Director of Property Management

Iowa City / Cedar Rapids Corridor (Johnson & Linn Counties)

Melloy Search Group is proud to partner with our client on the search for a Director of Property Management — a senior operational leadership role overseeing a diversified real estate portfolio across Eastern Iowa.

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for an experienced property management professional who brings strong operational discipline, financial awareness, and the ability to lead teams across multiple asset types.

The Opportunity

The Director of Property Management will provide operational and financial leadership for a portfolio that includes:

• Approximately 1,500 residential units (apartments, condominiums, single-family homes, and student housing)
• Approximately 250,000 square feet of commercial space
• Homeowner Associations (HOAs)
• A department of roughly 25 professionals across property management, leasing, maintenance, and administration

This role is responsible for ensuring operational consistency, regulatory compliance, strong resident and tenant experiences, and effective team leadership across the portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Provide day-to-day leadership and direction for property management operations
• Lead, mentor, and develop a multi-disciplinary team across residential, commercial, student housing, and HOA assets
• Establish performance standards, KPIs, and reporting dashboards
• Ensure consistent operating procedures and accountability across the portfolio
• Foster a culture of professionalism, service excellence, safety, and continuous improvement

Financial & Portfolio Performance

• Oversee property operating budgets and financial performance
• Partner with finance leadership to monitor NOI, expenses, and financial trends
• Review and support annual budgets, rent strategies, and capital planning
• Monitor portfolio performance and identify operational improvements

Leasing, Marketing & Occupancy

• Partner with leasing teams to ensure strong marketing, pricing, and leasing strategies
• Monitor occupancy, retention, and turnover across the portfolio
• Support leasing strategy for residential, commercial, and student housing properties
• Help drive consistent leasing processes and strong resident experiences

Maintenance & Capital Projects

• Provide oversight of maintenance operations and vendor relationships
• Ensure preventative maintenance programs are implemented effectively
• Monitor capital projects to ensure they remain on schedule and within budget
• Promote safety, risk mitigation, and compliance across all properties

Legal, Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations including:
• Fair Housing
• Landlord-tenant laws
• ADA requirements
• HUD regulations (where applicable)
• Iowa HOA statutes
• Assist in resolving complex resident, tenant, and HOA issues
• Partner with legal counsel when necessary regarding disputes or compliance matters

Stakeholder & Community Relations

• Serve as a liaison with ownership, partners, municipalities, vendors, and community stakeholders
• Maintain professional relationships throughout the Iowa City / Cedar Rapids corridor
• Balance strong resident and tenant relationships with consistent policy enforcement

What Success Looks Like

• Strong operational consistency across the portfolio
• Healthy occupancy, retention, and leasing performance
• Effective management of maintenance and capital improvement programs
• Reduced operational risk and regulatory exposure
• A stable, accountable, and engaged property management team
• Clear operational systems and performance metrics

Ideal Background

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Real Estate, Property Management, Finance, or related field (Master’s preferred)
• 8+ years of progressive property management experience
• Experience overseeing residential and/or mixed-use property portfolios
• Proven leadership experience managing teams
• Strong understanding of landlord-tenant law and housing regulations
• Financial management experience including budgeting and portfolio performance

Preferred

• CPM®, RPA®, CCIM®, or similar professional designation
• Experience with student housing
• Mixed-use or commercial portfolio experience
• Experience working with HOAs or community associations

Key Leadership Attributes

• Strong operational leadership and team development skills
• Business-minded with a practical, ownership-oriented approach
• Data-driven decision making using KPIs and performance metrics
• High emotional intelligence and professionalism
• Strong problem-solving and organizational skills
• Ability to remain calm and decisive in complex situations

Why This Role

This is a long-term leadership opportunity with a respected real estate organization that values strong culture, disciplined operations, and sustainable growth.

The Director of Property Management will play a key role in leading day-to-day operations, strengthening systems, and supporting the continued growth of the portfolio across Eastern Iowa.