Accommodation Manager in Canterbury

Location: Canterbury, Cloud Student Homes, UK

Reporting: Head of Student Operations

Hours of Work: 40 Hours

Introduction: Cloud Student Homes is a national provider of Purpose Built Student Accommodation in England. We focus on providing our students with more than ‘just’ their accommodation, providing the safety, security and social aspect of University life. The role of the Accommodation Manager is to run the accommodation with the highest safety in mind whilst ensuring a first-class residential and customer experience.

Main Responsibilities and functions:

• To take the lead role in the management of the residence, ensuring the property is managed and operated in line with our agreed operating principles and supporting the achievement of our company goal to be industry-leading in service levels to students, parents and stakeholders.
• To ensure the facility is maintained to the highest standards and operated in full compliance of all appropriate legislation and industry standards (including ANUK accreditation requirements).
• To liaise with and work collaboratively with colleagues in the college to ensure the highest level of collaboration across the facility.
• Ensure that all statutory requirements in terms of Health and Safety are implemented, monitored and recorded.
• Respond to emergencies both during and out of working hours.
• To recruit, train, manage, motivate and develop staff, student residence assistants and contractors to ensure they embrace the ‘more than just a room’ philosophy of Cloud Student Homes’ student care.
• Ensure the highest possible standards of student safety and welfare.
• To promote a vibrant community across the facility.

Duties:

• Accommodation Operations:
• Assist all agents with check-in and check-out procedures ensuring efficient room management procedures are followed, and GDPR information is collated for Fire Safety.
• Ensure all social activities are staffed and monitored accordingly with SA assistance and in line with Cloud Student Homes policies and procedures.
• Manage the communication processes to and from our customers.
• Day-to-day management and delivery of service to all students in the accommodation, including parcel collection, parking and health and safety checks.
• Manage key relationships with outside contractors and third-party representatives.
• Building and Facilities Management:
• To oversee all Residence maintenance and housekeeping (reactive, planned and cyclical) to ensure sector-leading service levels.
• Ensure that contractor and service contracts are monitored to ensure efficient implementation and compliance.
• Ensure regular inspections of common spaces are undertaken, and records maintained in line with Cloud Student Homes procedures.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of Cloud Student Homes’ Policies and Procedures in accordance with legislation and the ANUK Accreditation Scheme.
• Financial:
• Work with internal and external partners to improve services, value for money and profitability.
• Monitor Service Charge budgets to ensure value for money and cost savings on behalf of Investors.
• Marketing and Promotion:
• When necessary, lead inward visits from agents/partners/parents.
• Service Provision:
• To ensure that service level agreements with internal and stakeholders are met and that any shortfalls are documented and reported to the Head of Student Operations.
• Compliance:
• Ensure adherence to, maintain, and contribute to the development of policies and procedures in accordance with necessary legislation and the ANUK accreditation scheme.
• To support colleagues with regards to requirements under immigration legislation.
• Ensure all necessary documentation required to satisfy ‘right to rent' legislation is checked, recorded and stored in line with policy.
• Ensure all staff (directly employed and contractors) have the appropriate DBS clearance before starting work within the residence.
• Take the lead in all Accommodation Incident Reporting and resolution, working with the local agent to ensure completion.
• General:
• Any other duties as may be required by the Head of Student Operations.

Candidate profile: The successful applicant will be/have:

• A leader.
• A passion for service excellence, customer care and sensitivity to students’ needs.
• A team builder.
• Self-motivated and proactive.
• Attention to detail.
• Well organised.
• Creative.
• A professional client/colleague/stakeholder-facing manner.
• Be conversant with the ANUK Accreditation Scheme.
• Able to offer flexibility in working hours including the provision of out-of-hours support in an emergency if required.

Essential skills/experience:

• Have experience in customer service, hospitality or student accommodation, ideally in an accommodation-related area.
• Have experience in facilities management.
• Experience of managing a team.
• Experience of working to agreed budgets.
• Ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines.

What you will get in return:

• Working week: Mon-Fri.
• Holiday entitlement: 20 days annual leave rising to 22 days after 2 years service and 25 days after 5 years service, plus bank holidays (PRO RATA FOR PART TIME).
• Birthday Leave: extra day off for your Birthday.
• Employer contributory pension scheme.

The company does operate an annual leave blackout period from 10th Aug - end of Sept, every year to cover the new academic intake of students into the property. This role will involve out of hours cover for emergencies.