida Gardens), and apply program-specific rules when assigned to those properties.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and recommend improvements to RPMD leadership.
• Leverage company-approved AI tools to support operational analysis, surface portfolio-wide efficiencies, draft communications and reports, and enable data-informed decision-making, while maintaining data privacy and company standards.
• Monitor vacant and market-ready units, ensuring high standards of cleanliness and presentation.
• Assist in conducting property audits to ensure compliance with Towbes policies and procedures.
• Support community leasing teams to ensure occupancy goals are achieved.
• Participate in competitive market research, gathering data on local rent trends and competitors.
• Assist site teams with resident retention strategies and community engagement efforts.
• Process rent payments, invoices, and deposits, ensuring accurate recordkeeping.
• Monitor delinquent accounts and initiate collections or legal action as necessary.
• Assist in budget preparation and provide financial support to site teams.
• Maintain advanced working knowledge of Yardi and CRM IQ systems, including leasing, accounting, and reporting functions, and leverage system tools and data to support operational performance, financial accuracy, and portfolio decision-making.
• Serve as a resource for resident concerns and escalations, ensuring timely resolutions.
• Collaborate with on-site teams to maintain a positive community atmosphere.
• Support resident work order processing and ensure maintenance requests are completed efficiently.
• Support preventive maintenance planning and coordinate with the maintenance team to ensure timely repairs and proactive upkeep across assigned properties.
• Ensure team members adhere to company policies, safety guidelines, and emergency protocols when serving on-site.
• Maintain a flexible schedule to respond to urgent needs across the portfolio, including weekends if necessary.
• Assist with community activities, resident events, and operational projects.
• Conduct property walks and inspections to assess curb appeal and property conditions.
• Ongoing training as required to keep current with all necessary regulations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities / Prerequisites

• High School or General Education Development (GED) equivalent.
• Minimum of two (2) years in a community manager role or higher.
• Must hold a valid CA Real Estate License.
• Industry certification such as ARM (offered by IREM), CAM (offered by NAA), or CCRM (offered by CAA) required, or active progress toward certification.
• Ability to comprehend, apply, and comply with all state and fair housing laws, company policies, and business procedures.
• Working knowledge of city-specific landlord-tenant ordinances across the portfolio’s operating jurisdictions (Goleta, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Santa Maria, Lompoc).
• Working knowledge of subsidized housing compliance programs including LIHTC/CTAC, HUD/REAC, and HOME Program requirements applicable to restricted units.
• Effective and professional communication in English with staff, supervisors, and residents through verbal, written, and Microsoft Office Suite communication.
• Proficiency in Yardi and CRM IQ property management software.
• Ability to perform the physical functions of the position, which may include, but are not limited to sitting, standing, bending, walking the property, including a minimum of two flights of stairs, to complete inspections, and deliver resident communications.
• Carry the company-assigned cell phone at all times.
• A clean DMV report and background check.
• Ability to evaluate opportunities to streamline workflows using AI, including identifying repetitive tasks suitable for automation.
• Ability to use AI to draft announcements, communication templates, tenant notices, and report summaries while maintaining accuracy and professional tone.
• Ability to critically review and verify AI-generated content for accuracy, confidentiality, compliance, and alignment with The Towbes Group standard.
• Capable of easily shifting between tasks with flexibility and adaptability.
• Meet or exceed operational goals on annual performance evaluations and resident surveys.
• Ability to work independently and prioritize effectively in a challenging environment.
• Ability to work in a manner consistent with having a high level of integrity, honesty, courage, and loyalty.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Provide high-quality customer service whether to the internal or external customer.
• Ability to put people first in all aspects of your position.
• Work with the intent of the betterment of our community.
• Ability to effectively comprehend and interpret policies and procedures in the work environment.
• Ability to collaborate effectively as a team member.
• Ability to exercise good judgment in making decisions.
• Ability to work under pressure and complete tasks within prescribed time frames.
• Ability to manage and develop personnel resources.
• Ability to disseminate information and guidelines clearly to others and check for understanding.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with a wide range of employees and residents.

Language Skills

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and/or governmental regulations. Ability to create and/or write reports, business correspondence, and/or procedural manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the public.

Mathematical Skills and Reasoning Ability

Ability to calculate figures, analyze budgets, and track financial performance. Ability to interpret financial reports, variance statements, and market data to make informed decisions. Ability to assess trends, forecast expenses, and optimize revenue while ensuring financial compliance and operational efficiency.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, repetitive wrist movements, talk, hear, walk, and sit. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee may be required to stand for extended periods. The employee may occasionally lift, push, pull, carry and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The work environment characteristics described here represent those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

What Towbes Offers

• Competitive wages! This a full-time, exempt, salary position: Pay Range: $65,000.00 - $98,000.00
• A rewarding work environment
• Health Insurance: medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability
• 401k and liberal company match
• Paid vacation/sick time programs
• Local Coastal Housing Partnership benefits

The Towbes Group is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.