Service Manager (Sablemill Lease-Up)

The punch list isn't done yet, the first resident moves in on Friday, and your phone's already showing three open work orders from yesterday's building walk. That's week one at Sablemill, and the cadence doesn't slow down from there.

The Role at Sablemill

Van Metre is launching Sablemill Apartments, a brand-new 281-unit Class A community in Charlotte, and they need a Service Manager to own maintenance operations from construction handoff through full stabilization. This isn't a position where you inherit a running property with an established team and documented procedures. You're building the service function from scratch: hiring and training technicians, establishing preventive maintenance schedules, setting up inventory controls, and creating service standards before the first resident ever signs a lease.

The role moves through three distinct phases. Pre-opening puts you in close partnership with construction, development, and the Property Manager to walk units, clear punch-list items, confirm building systems are commissioned, and coordinate warranty work with contractors. During lease-up, you're managing apartment readiness and move-in inspections alongside a steady ramp in occupancy, keeping work orders from stacking while simultaneously supporting tour readiness and curb appeal. Once the community stabilizes, the focus shifts to the long game: preventive maintenance, structured turns, budget oversight, team development, and vendor accountability.

Participation in the on-call rotation is a real part of this job, especially during opening and peak lease-up periods when move-in volume is highest and the building systems are newest and least predictable.

What Van Metre Needs From You

• Prior experience as a Service Manager or Maintenance Supervisor in multifamily, with direct exposure to a lease-up, new construction, acquisition, or major property transition
• Solid command of apartment maintenance fundamentals: unit turns, building systems, PM scheduling, work-order management, and safety compliance
• Proven track record building and holding a service team accountable, not just supervising one that already exists
• Experience managing contractors and service vendors, tracking inventory, and monitoring maintenance expenses
• Familiarity with Yardi, HappyCo, or comparable platforms for work orders and inspections
• EPA and CPO certifications, or the ability to obtain them
• Valid driver's license and availability for rotating on-call coverage

Compensation runs $68,000 to $76,900 annually depending on experience, plus a lease-up bonus of up to $15,000 tied to occupancy targets. After stabilization, annual bonus eligibility continues. Benefits include 401(k) with company match, tuition reimbursement, company-paid certifications, an $900 annual wellness reimbursement, and a generous PTO structure that includes holidays, personal days, a birthday, and a day for your annual physical.

One thing worth knowing if you're evaluating this role: Service Managers who run a successful Class A lease-up tend to carry real weight on their resume. The combination of pre-opening coordination, team-building from zero, and occupancy-ramp execution is a skill set that translates directly to Regional Maintenance Director tracks and multi-site leadership. Charlotte's multifamily pipeline remains active, and operators pay attention to who delivered clean lease-ups.