Operations Assistant, Residential Properties

University of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 31,684 - 38,572; Full time

Job summary

The University of Chicago’s Residential Properties unit within Facilities Services is seeking an Operations Assistant to support a 400+ unit housing portfolio in Hyde Park. You will work with the Director, Property Manager, and staff to ensure smooth leasing operations and outstanding resident service.

The role emphasizes customer service, leasing coordination, and office administration, with training across key office functions. This is a fast-paced, in-person position with regular hours.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; bachelor's degree preferred.
• Four years of property management or leasing experience required.
• Proven experience in managing a fast-paced office environment with professionalism, required.
• YARDI and RENT Café experience required in residential property management.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Excel, Visio, Outlook, Word) required; strong data handling and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide customer service and triage emails/phone calls in reception; route inquiries appropriately.
• Assist with leasing processes, verify eligibility, process vacancy notices and transfers; manage rent payments.
• Perform general office duties including logs, mail distribution, scanning and filing documents.
• Collaborate with the Property Manager and FS staff to maintain occupancy and deliver excellent resident service.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Data accuracy

Office professionalism

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

YARDI

RENT Café

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Visio

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Job description

Department

OPS Facilities Residential Properties Staff 1

About The Department

Facilities Services supports the mission of the University of Chicago through efforts to maintain and enhance the University campus and environment and provide superior client service to our community including faculty, students, staff, neighbors and visitors.

Job Information

Job Summary

Residential Properties (RP) is a professional unit within Facilities Services (FS) tasked with operating the University's faculty, staff, and graduate student housing in the Hyde Park Kenwood-Woodlawn neighborhoods. The Operations Assistant, Residential Properties supports various aspects of property management and customer relations for a 400 -plus unit residential portfolio. The Operations Assistant will support and collaborate with the Director, Property Manager, Janitors, and support personnel within FS.

Residential Properties support the University of Chicago's mission of research, learning, teaching and community service. The University's ability to recruit and retain students, staff and faculty depends in part on the housing opportunities RP makes available. We are charged with maintaining the highest possible occupancy level while providing excellent customer service to residents desiring to remain and renew their leases, transfer, or move-in.

Responsibilities

• The Operations Assistant provides a wide range of support in the following essential functions: 50% - Customer Service - Greet customers in the reception area; triage emails and telephone calls for action; ensure all inquiries are answered and/or routed appropriately and in a timely manner; interpret requests and help implement action. Handle routine tasks and provide accurate information to internal and external clients in a welcoming, knowledgeable, courteous, and professional manner. Direct non-routine resident requests to the Property Manager.
• 25% - Operations and Leasing - Learn, augment and implement current leasing policies. Verify student eligibility, , , process vacancy notices and transfers for current residents, coordinate apartment showings. Provide accurate data entry for graduate student leasing applications/renewals, monthly rental payments. Process housing deposits, rent payments, tenant rent statements, tracking accounts receivable, and sending late payment notices. Assist with processing parking requests and lease auditing.
• 25% - General Office Duties - Provide general office support, including, but not limited to, sign-out/in logs, copying/scanning/filing documents, distributing mail, and receiving deliveries. Other general duties may be assigned.
• Successfully interact with clients, residents and colleagues, and share overall responsibility for ensuring strong occupancy at University-owned and managed residential properties. In order to assure back up capacity for the other departmental responsibilities, the incumbent will receive training on other key office functions and special projects.

Competencies

• Business acumen.
• Performance and execution.
• Communications.

Additional Responsibilities

Education, Experience, or Certifications

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent from an accredited institution required.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Experience

• Four years of property management or leasing experience, required.
• Proven experience in managing a fast-paced office environment with professionalism, required.

Technical Knowledge Or Skills

• YARDI super user with experience in residential property management, required.
• RENT Café super user with experience in residential property management, required.
• Demonstrated competence with all Microsoft Office products for communications, data collection and manipulations, particularly with Excel, Visio, Outlook and Word required.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of constituencies both orally and in writing, required.
• Ability to maintain high degree of accuracy and accountability for data integrity.
• Ability to provide excellent customer service in a welcoming, knowledgeable, courteous and professional manner.
• Ability to successfully maintain perspective and vision under pressure, required.

Working Conditions And Physical Requirements

• The work of the office is seasonal, summer and early fall being extremely busy with apartment turnover and related client activity.
• The other seasons are less busy with opportunities for planning, reporting, document updates, new initiatives, research, and data management.
• This position is 7.5 hours each day from 8:30-5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Pay Range

• $27.32 per hour

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of References

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

Benefit Eligibility

Yes

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

Pay Range

$23.22 - $27.32

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Union

024- Local 743, I.B.T. Clerical

Job is Exempt

No

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Posting Date

2026-06-30

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.