Apartment Maintenance Manager

Maintenance managers at affordable housing portfolios wear a lot of hats. On any given day, you might be walking units to build a punch list, coordinating a vendor for a boiler repair, or coaching a technician through a task they haven't handled before. At Fairstead, this role sits at the center of all of that, and the expectation is that you can lead from the front, not just direct from an office.

What This Role Actually Involves

Fairstead's Champaign property needs someone who can supervise a maintenance team while still getting hands-on when the situation calls for it. You'll oversee the repair and upkeep of building systems, electrical equipment, and mechanical components, making sure inspections happen on schedule and that the property stays clean, safe, and code-compliant. Special projects will pull you into a leadership position, and some of them will require overtime. That's worth naming honestly up front.

Day-to-day, you'll balance reactive work (emergencies happen in any residential setting) with planned maintenance, and you'll need the organizational discipline to keep both tracks moving without letting one swallow the other. Yardi experience is a plus here, and Fairstead does lean into tech and data tools more than a typical affordable housing operator, so comfort with systems matters.

Core qualifications include:

• At least three years of property maintenance experience, with depth in at least one trade
• Solid working knowledge of building and mechanical systems, tools, and safety protocols
• Experience supervising or mentoring other maintenance staff
• The ability to implement and refine maintenance policies and procedures
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; Yardi knowledge is a plus

The People Side of This Job

A maintenance manager in affordable housing interacts with a wider range of people than many comparable roles. Residents often have fewer options and higher stakes when something goes wrong in their unit. That context shapes how good managers in this space communicate, follow through, and prioritize. The best candidates here aren't just technically sharp. They're consistent, calm under pressure, and clear with both their team and the residents they serve.

You'll also work alongside a property management team and, periodically, with Fairstead's broader platform, which spans development and construction as well as operations. That integrated structure means decisions get made with more context than they would at a purely third-party management shop, and it tends to give on-site leaders a clearer line of sight into why things are being done the way they are.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position runs from $27 to $29 per hour, depending on skills, experience, and location. Fairstead offers a benefits package that includes medical coverage through Meritain Health with a generous employer contribution, employer-paid vision and life insurance, a 401(k) with company matching (100% on the first 3%, 50% on the next 2%), 15 days of PTO, 7 sick days, 12 or more paid holidays, and a flexible spending account. Pet insurance, disability coverage, and employee discount programs round out the package.

For someone with a strong trade background who's ready to step into or grow within a supervisory role, this is a solid place to build. Fairstead's scale across 28 states means internal mobility is a real possibility for people who perform well and want to take on more.