Join to apply for the Manager, Commercial Real Estate role at Preservation of Affordable Housing
POAH is seeking a Manager of Commercial Real Estate to professionalize and streamline our commercial leasing operations across a growing portfolio of mixed‑use properties. This role is ideal for someone who is organized, process‑oriented, and energized by working closely with small business tenants, local entrepreneurs, and the community. The Manager will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of commercial leasing operations, lease compliance, and tenant engagement while working to standardize internal processes and systems. Additionally, the Manager will be tasked with monitoring market rents and working in close collaboration with Property Managers, Regional Property Supervisors, Vice Presidents of Regional Operations and Asset Managers to optimize rents and achieve high occupancy for POAH’s unsubsidized (non‑Section 8) residential and market‑rate units. This role is both strategic and hands‑on, with an opportunity to shape how POAH approaches ground‑floor retail activation, tenant success, and lease management in mixed‑use communities and how POAH leverages technology and AI to achieve strong and stable rental income. Additionally, the job applicant will effectively serve as the Asset Manager for POAH’s commercial real‑estate portfolio.
WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS POSITION
Education & Background
- 5–7 years of experience in leasing, property management, real estate development, mixed‑use real‑estate operations or a related field with a minimum of 2 years in commercial leasing.
- Bachelor's degree in real estate, urban planning, business, legal studies, or related fields.
- Familiarity with affordable housing, mission‑driven real estate development, and asset or property management.
Industry Knowledge
- Understanding of commercial lease structures including modified gross leases, CAM, real‑estate taxes, and insurance.
- Familiarity with property operations, lease negotiations, billing processes, and legal terms relevant to commercial, retail and mixed‑use developments.
- Experience using property management systems such as Yardi, MRI Investment Central, CoStar, MLS, Elise AI, Leasing Agents/Bots, Rent Café, or similar platforms to understand market rents and manage prospecting, tenant relations, billing, and lease compliance.
- Ability to create, edit, and manage commercial lease documents, abstracts, and tracking systems to ensure accuracy and accountability.
- Understanding how ground‑floor retail and strong market rents contribute to broader goals of affordable housing, equitable development, and community impact.
Retail & Ground Floor Activation
- Ability to evaluate prospective tenants through business plans, concept decks, financial statements, references, and performance metrics (e.g., sales, NOI, NER, etc.).
- Experience working with small businesses, nonprofits, or mission‑aligned tenants with varying levels of real‑estate knowledge.
- Capable of developing, reviewing and disseminating clear marketing materials for listings that effectively communicate opportunities to prospective tenants.
- Work independently or closely with local brokerage partners to market and lease available commercial space.
- Experience engaging brokers and negotiating listing agreements.
- Ability to provide guidance to Development team for initial underwriting of rental income for commercial space(s).
- Comfortable touring prospective tenants through spaces, guiding them through the leasing process, and serving as a trusted bridge between tenants and POAH & POAH Communities staff to ensure clear communication and mutual understanding.
Communication, Training & Organization Skills
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; capable of serving as a liaison between POAH, POAH Communities and their commercial tenants.
- Ability to communicate with clarity and confidence across a wide range of stakeholders including legal and finance teams, property managers, small business owners, and community members from diverse backgrounds.
- Proven experience building and maintaining organizational systems for prospecting, lease tracking, rent tracking, reporting, billing, and compliance.
- Keen attention to detail, highly organized, self‑motivated, and able to manage competing priorities across multiple properties and markets.
- A clear, proactive communicator who is responsive and adaptable in a dynamic team environment.
- Comfortable multi‑tasking, managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously without compromising quality or attention to detail.
- Ability to train property managers and leasing staff in best practices and tools for commercial lease tracking, tenant relations and market rent setting.
Experience Working with Teams
- Demonstrated ability to work cross‑functionally with property and asset managers, leasing agents, legal teams, and community partners.
- Enjoy relationship‑building with diverse teams and tenants across markets.
- Proactive in leveraging technology and identifying process improvements to drive operational efficiencies across departments.
- Demonstrates initiative and follow‑through by stepping up to support special projects, jumping in where needed, and proactively identifying opportunities that advance POAH’s mission and strengthen team collaboration.
Nice to Have But Not Required
- Brokerage license in one or more POAH geography (OH, KY, IL, MO, MA, RI, NH, CT, ME, DC, MD, NC, FL).
- Familiarity with Yardi, Co‑Star, MRI Investment Central, Elise AI, MLS or comparable real‑estate software platforms.
- Experience working in or with nonprofits, community development corporations, or housing authorities.
- Active participation in industry networks such as ICSC, ULI, NAIOP, or local business organizations.
- Knowledge of retail marketing platforms or tenant recruitment tools.
Ability to Travel
- Willingness to travel regionally, especially to sites in Chicago, Cincinnati, Boston, Washington D.C., on a monthly or quarterly basis as needed.
WHY JOIN POAH
- Work at the forefront of affordable housing innovation.
- Collaborate with passionate and dedicated colleagues and industry leaders.
- Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
- Contribute to the betterment of communities nationwide.
- Shape the future of housing policy and finance.
COMPENSATION
- $90k – 130k annually. This range is intentionally broad to accommodate a diverse array of geographies and levels of experience. Final compensation will be determined with the finalist’s location and prior experience in mind.
BENEFITS
At POAH, we offer: Competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package, including health, vision, short/long term disability, and life insurance.
- Generous leave programs, including PTO of 5+ weeks annually and 12 weeks of paid parental leave for ALL new parents.
- A 401(k)-retirement plan with company match.
- A vibrant company culture.
- POAH is currently enjoying a remote hybrid schedule which allows employees to work from home but also requires in‑office days. The ability to work a remote hybrid schedule is required of all candidates.
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit a resume and brief cover letter highlighting your experience and interest in the position. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
About the Organization: Preservation of Affordable Housing
Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve, create and sustain affordable, healthy homes that support economic security, racial equity, and access to opportunity for all. POAH owns and operates more than 13,000 affordable homes at more than 130 properties in 11 states and the District of Columbia. POAH is based in Boston with offices in Chicago and Washington D.C.
POAH’s reach is national in scope, and its pursuit of the preservation mission is empowered by a focus on the business bottom line. Its strong reputation is the result of a demonstrated ability to craft complex financial transactions, tackle tough multi‑family projects, and close deals that preserve the affordability of at‑risk properties. The organization and its leaders are at the forefront of policy and legislative discussions around housing preservation, affordable housing finance and regulatory reform, including energy efficiency in the multifamily sector.
Seniority level
- Mid‑Senior level
Employment type
- Full‑time
Job function
- Sales and Business Development