Core Spaces · 1 month ago
Director of Maintenance Operations - Student Housing
Chicago, IL
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$140K/yr - $150K/yr
7+ years expCore Spaces is a real estate investment manager focused on student housing and build-to-rent sectors. The Director of Maintenance Operations is responsible for overseeing maintenance operations across the student housing portfolio, ensuring exceptional service delivery and operational excellence.
Property DevelopmentProperty ManagementReal Estate
Responsibilities
Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for all maintenance functions across the Student Housing portfolio
Manage and support Regional Maintenance Supervisors, ensuring they are equipped to lead onsite maintenance teams effectively
Develop, implement, and maintain preventive maintenance programs to extend the life of property assets
Oversee capital project planning, budgeting, and execution across the portfolio
Ensure compliance with OSHA, LOTO, SDS, and all safety protocols across all student housing communities
Establish and monitor KPIs to measure maintenance efficiency, work order turnaround time, and resident service quality
Standardize maintenance policies, procedures, and training programs to ensure consistency across all sites
Optimize work order management systems to ensure timely and high-quality service completion
Partner with construction and operations teams to oversee the transition of new developments, including warranty management and vendor coordination
Lead vendor and contractor management, negotiating service agreements for HVAC, landscaping, fire/life safety, and other essential services
Collaborate with Operations, Asset Management, and Facilities teams to align maintenance strategies with portfolio goals
Support recruiting, hiring, and development of Regional Maintenance Supervisors and onsite maintenance staff
Ensure properties are fully prepared for move-ins, turn processes, and annual inspections
Provide leadership and solutions for emergency response and crisis management situations
Travel regularly (50-70%) to visit properties, conduct audits, and support onsite teams
Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned
Qualification
Required
7+ years of maintenance leadership experience within student housing, multifamily, or hospitality
5+ years of experience managing maintenance operations across multiple properties or regions
Strong understanding of student housing operations, turn management, and high-volume maintenance processes
Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for all maintenance functions across the Student Housing portfolio
Manage and support Regional Maintenance Supervisors, ensuring they are equipped to lead onsite maintenance teams effectively
Develop, implement, and maintain preventive maintenance programs to extend the life of property assets
Oversee capital project planning, budgeting, and execution across the portfolio
Ensure compliance with OSHA, LOTO, SDS, and all safety protocols across all student housing communities
Establish and monitor KPIs to measure maintenance efficiency, work order turnaround time, and resident service quality
Standardize maintenance policies, procedures, and training programs to ensure consistency across all sites
Optimize work order management systems to ensure timely and high-quality service completion
Partner with construction and operations teams to oversee the transition of new developments, including warranty management and vendor coordination
Lead vendor and contractor management, negotiating service agreements for HVAC, landscaping, fire/life safety, and other essential services
Collaborate with Operations, Asset Management, and Facilities teams to align maintenance strategies with portfolio goals
Support recruiting, hiring, and development of Regional Maintenance Supervisors and onsite maintenance staff
Ensure properties are fully prepared for move-ins, turn processes, and annual inspections
Provide leadership and solutions for emergency response and crisis management situations
Travel regularly (50-70%) to visit properties, conduct audits, and support onsite teams
Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned
Must be able to lift and move up to 50 pounds, with regular bending, stooping, and physical activity
Ability to walk, stand, crouch, and move on slippery or uneven surfaces
Frequent bending, stooping, reaching, and lifting objects up to 20 pounds
Ability to drive or fly to various community locations, sitting for extended periods
Manual dexterity and visual acuity for inspections and detailed work
Preferred
Developing and managing large-scale maintenance teams across multiple regions
Technical or vocational training in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or related fields
EPA I & II, HVAC certifications, or other relevant industry credentials
Implementing work order management software and maintenance tracking tools
Overseeing capital project budgets and long-term maintenance planning
Benefits
A culture that provides you with a sense of belonging
Hybrid or remote work options may vary by role to support work-life balance
Competitive pay that values your contributions
Incentives designed to reward your achievements
Paid flexible PTO to disconnect or celebrate life milestones
Paid 14+ holidays, including your birthday, to disconnect and celebrate
Paid Parental Leave that begins after 90 days
Paid volunteer time off to give back to your community
Monthly workshop weeks; fewer meetings & more collaboration
Robust health plan options that begin within at least 30 days of your employment
Monthly phone reimbursement
Wellness allowance and perks, including a yearly subscription to a meditation app
An environment that provides you a voice to share your perspectives
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for access to confidential support services
Company retirement options including 401(k) + matching & Roth account option
Company
Core Spaces
Core Spaces provides development, dynamic acquisition and property management services for various housing projects.
501-1000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Core Spaces has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2024 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
unknownKey Investors
Apollo
2025-12-18Debt Financing
Leadership Team
J
Jennifer Holmes
Chief Operating Officer
Brendan Miller
Chief Investment Officer, Student Housing
Recent News
2025-12-25
Morningstar.com
2025-10-23
2025-10-03
Company data provided by crunchbase