Assistant Community Manager

This role calls on two skill sets equally: leasing ability and financial accountability. If you're stronger in one than the other, this job will push you to close the gap. That's not a drawback. It's how you grow toward a Community Manager seat.

The Skills This Role Runs On

On the leasing side, you'll conduct tours, work incoming leads, process applications, and push renewals. You'll also manage the community's social media presence, which means writing posts that actually reflect the property rather than generic filler. Keeping common areas and the leasing office in top condition falls under your watch too.

On the financial side, you'll handle rent collection, payment posting, and check scanning daily. You'll run ledger reviews to catch billing errors before they become disputes. Delinquency follow-up is a real part of the job: weekly calls, documentation, and coordinating eviction procedures when it gets to that point. You'll also assist with reporting for the Community Manager and regional leadership.

The role requires you to cover for the Community Manager when they're out. That means making decisions, keeping the team focused, and maintaining resident service without a pause. If you've had that experience before, even briefly, it matters here.

What the Work Actually Looks Like

A typical day moves between the leasing office and the desk. You might start the morning reviewing delinquency reports and making follow-up calls, then shift to showing units to prospects in the afternoon. Resident concerns come in throughout the day and most require de-escalation before resolution. The schedule runs Monday through Friday, 9 to 6, and Saturdays 10 to 4, with one weekday off each week to hold the 40-hour line. Some evenings and weekends come up for resident events.

Hawthorne expects you to read financial reports and make judgment calls within budget constraints, not just execute tasks. If numbers feel uncomfortable, that's worth addressing before you apply.

What Sets Strong Candidates Apart

Two years of property management experience is preferred, along with at least six months in an assistant-level role. A CALP accreditation is a plus. But beyond credentials, the candidates who do well here are the ones who can hold a professional tone during a difficult resident conversation and still close a lease an hour later. Those two things don't always coexist naturally. The ones who make it work tend to move up.

Hawthorne's Career Path Program is a real structure, not a tagline. Assistant Community Manager to Community Manager is the standard trajectory here, backed by internal learning and development resources. Monthly leasing and renewal commissions plus quarterly performance bonuses supplement the hourly base pay.

• High school diploma or GED required
• Two years of property management experience preferred
• Six months in an assistant community manager role preferred
• Valid driver's license required
• CALP accreditation is a plus