Assistant Community Manager

The Skills This Role Lives On

The Assistant Community Manager position at Hawthorne Residential Partners' Walker's Crossing community in West Knoxville draws on a specific combination of skills that not every leasing professional has developed: financial literacy, resident conflict resolution, and the ability to run a leasing office independently when the Community Manager is unavailable. These aren't background competencies here. They're daily requirements.

Knoxville's multifamily market has stayed competitive, particularly in the 37923 zip code near Turkey Creek, where newer garden-style communities compete for a renter pool that includes university-affiliated households, healthcare workers from the nearby medical corridor, and young professionals. Occupancy pressure is real, and residents have options. That context makes strong leasing instincts and genuine follow-through on resident concerns more valuable than they might be in a softer market.

What the Work Actually Looks Like

On the leasing side, you'll handle prospect inquiries, conduct tours, and shepherd applicants through to a signed lease. Renewal tracking and retention efforts are part of the picture too, since keeping a good resident is almost always more cost-effective than turning a unit. You'll also manage the community's social media presence, which is increasingly tied to traffic generation at the property level.

The financial side of this role carries real weight. Responsibilities include:

• Rent collection, payment posting, and check scanning
• Delinquency monitoring and weekly follow-up calls
• Coordinating eviction procedures when necessary
• Ledger audits to confirm billing accuracy and correct payment applications
• Supporting financial reporting for the Community Manager and regional team

When the Community Manager is out, you step into that leadership gap without a drop in office continuity. That means setting the tone for the team, keeping daily operations on track, and handling resident escalations with the same level of professionalism you'd expect from a top-of-house manager.

The schedule runs Monday through Friday, 9 to 6, and Saturdays from 10 to 4, with one weekday off each week to keep the total at 40 hours. Some evening and weekend availability may come up for resident events.

What Hawthorne Brings to the Table

Hawthorne Residential Partners ranks among the 50 largest multifamily management companies in the country, with a regional footprint concentrated in the Southeast. Their internal Career Path Program is worth noting for anyone thinking beyond this role. The Assistant Community Manager to Community Manager progression is a well-worn track in this industry, and Hawthorne's Learning and Development infrastructure is built to support it. If your goal is to run your own community within a few years, this position is a credible step toward that.

Compensation includes an hourly base plus monthly leasing and renewal commissions and quarterly performance bonuses. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401k match, paid time off (including your birthday), pet insurance, paid parental and adoption leave, and company-paid life insurance.

Preferred candidates bring at least two years of property management experience, with some time in an assistant manager seat. A CALP credential adds weight to an application, though it's not required. A valid driver's license is.