General Manager

Dandara; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Travel allowance

Pension

Health plan

Career development

Job summary

Colby River Student Living in the UK is seeking an exceptional General Manager to own the performance of one of our PBSA communities. You will be the driving force behind resident experience, people, commercial performance, building standards and day-to-day operations.

You’ll lead the on-site team, shape the culture, and ensure safety and a high standard of service while working to optimise occupancy and income.

Qualifications

• Proven operational leadership experience within PBSA, Build to Rent or residential property
• Lead and develop a multi-disciplinary on-site team
• Strong commercial and financial awareness, including budgets and KPIs
• Track record of delivering excellent resident or customer experiences
• Confident handling of complaints and sensitive situations
• Good knowledge of building operations, maintenance, contractors and Health & Safety
• Strong organisation, communication and decision-making skills
• Experience using property, CRM, finance or compliance systems
• Experience of Yardi or comparable platform would be advantageous
• A full UK driving licence and willingness to travel when required
• Flexibility to participate in an out-of-hours escalation rota and support the property during peak periods

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop your on-site team to deliver outstanding resident experience
• Drive occupancy, income, debt management and other KPIs in collaboration with Leasing
• Manage operating budget, income, expenditure and contracts with clear insight
• Ensure safety, security, and presentation of bedrooms and communal spaces
• Oversee maintenance, contractors and statutory servicing
• Set clear expectations, provide regular feedback and drive high performance
• Lead recruitment, induction and development of staff
• Champion a culture of ownership and continuous improvement
• Maintain strong relationships with residents and university partners

Skills

Operational leadership

Commercial awareness

Customer experience

Building operations

Health & Safety

Team development

Communication

Decision making

CRM systems

Yardi experience

Tools

Yardi

Job description

General Manager – Student Living

Colby River Student Living | Full-Time | Permanent | Site Based

Bring the energy. Lead the experience. Own the results.

We’re looking for an exceptional General Manager to take ownership of one of our Colby River Student Living communities. This is a high‑impact leadership role where you’ll have responsibility for the complete performance of your property—resident experience, people, commercial performance, building standards, safety and day‑to‑day operations. We’re a growing Purpose‑Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) operator creating premium, student‑first communities across the UK. We’re ambitious, hands‑on and full of ideas, and we want a General Manager who brings the same energy. If you love leading from the front, building great teams and creating places where students genuinely want to live, this could be the role for you.

Your role

As General Manager, you are the driving force behind your property. You’ll be visible, approachable and right at the heart of the operation. You’ll lead and develop your on‑site team, create an outstanding resident experience and make sure the building is safe, welcoming and performing commercially. You’ll have direct leadership responsibility across Resident Management, Resident Services, Maintenance and Housekeeping, giving you the opportunity to shape the culture and standards of the entire site.

Create a Brilliant Resident Experience

From the first pre‑arrival message and check‑in through to events, everyday support, rebooking and departure, you’ll make sure every stage of the resident journey counts. You’ll listen to residents, act on feedback and create an inclusive community where people feel safe, supported and proud to call it home. You’ll also take ownership of complaints and service recovery and ensure welfare, safeguarding or resident concerns are handled professionally and sensitively.

Drive commercial performance

This is also a genuinely commercial leadership position. You’ll take ownership of your site’s performance across occupancy, income, debt, conversion, rebookers and other key KPIs, working closely with our Leasing Manager to deliver the property’s leasing strategy. You’ll understand your local student market, keep an eye on competitors and university demand and look for smart opportunities to improve occupancy, income and overall performance.

Own the numbers

You’ll have responsibility for your site’s operating budget, reviewing income, expenditure, purchase orders, invoices, accruals and variances. We want someone who can do more than report the numbers. You’ll understand what they’re telling you and what needs to happen next, providing clear insight into the performance of your property.

Keep the building at its best

You’ll make sure bedrooms, communal spaces and back‑of‑house areas are safe, secure and presented to a consistently high standard. You’ll oversee planned and reactive maintenance, contractors and statutory servicing, while taking the lead during the biggest operational moments of the year—particularly check‑out, summer turnaround and check‑in.

Lead a team that delivers

Great buildings need great people. You’ll set the tone for your team through clear expectations, regular one‑to‑ones, coaching and honest feedback. You’ll lead recruitment, induction and development and create an environment where people feel supported but are also accountable for delivering high standards. You’ll build a culture that celebrates great work, learns quickly and is always looking for a better way.

What We’re Looking For

You’ll already have proven operational leadership experience within PBSA, Build to Rent, residential property, hospitality or another complex customer‑focused environment.

You’ll Bring

• Experience leading and developing a multi‑disciplinary on‑site team
• Strong commercial and financial awareness, including budgets and KPIs
• A track record of delivering excellent resident or customer experiences
• Confidence dealing with complaints and challenging or sensitive situations
• Good knowledge of building operations, maintenance, contractors and Health & Safety
• Strong organisation, communication and decision‑making skills
• Confidence using property, CRM, finance or compliance systems
• Experience of Yardi, or a comparable platform, would be advantageous
• A full UK driving licence and willingness to travel when required
• Flexibility to participate in an out‑of‑hours escalation rota and support the property during peak periods

The kind of person who’ll thrive here

You’re visible, positive and credible and comfortable leading from the front. You’re commercially switched on without losing sight of the resident experience. You’re decisive when you need to be, calm under pressure and prepared to challenge when standards aren’t where they should be. Most importantly, you take ownership. You don’t wait for someone else to solve the problem—you bring people together and make things happen.

What’s in it for you?

Alongside a Competitive Salary, You’ll Receive

• Performance‑related annual bonus
• Company mileage or travel allowance and business expense reimbursement
• Contributory pension
• Health cash plan
• Genuine opportunities to learn, develop and grow your career as our Student Living portfolio expands

Come and build something brilliant with us

This is much more than managing a building. It’s an opportunity to lead a community, develop a great team and take real ownership of the performance of your property.

Why Colby River?

Colby River combines disciplined investment with operational expertise and a commitment to quality at every stage of the asset lifecycle. Joining us means being part of a business with clear direction and strong governance—where your contribution, whether operational or strategic, plays a vital role in our continued growth.