Portfolio Leasing Manager

Cross Street Group; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Cross Street Group in Chicago is seeking a Portfolio Leasing Manager to lead leasing operations for multiple residential portfolios on behalf of third-party owners. You will mentor leasing staff, monitor metrics across markets, and coordinate renewals, pricing, and marketing with brokers, agents, and internal teams to maximize occupancy and revenue.

This hybrid role requires strong analytical, negotiation, and leadership capabilities, plus frequent local travel to portfolio sites and client

Qualifications

• 5-7 years in multifamily leasing or related real estate.
• Strong analytical, communication, presentation, and relationship-management skills.
• Ability to translate market data into actionable recommendations.
• Proficiency with CRM systems, leasing software, market research tools, reporting platforms.
• Knowledge of Fair Housing and leasing regulations.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation.

Responsibilities

• Oversee leasing activities and performance across an assigned portfolio.
• Maintain understanding of leasing metrics including availability, pricing, concessions, occupancy and absorption targets.
• Monitor the lead funnel, including response times, follow-up quality, appointments, tours, applications, and conversions to ensure timely follow-up by leasing team.
• Ensure agents and brokers have accurate property knowledge, appropriate unit access, defined tour paths, and clear follow-up expectations.
• Monitor application progress and troubleshoot leasing, access, system, booking, or operational issues.
• Manage and maintain property availability sheets and ensure inventory is accurate across applicable systems.
• Establish and support renewal strategies, including setting recommended renewal rates and consulting on renewal negotiations.
• Ensure website, MLS, Internet Listing Service, CRM, and other digital property information remains current and accurate.
• Consolidate and distribute recurring client reporting.
• Lead client calls, presenting leasing performance, challenges, market conditions, and recommended actions.
• Provide rent, concession, renewal, and leasing strategy recommendations.
• Maintain accountability for client follow-up items and communicate material performance or market changes in a timely manner.
• Support ownership reporting, budgeting, and forecasting as needed.
• Monitor broker and agent performance against established key performance indicators.
• Provide ongoing coaching, performance feedback, and troubleshooting support.
• Train new brokers and agents on CRM usage, deal management, lead follow-up, property procedures, and reporting expectations.
• Ensure brokers are knowledgeable about assigned properties, units, pricing, concessions, availability, and positioning.
• Identify performance gaps and partner with the Director of Leasing on corrective action and staffing needs.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the competitive landscape, new development pipeline, and real-time market changes for each assigned portfolio/asset.
• Evaluate prospect sentiment, broker feedback, objections, lost-lead reasons, and non-conversion trends.
• Identify patterns and proactively use findings to inform pricing, concessions, marketing, positioning, release strategy, and operational recommendations.
• Partner with Market Analyst to review competitive market research and communicate relevant insights to clients and internal teams.
• Collaborate with the Marketing department to identify marketing needs based on lead volume, lead quality, conversion, inventory, and market conditions.
• Provide recommendations regarding initial unit-level rental rates, concessions, release and absorption schedule.
• Collaborate cross functionally to establish lease-up strategy that aligns with ownership goals.
• Conduct weekly building walks to identify leasing challenges, opportunities, readiness concerns, and tour-experience improvements.
• Monitor the booking and tour process and make adjustments based on agent and prospect feedback.
• Ensure availability, unit status, pricing, concessions, and release timing remain current and clearly communicated.

Skills

Multifamily Leasing

Property Management

Sales

Real Estate Knowledge

Analytical Skills

Communication

Relationship Management

Tools

CRM Systems

Leasing Software

Market Research Tools

Reporting Platforms

Job description

Description

Position

Portfolio Leasing Manager

Job Summary

The Portfolio Leasing Manager (PLM) will lead and support leasing operations of multiple portfolios on behalf of third-party ownership partners. The PLM is responsible for monitoring and streamlining leasing activities to ensure optimal leasing results. In addition to managing their assigned portfolio, the PLM will play a critical role in mentoring leasing staff and gathering strategic market intelligence across multiple markets. This role is ideal for a tenured professional with deep industry experience who thrives in both execution and leadership.

Expectation for all Employees

Supports the organization’s mission and values by exhibiting the following behaviors: excellence and competence, collaboration, innovation, commitment, accountability, and ownership.

To thrive in this role, employees should have a desire to learn and grow and be able to work effectively with and inspire other team members.

In-Office Work Expectation

• Required to work four days per week, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at Cross Street’s Chicago headquarters. One work from home day allocated per week.
• Flexibility may be required to address business needs outside of established working hours.
• Regular local property travel and occasional additional travel may be required.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Leasing Operations

• Oversee leasing activities and performance across an assigned portfolio of residential properties.
• Maintain a clear understanding of leasing metrics including availability, pricing, concessions, occupancy and absorption targets.
• Monitor the lead funnel, including response times, follow-up quality, appointments, tours, applications, and conversions to ensure timely follow-up by leasing team.
• Ensure agents and brokers have accurate property knowledge, appropriate unit access, defined tour paths, and clear follow-up expectations.
• Monitor application progress and troubleshoot leasing, access, system, booking, or operational issues.
• Manage and maintain property availability sheets and ensure inventory is accurate across applicable systems.
• Establish and support renewal strategies, including setting recommended renewal rates and consulting on renewal negotiations.
• Ensure website, MLS, Internet Listing Service, CRM, and other digital property information remains current and accurate.

Client Reporting and Communication

• Consolidate and distribute recurring client reporting.
• Lead client calls, presenting leasing performance, challenges, market conditions, and recommended actions.
• Provide rent, concession, renewal, and leasing strategy recommendations.
• Maintain accountability for client follow-up items and communicate material performance or market changes in a timely manner.
• Support ownership reporting, budgeting, and forecasting as needed.

Broker and Agent Management

• Monitor broker and agent performance against established key performance indicators.
• Provide ongoing coaching, performance feedback, and troubleshooting support.
• Train new brokers and agents on CRM usage, deal management, lead follow-up, property procedures, and reporting expectations.
• Ensure brokers are knowledgeable about assigned properties, units, pricing, concessions, availability, and positioning.
• Identify performance gaps and partner with the Director of Leasing on corrective action and staffing needs.

Market Intelligence and Strategy

• Maintain a strong understanding of the competitive landscape, new development pipeline, and real-time market changes for each assigned portfolio/asset.
• Evaluate prospect sentiment, broker feedback, objections, lost-lead reasons, and non-conversion trends.
• Identify patterns and proactively use findings to inform pricing, concessions, marketing, positioning, release strategy, and operational recommendations.
• Partner with Market Analyst to review competitive market research and communicate relevant insights to clients and internal teams.
• Collaborate with the Marketing department to identify marketing needs based on lead volume, lead quality, conversion, inventory, and market conditions.

Lease-Up-Specific Responsibilities

• Provide recommendations regarding initial unit-level rental rates, concessions, release and absorption schedule.
• Collaborate cross functionally to establish lease-up strategy that aligns with ownership goals.
• Conduct weekly building walks to identify leasing challenges, opportunities, readiness concerns, and tour-experience improvements.
• Monitor the booking and tour process and make adjustments based on agent and prospect feedback.
• Ensure availability, unit status, pricing, concessions, and release timing remain current and clearly communicated.

Qualifications

• Five to seven years of multifamily leasing, residential property management, sales, or related real estate experience.
• Strong analytical, communication, presentation, and relationship-management skills.
• Ability to evaluate performance and market data and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Proficiency with CRM systems, leasing software, market research tools, reporting platforms.
• Working knowledge of Fair Housing requirements and applicable leasing regulations.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation required.

Key Competencies

• Advanced Market Analysis
• High level of integrity, honesty, and discretion
• Strong Negotiation and Relationship Management Skills
• Cross-functional Communication and Team Collaboration
• Detail-oriented and adaptable in fast-paced environments
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently
• Constructive interpersonal skills with coworkers and clients in a positive manner; the ability to find mutually acceptable and practical business solutions
• Effective problem-solving and creative thinking
• Commitment to confidentiality