Apartment Maintenance Manager

Maintenance management at an affordable housing portfolio demands a different skill set than luxury or market-rate work. The residents depend on fast, reliable service, and the operator depends on you to keep aging or mixed-vintage systems running efficiently without the budget latitude that Class A properties sometimes enjoy. At Fairstead, that challenge is real and so is the scale: over 30,000 apartments across 28 states, managed under a single integrated platform that combines development, construction, and property operations.

What This Role Actually Covers

The Service Manager position in Jacksonville puts you at the center of day-to-day building operations. You'll supervise a maintenance team, which means your organizational skills and ability to set priorities matter as much as your hands-on trade knowledge. You'll handle inspection and repair of electrical equipment and mechanical systems, lead special projects, and hold the line on safety compliance and sanitation standards across the property. Routine work you'll carry independently. More complex projects come with support.

Overtime is part of the picture when emergencies arise or special projects demand it. That's honest. Maintenance leadership at the property level means being reachable when systems fail outside business hours.

Skills You Bring vs. Skills You'll Sharpen

Fairstead requires at least three years of property maintenance experience and genuine proficiency in a specific trade, whether that's HVAC, electrical, plumbing, or another mechanical discipline. You also need working knowledge of building systems terminology, a real understanding of safety protocols, and comfort with Microsoft Office. Yardi and RealPage experience is a plus, not a requirement.

What this role builds is supervisory depth. Leading a team through a demanding make-ready cycle, managing a punch list across multiple units while keeping occupied buildings clean and safe, and implementing or improving maintenance procedures all develop the kind of operational judgment that carries well into regional maintenance director or facilities management positions over time.

• Three or more years of hands-on property maintenance experience
• Proficiency in at least one skilled trade with broad general maintenance ability
• Strong safety knowledge and adherence to precautionary standards
• Organizational and project management skills sufficient to lead a team
• Ability to evaluate and improve existing maintenance policies and procedures
• Microsoft Office proficiency; Yardi or RealPage familiarity is a bonus

The Broader Context

Fairstead positions itself as a tech-forward affordable housing operator, which matters for maintenance managers more than it used to. The company's emphasis on data-driven decision-making and digital tools means you'll likely encounter work order systems and reporting structures that go beyond a clipboard. Candidates who already think in terms of documentation, system performance trends, and process improvement tend to fit this environment better than those who rely purely on reactive repair habits.

The benefits package is substantive: employer-contributed medical coverage through Meritain Health, employer-paid vision and life insurance, a 401(k) with a 100% match on the first 3% and 50% on the next 2%, 15 PTO days, 7 sick days, and 12 or more paid holidays, along with a flexible spending account, disability coverage, and employee discount programs.