General Manager - Portfolio Operations

Living Sectors Recruitment; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Journal Student Living is seeking a General Manager Portfolio Operations to lead multiple properties across Australia. Reporting to the Head of Operations, you will coach Senior Property General Managers, drive performance and implement scalable operating models to support growth.

Based in Melbourne with national travel, the role focuses on commercial results, resident experience, risk management and operational standards, including pre-opening support and stabilisation of new properties.

Qualifications

• Substantial operational leadership experience across multiple sites or service locations.
• Strong financial understanding of budgets, costs and performance measures.
• Proven track record of improving service standards and operational performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead property General Managers and hold them accountable for commercial, customer, operational and people outcomes.
• Drive performance across budgets, occupancy, arrears and operating costs.
• Establish practical operating procedures and embed them through training and review.
• Use resident feedback and service data to improve the property experience.
• Maintain oversight of operational risk, safety and compliance.
• Support new-property readiness across people, systems and resourcing.
• Provide portfolio reporting, insights and recommendations to senior leadership.

Skills

Operational leadership

Multi-site experience

Budgeting

Data-driven

Coaching skills

Strong communication

Job description

About Journal Student Living

Journal Student Living designs, creates and manages premium student accommodation where students can connect, thrive and excel.
A Brookfield portfolio company, Journal has a growing portfolio of operational and development assets across four major Australian cities. Its culture is fast-paced, collaborative and forward-thinking, with a focus on exceptional service, continuous improvement and creating places where students feel they belong.
As the business grows, Journal is seeking a General Manager Portfolio Operations to strengthen leadership and deliver consistent performance across its national portfolio.

The opportunity

Reporting to the Head of Operations, you will lead Property General Managers, support the development of Assistant General Managers and help build an operating model that supports Journal’s continued growth.
You will work closely with property leaders to understand performance, identify opportunities and turn agreed priorities into action. Your remit will span commercial results, resident experience, people leadership and operational standards, alongside supporting new properties from pre-opening through to stabilisation.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading, coaching and holding property leaders accountable for commercial, customer, operational and people outcomes.
• Driving performance across budgets, occupancy, retention, arrears, operating costs, staffing and service measures.
• Establishing practical, consistent operating procedures and ensuring they are embedded through training, onboarding and review.
• Using resident feedback, complaints and service data to improve the experience across every property.
• Maintaining oversight of operational risk, incidents, tenancy obligations, workplace safety and compliance.
• Supporting new-property readiness across people, systems, training, communications and resourcing.
• Providing clear portfolio reporting, insights and recommendations to the Head of Operations.

About you

You will bring substantial operational leadership experience, including responsibility for multiple properties or service locations. Your background may be in purpose-built student accommodation, Build to Rent, hotels, hospitality, residential property or a comparable service environment.
You will have experience leading senior operational managers, with the judgement to know when to coach, when to challenge and when to step in.
We are looking for:

• At least six years’ operational leadership experience, including multi-site responsibility.
• Strong commercial and financial understanding across budgets, staffing, operating costs and performance measures.
• Evidence of improving service standards and operational performance across multiple locations.
• Experience supporting new openings, scaling operations or delivering significant operational change.
• A practical, accountable leadership style, backed by strong communication and coaching skills.
• Confidence using data to identify issues, make decisions and track improvements.

Why join Journal?

This is an opportunity to influence how a growing national business operates. You will develop property leaders, improve performance and help ensure that each new location delivers the service and student experience that define Journal.
The role is based across Journal’s Melbourne properties, with regular travel across the national portfolio.

Living Sectors Recruitment has been exclusively retained by Journal Student Living for this appointment. All applications will be assessed by Living Sectors Recruitment.