Operations Manager - Student Accommodation

ZipRecruiter; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Operations Manager to oversee a new student accommodation. This role involves leading a dedicated customer service team, ensuring compliance with safety standards, and fostering a welcoming environment for students. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in hospitality or student accommodation, with excellent communication skills and a proactive approach to service excellence. If you're looking for a dynamic role where you can truly impact the student experience, this opportunity is for you.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing teams in a customer-facing role, ideally in hospitality or student accommodation.
• Strong background in delivering customer service excellence with a proactive mindset.

Responsibilities

• Leading and developing a customer service team to ensure excellence in student interactions.
• Managing hall operations and compliance with health, safety, and data protection standards.

Skills

Team Management

Customer Service Excellence

Communication Skills

Problem Solving

Knowledge of Higher Education Sector

Tools

Property Management Systems

Microsoft Teams

SharePoint

Zoom

Job description

Job Description

Operations Manager – Student Accommodation

Are you an experienced operations leader with a passion for delivering excellent service in a vibrant residential community? This is a rare opportunity to play a key role in the launch and day-to-day leadership of a brand-new student residence.

This flagship residence is part of a wider strategy to expand high-quality student housing. As the face of the residence, you’ll lead front-of-house operations, manage a motivated reception team, and work in partnership with an on-site facilities management provider to ensure smooth, high-standard service delivery.

What you’ll be doing:

• Leading and developing a front-line customer service team, ensuring excellence in all aspects of student and guest interaction
• Taking ownership of hall operations, from reception services and record-keeping to compliance with health, safety, and data protection standards
• Building strong working relationships with internal teams and third-party facilities providers
• Managing hall occupancy, assisting with budget control, and contributing to service-level and KPI targets
• Playing an active role in creating a supportive and welcoming student environment, and taking the lead during emergency situations when needed

We’re looking for someone with:

• Proven experience managing teams in a customer-facing role, ideally in hospitality or student accommodation
• Strong background in delivering customer service excellence, with a proactive and student-centered mindset
• Knowledge of the Higher Education sector and understanding of the student accommodation environment
• Experience using Property Management Systems and collaborative tools such as Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and Zoom
• Ability to work to defined service levels and KPIs, prioritise during peak periods, and maintain detailed records in line with GDPR
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to handle complaints and liaise with a wide range of stakeholders
• A genuine interest in student welfare and the ability to offer pastoral support and signposting to appropriate services
• A flexible, team-oriented approach and confidence in solving day-to-day challenges and leading in emergency scenarios.

• If you're looking for a new challenge in a fast-paced, people-focused role where you can make a tangible difference to the student experience, we’d love to hear from you. Do not delay in sending your CV this role will not be available for very long.