Resident Experience Manager

Deverell Smith Recruitment Ltd; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Bonus potential

Job summary

Deverell Smith Recruitment Ltd is seeking a Resident Experience Manager in Reading. You will lead the Resident Services team to deliver exceptional customer service, oversee tenancy processes, complaints, and deposits, and drive continuous improvements in a fast-paced Build to Rent environment.

The role requires strong organisational skills, resilience, and a customer-centric mindset, with a hybrid work arrangement including one day from home. Salary around £40k plus bonus.

Qualifications

• Must have experience leading a customer-focused operational team.
• Experience in BTR/residential property, student accommodation, hospitality or service-led environments.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills.
• Proven experience managing complex complaints and customer escalations.
• Strong tenancy management knowledge including move-outs and deposit administration.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills with ability to prioritise.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Able to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Experience coaching and developing team members.
• Proficiency in MS Office and CRM systems.
• Attention to detail and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Resident Services team to deliver exceptional customer service.
• Run weekly team meetings to communicate priorities, service updates and performance expectations.
• Provide coaching and regular 1:1 support to team members.
• Monitor workloads, productivity and service levels for operational efficiency.
• Identify training needs and support ongoing development of staff.
• Foster a positive, resident-focused team culture.
• Champion a resident-first approach across all interactions and touchpoints.
• Oversee inbox management, ensure timely handling of enquiries.
• Drive resident satisfaction initiatives and continuous service improvements.
• Monitor online reviews and feedback to enhance the experience.
• Analyse satisfaction metrics and trends to implement changes.

Skills

Leadership/Team management

Sector experience (BTR/residential/hôt

Customer service excellence

Complaints & escalations

Tenancy management & deposits

Organisation & time management

Analytical problem-solving

Resilience under pressure

Coaching and developing staff

MS Office & CRM systems

Attention to detail & compliance

UK tenancy legislation (Desirable)

ARLA qualification (Desirable)

Build to Rent experience (Desirable)

Service improvements/change management

Education

ARLA qualification

Job description

Resident Experience Manager

Hours: Monday-Friday 9-5:30pm - 1 day working from home

Salary: £40K plus bonus

Location: Reading

About the Role

We are looking for a Resident Experience Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of the Resident Services function, ensuring an excellent experience for residents throughout their tenancy.

You will lead and develop the Resident Services team, overseeing service delivery, performance management, resident communications, complaints, deposit administration, legal processes and resident retention initiatives.

The successful candidate will be highly organised, resilient and confident managing a team in a fast-paced Build to Rent (BTR), residential property, student accommodation, hospitality or customer service environment.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of resident services, drive continuous improvement and help deliver a consistently high standard of customer care.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Performance

• Lead, motivate and develop the Resident Services team to deliver exceptional customer service.
• Run weekly team meetings to communicate priorities, service updates and performance expectations.
• Hold regular one-to-one meetings, providing coaching, support and constructive feedback.
• Monitor workloads, productivity and service levels to ensure operational efficiency.
• Identify training needs and support the ongoing development of team members.
• Build a positive, collaborative and resident-focused team culture.

Resident Experience & Customer Service

• Champion a resident-first approach across all interactions and touchpoints.
• Ensure resident enquiries are handled professionally, efficiently and within agreed service standards.
• Oversee inbox management, ensuring enquiries are prioritised and resolved promptly.
• Drive resident satisfaction initiatives and identify opportunities to improve service delivery.
• Monitor online reviews and resident feedback to improve the overall customer experience.
• Analyse satisfaction metrics and feedback to identify trends and implement improvements.

Complaints Management

• Take ownership of escalated complaints from initial receipt through to resolution.
• Ensure complaints are managed fairly, professionally and within agreed timeframes.
• Identify recurring issues and implement improvements to prevent repeat complaints.
• Prepare complaint analysis and reports for senior management.

Deposit Management & Move-Outs

• Oversee the end-of-tenancy and move-out process, ensuring a smooth resident experience.
• Ensure deposit returns and deductions are assessed fairly and processed accurately within required timescales.
• Review supporting evidence and approve deposit deduction recommendations where required.
• Monitor move-out performance and identify opportunities to improve processes and reduce resident churn.

Resident Retention & Churn Management

• Support initiatives designed to improve resident retention and reduce avoidable move-outs.
• Analyse termination trends and resident feedback to understand the reasons behind departures.
• Work with internal teams to develop and implement retention strategies.
• Ensure residents receive consistent support throughout the notice and move-out process.

Legal & Compliance

• Oversee legal processes relating to tenancy management and resident matters.
• Ensure legal notices, tenancy documentation and resident communications comply with relevant legislation and company policies.
• Support legal case preparation and liaise with external legal partners where required.
• Monitor compliance throughout the resident lifecycle and identify potential risks.

Reporting & Operational Management

• Produce regular operational reports for the Property Operations team and senior management.
• Monitor key performance indicators, including:
  • Resident satisfaction
  • Complaint volumes and resolution times
  • Deposit return performance
  • Resident churn and retention rates
  • Team productivity and service levels
• Escalate significant incidents, risks and emerging trends.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and operational efficiencies.

Stakeholder Management

• Work closely with Property Management, Lettings, Tenancy Progression, Maintenance and wider operational teams.
• Ensure a consistent, joined-up approach to resident service delivery.
• Escalate complex resident issues and recommend appropriate solutions.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Previous experience managing a customer-focused operational team.
• Experience within BTR, residential property, student accommodation, hospitality or a similar service-led environment.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills.
• Proven experience managing complex complaints and customer escalations.
• Strong understanding of tenancy management, including move-outs and deposit administration.
• Excellent organiser and time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Experience managing performance, coaching and developing team members.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and CRM systems.
• Excellent attention to detail and a strong understanding of compliance.

Desirable

• Understanding of UK tenancy legislation.
• ARLA qualification, or willingness to work towards one.
• Experience within single-family housing or Build to Rent.
• Experience leading change and implementing service improvements.

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about delivering an excellent resident experience.
• Positive, resilient and adaptable.
• Calm under pressure, with sound decision-making skills.
• Proactive, practical and solutions-focused.
• Confident leader who can motivate and develop a team.
• Collaborative, accountable and committed to continuous improvement.
• Highly organised with a professional approach.

The Opportunity

This role is central to delivering an excellent resident experience while maintaining operational efficiency, strong compliance and high levels of resident satisfaction within a growing residential rental business.