Position Summary:
Reporting to the Director of Cress Housing, the Manager of Tenant Relations is a key member of the leadership team and is responsible for achieving the Tenant Relations’ objectives and contributing to the overall success of the organization. Specific accountabilities include delivery of housing and vacancy management initiatives, tenant and community relations, contractual and issues management, team leadership, and related day-to-day housing operations.
Responsibilities:
- Leads the development and implementation of all policies, processes, and key business plans for the department, in accordance with the organization’s direction, ensuring targets are met on time and on budget.
- Responsible to ensure that occupancy rates are maximized and that work associated with the move-in/move-out process operates in an efficient and effective manner.
- Collaborates well with the Maintenance and Finance Managers; works closely with, and is accessible to, all internal team members to ensure the department and organization achieve its priorities and goals.
- Establishes ongoing and regular communication with tenants regarding lease conditions, policies, and procedures.
- Seeks feedback from tenants to ensure satisfaction with deliverables; follows up as necessary.
- Manages tenant relations issues, ensuring timely problem resolution and follow-up.
- Ensures tenants understand their role/responsibilities with respect to ensuring lease and contractual agreements are adhered to and that the organization’s assets are properly maintained; inspects housing units.
- Ensures internal employee-tenants understand their role/responsibilities; inspects all employee housing units every six months to ensure they are well-maintained.
- Manages all actions associated with the eviction process, including timely submission of documents to the Office of Residential Tenancies to secure the security deposit, costs for property damage; approval to dispose of personal abandoned property, and writ of possession.
- Keeps current on available services within the community to provide additional support and referrals as needed; provides additional assistance and care for individuals with special needs.
- Manages the appeal process related to evictions; attends hearings and ensures all documentation and related information is organized in advance.
- Manages the process associated with vacated properties, including the collection of rent payment, tenant damages, lock/key replacement, and garbage disposal.
- Recruits develops and retain a competent and productive workforce; provides corrective action on performance issues; and recognition to team members as appropriate.
- Holds regular team meetings; schedules and assigns work priorities to team members and tracks completion/results.
- Ensures staff understands and follows all safety policies and procedures.
- Responsible for establishing and maintaining all policies and procedures associated with the tenant relations department and associated regulatory standards.
- Oversees the tenant application process, ensuring the selection process is fair and consistent.
- Develops annual budget requirements; monitors expenses and explains variances.
- Authorizes expenditures and/or seeks approval for significant expenditures as per policy.
- Compiles statistics and reports on key performance indicators related to the Tenant Relations department; completes quarterly and ad hoc reports.
- Ensures all documentation, contracts, agreements and related information comply with the effective management and control of the Tenant Relations department.
- Identifies innovative opportunities for improvements to programs and processes; brings forward recommendations to the management committee.
- Keeps current on issues that may impact the organization and the Tenant Relations Department; keeps others fully informed.
- Participates in staff and management meetings; may attend Board meetings as required.
- Acts as an ambassador for the organization with external individuals and groups; attends special events and business meetings as required.
- Complies with confidentiality and privacy of information requirements.
- Perform other related duties as defined and assigned by the reporting Director or designate on an as-and-when-required basis.
Working Environment:
- Standard office environment.
- Occasional requirement to work flexible hours, evenings, and weekends.
Physical Demands:
- Freedom of movement; Keyboarding (>2 hrs at a time); ability to take breaks as necessary; Driving and sensory demands
Health and Safety:
Rights: All Saskatoon Tribal Council employees have the right to information on potential hazards in the workplace, the right to participate in Occupational Health and Safety decisions, use personal protective equipment and clothing as directed by the employer, and the right to refuse dangerous work.
Responsibilities: All employees must cooperate with the Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Committee; remain alert to changes or events that might affect a client or employee safety; report safety issues, accidents or injuries immediately; follow safe work practices, including the use of PPE; and use their training and knowledge to help other employees work safely as well.
- Managers are ultimately responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace, and so must make the health and safety of all workers a priority. Related responsibilities include; ensuring workers and supervisors have the information, training, supervision, and experience to do their job safely; ensuring that workplace injury/incident reporting is completed in a timely manner; supporting the OH&S Committee by involving the committee in health and safety activities, encouraging committee participation, and allocation time and resources; actively measuring and working to improve the health and safety performance of their unit/area by taking every reasonable precaution in the circumstances for the protection of employees and adhering to legislated safety policies and standards
Education and Experience:
- A post-secondary degree in business or a related post-secondary degree from a recognized learning institute.
- Eight (8) years of demonstrated leadership experience is required.
- Demonstrated experience managing staff; providing mentorship, coaching, and performance feedback with the ability to motivate others in a collaborative team environment.
- Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint with an ability to easily learn new software applications.
- Experience working within a governance structure in a community development capacity with First Nations; familiarity with First Nations culture, and history is considered an asset.
Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities:
- Knowledge of the Residential Tenancies Act, internal policies, and municipal by-laws as they relate to housing;
- Understanding of housing issues, subsidized housing and CMHC, social agencies, and related resources;
- Ability to manage rental properties, ensuring delinquencies and vacancy rates are managed effectively, efficiently, and with sensitivity;
- Familiarity with lease agreements and key components therein;
- Results-oriented: demonstrates initiative and discretionary effort to go the extra mile to achieve results; has high achievement and is self-motivated; identifies opportunities for process results; has high achievement and is self-motivated; identifies opportunities for process improvements; establishes plans and targets; measures/achieve results;
- Interpersonal Acumen: can establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of diverse individuals and groups; is approachable; diplomatic and professional; has empathy and understands the underlying cause of issues; has a valuable network of contacts to achieve business objectives;
- Service-focused: ensures self and team provide timely and responsive service to applicants, tenants, and others; seeks current/immediate feedback to ensure satisfaction and follows through on issues as required; ensures team understands service is a priority;
- Conflict Management: can handle difficult/stressful situations and difficult tenants; skilled at mediating and resolving conflict and handling emotionally charged issues while maintaining relationships; maintains composure and does not react strongly;
- Adaptable: is flexible in approach when necessary; can manage change, and interruption and adapts well to multiple or ever-changing priorities; is resilient and can handle stress effectively;
- Organization and Prioritization: manage time effectively and efficiently, meet deadlines, organize work priorities well; maintain calendar/to-do lists; plan workload/workflow independently and ensure priorities are accomplished without delay with quality outcomes;
- Issues Management/Decision-Making: demonstrates effective analysis/problem-solving using good judgment; has the confidence to make decisions independently and put forward solutions based on fact/information; corrects issues/situations without procrastinating and follows through to ensure there are no residual issues;
- People Leadership: effectively manages a staff complement; has good communication, direct and open dialogue, listens and responds appropriately. Follows good HR practices including recruitment and development; ensures all team members understand their roles and responsibilities; provides timely feedback and holds each member accountable; recognizes team members as appropriate;
- Safety Oriented: demonstrates personal commitment and respect for sound safety management practices and ensures team members understand and follow required safety protocols and procedures;
- Teamwork: will offer to help out team members even if not within the scope of the job; will pitch in without necessarily being asked to do so; respects diversity and inclusiveness; values the input from others and considers their opinions and gives them due consideration;
- Professionalism: demonstrates accountability and professional approach to the business environment, is confidential and maintains the privacy of information; adheres to code of conduct;
- Consistently demonstrates the values of the organization: fairness, integrity, respect, and excellence.
Other:
- Must provide a current, original, Canadian Criminal Record Check (CCRC) with vulnerable sector search as a condition of employment.
- Must possess a valid Saskatchewan driver’s license and meet STC’s insurance requirements.
