General Manager - PBSA

The People Pod; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Values-led culture

National growth opportunities

Mobilisation before launch

Supportive senior team

Long-term progression

Job summary

The People Pod is recruiting a General Manager for a brand-new Birmingham PBSA building. This role involves pre-mobilisation, shaping standards, and leading the on-site team from day one.

You’ll focus on resident experience, safety, and launching the building successfully while supporting sales and marketing. Ideal candidates have PBSA operational experience or strong hosptiality/retail leadership in complex buildings, with a track record of managing large teams and safety-led environments.

Qualifications

• PBSA operational experience; mobilisation/opening experience preferred.
• Strong leadership with large teams and safety-led environments.
• Thrives in fast-growth settings and early-stage builds.
• Deep understanding of building compliance, safety checks, PPM, FRA and safety documentation.

Responsibilities

• Leading pre-mobilisation from the ground up.
• Traveling to early sites to learn systems, processes and safety frameworks.
• Owning building safety and compliance, including FRA actions and audit readiness.
• Acting as the on-site leader for resident experience and ensuring residents feel safe.
• Leading and developing your team with clear standards for service and safety.
• Driving commercial performance to maximise occupancy and identify income opportunities.
• Managing incidents and emergencies with calm, clear compliance.

Skills

PBSA operations

Team leadership

Building safety/compliance

Safety frameworks

Stakeholder management

Job description

Pre‑Mobilisation & Launch
up to £60,000 + Bonus

Our client is a leading PBSA brand with an amazing culture and a product that consistently raises the bar for student living. With multiple new sites launching over the next few years, this is a business on a serious upward trajectory, creating huge opportunities for progression, development and long‑term career growth.

They're now hiring a General Manager for their brand‑new Birmingham building. This is a rare opportunity to join before mobilisation, shaping the building, embedding standards, supporting sales & marketing, and being part of the journey from day one. For the first nine months, you'll be heavily involved in pre‑opening activity then leading the full operational takeover in 2027.

If you've ever wanted to be part of a site launch, or you've done one before and loved it, this is the perfect moment to step in.

What you'll be doing:

• Leading pre‑mobilisation from the ground up - supporting sales & marketing, preparing operational frameworks, shaping resident experience standards, and ensuring the building is ready for a flawless launch.
• Travelling to operational sites early on to learn systems, processes, safety frameworks, and best practice - building relationships with the wider operations team and understanding the brand's DNA.
• Owning building safety and compliance - including statutory checks, FRA actions, PPM schedules, critical systems and ensuring all documentation is accurate, up‑to‑date and audit‑ready.
• Acting as the on‑site leader for resident experience - ensuring students feel safe, supported, and proud to live in the building, driving rebookers, referrals and strong advocacy.
• Leading and developing your team - coaching, motivating and setting clear standards for service, safety, communication and operational excellence.
• Driving commercial performance - working with the Area Manager to achieve full occupancy, maximise rebookers, track KPIs, analyse competitor activity, and identify new income opportunities.
• Managing incidents and emergencies with calm, clarity and full compliance, ensuring the building remains safe and operational at all times.

What we're looking for:

• PBSA operational experience - ideally someone who has managed a student accommodation building or been part of a mobilisation/opening.
• If not PBSA then Strong BTR leaders with resident‑experience focus or high‑calibre hospitality or retail managers with experience running complex buildings, leading large teams and managing safety‑led environments.
• Someone who thrives in fast‑growth settings, enjoys shaping new buildings, and is excited by the idea of joining early in the journey.
• Deep understanding of building compliance, safety frameworks, statutory checks, PPM, FRA, testing schedules and safety documentation.
• A natural leader who is confident, calm, structured, commercially sharp, and brilliant at communication
• Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable working across multiple sites during early onboarding.

What's in it for you:

• Basic Salary up to £60,000 + 10% Bonus
• Join a PBSA brand with an amazing, values‑led culture
• Be part of significant national growth over the coming years
• A rare chance to join before mobilisation, shaping the building from the ground up
• Work with a genuinely supportive senior team who invest heavily in their people
• Long‑term progression as the portfolio expands
• Monday-Friday generally but some flexibility required during peak student periods (evenings/weekends)