Service Manager - Cortland Sun River

Cortland runs a vertically integrated operation, which means a Service Manager here carries more weight than the same title at a typical third-party managed community. You're not just keeping the lights on. You're protecting an asset that Cortland owns, designs, and operates under one roof, and your team's performance feeds directly into resident retention, NOI, and the long-term value of the property.

What This Role Actually Involves

The core of this position is maintenance leadership at a multifamily community. You'll diagnose and resolve complex issues across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, appliances, and structural systems, and you'll make sure your technicians can do the same. That means hands-on training, daily task assignment, work order oversight, and stepping in yourself when the situation calls for it. Make-readies, punch list inspections, preventive maintenance scheduling, and on-call coverage all fall within your scope.

Beyond the technical side, you're managing the full maintenance operation: vendor coordination, parts and supply inventory, budget tracking, and safety compliance. Cortland expects you to stay ahead of problems rather than react to them. If your team is consistently catching issues early, before a resident submits a request, you're doing the job right.

What Cortland Needs From You

• 3 to 5 or more years of maintenance experience covering carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. Multifamily background is strongly preferred.
• Universal EPA certification and CPO certification, both required at hire.
• Valid Class E driver's license.
• Working knowledge of OSHA, ADA, EPA regulations, and Fair Housing requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, train, and mentor a maintenance team.
• Comfort managing a high volume of details: open work orders, vendor schedules, budget line items, and preventive maintenance records simultaneously.
• Availability for evenings, weekends, and on-call rotation.
• Physical ability to lift, climb, and work in both indoor and outdoor conditions.

What Sets Strong Candidates Apart

A lot of applicants can show technical competence. Fewer can show they've built a team culture where technicians take ownership and flag problems proactively without being asked. At Cortland's scale, reactive maintenance is expensive. The Service Managers who advance here are the ones who run tight preventive maintenance programs, keep delinquent work orders from piling up, and communicate clearly with both their team and residents. If you've managed a maintenance crew through a heavy capex project or a lease-up push, that experience translates directly.

Cortland was founded in 2005 and has grown into one of the ten largest multifamily owners and operators in the country. The in-house structure means decisions move faster and resources are generally more accessible than in a typical fee management setup. For a Service Manager who wants visibility and room to grow into a regional or director-level maintenance role, that structure matters.