Corporate Leasing Manager

Description

Fairlawn is a vertically integrated firm focusing on real estate investment, management, and development. Based in Chicago and Champaign, Illinois, and managing a portfolio of 6,000 units with an asset value of $900 million, Fairlawn has a 10-year record in value-add projects, student housing, and build-to-rent communities. Fairlawn's best-in-class student housing brand, Smile Student Living, manages 3,400 beds at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and is a key player in student housing in the region. Fairlawn has established a strong presence across Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky, and is actively expanding into additional Midwest markets.

We are seeking a highly motivated Corporate Leasing Manager to join our team at Fairlawn. This is a newly created role and an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of leasing within our organization as “the owner of leasing excellence”. Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Property Management, the Corporate Leasing Manager will serve as the strategic leader responsible for driving leasing performance across our portfolio of conventional multifamily and student housing communities. The successful candidate will establish leasing standards, analyze portfolio performance, develop best practices, coach onsite teams, solve operational challenges, and partner with leaders across the organization to continually improve leasing results. While this position does not directly supervise onsite leasing professionals, it will lead through influence, expertise, accountability, and collaboration while serving as Fairlawn's subject matter expert for all aspects of leasing execution.

The ideal candidate embodies Fairlawn's core values - Be Kind, Own It, Be Flexible, and Always Improve - and thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. This individual enjoys solving problems, developing people, improving processes, and using data to drive better business decisions.

What will you do?

• Exemplify the core values of Be Kind, Be Flexible, Own It, and Always Improve.
• Own the health and performance of Fairlawn's leasing operation by establishing standards, measuring results, coaching teams, and driving continuous improvement across the portfolio.
• Analyze portfolio leasing performance to identify opportunities and improve results, including lead response time, conversion metrics, leasing velocity, occupancy trends, closing ratios, and other key performance indicators.
• Prepare and present regular portfolio leasing performance reporting for senior leadership, providing actionable insights and recommendations to improve results.
• Partner with Property Management leadership to identify performance gaps, diagnose root causes, and develop strategic action plans for underperforming communities.
• Develop, implement, and continuously refine Fairlawn's leasing operating standards, sales process, and prospect experience to ensure a consistent, best-in-class leasing experience across the portfolio.
• Serve as Fairlawn's subject matter expert for leasing strategy, sales execution, prospect management, and leasing best practices.
• Partner with the Training Specialist to develop onboarding, ongoing training, and targeted coaching initiatives that strengthen leasing performance and proactively address performance trends.
• Coach and support Property Managers, Regional Operations Managers, and onsite leasing teams through ongoing feedback, performance coaching, and professional development.
• Audit leasing execution within AppFolio and other operational systems to ensure timely follow-up, accurate documentation, process consistency, and an exceptional prospect experience.
• Own the configuration, utilization, optimization, and ongoing performance of Fairlawn's AI Leasing Assistant and other leasing technologies, ensuring they enhance the prospect experience, improve operational efficiency, and drive stronger leasing results.
• Collaborate with the Marketing department to optimize the transition from lead generation to lead conversion by evaluating lead quality, prospect engagement, funnel performance, and overall marketing-to-leasing effectiveness.
• Partner with Property Management and Asset Management leadership to develop recommendations regarding pricing strategy, concessions, lease expiration management, occupancy planning, and other revenue optimization initiatives.
• Continuously evaluate leasing strategy, emerging technologies, industry trends, and competitive best practices, recommending and implementing innovations that enhance the prospect experience and improve portfolio performance.
• Provide leasing leadership and operational support for acquisitions, new developments, lease-ups, major renovation projects, and other strategic initiatives requiring leasing expertise.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships while fostering collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
• Pivot, roll up your sleeves, and jump in where needed!

Why should you work here?

• Competitive Pay. We are ready to invest in you!
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance to access care for positive health outcomes and your overall wellbeing
• Employee sponsored benefits including Short Term Disability, Life Insurance, Critical Illness, Accident, Flexible Spending, and H.S.A. Accounts to avoid costly medical expenses due to gaps and ensure that all your medical needs are met
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Match to invest in your future wealth and retirement
• Paid Vacation, Sick Leave, and Holiday Pay to help you reset and come back rejuvenated and refreshed
• Company events to promote team cohesion
• Wellness Days to focus on being your best self. We want you to have time to disconnect and recharge in a way that works for you
• The opportunity to work for a growing organization where you are valued and can have a direct impact
• Quarterly off-site meetings with your manager to celebrate wins, issue solve and ensure you are set up for success. Plus, the process is rewarding, and the results are great for your career

Requirements

Who you are -- We’d love to hear from you if you:

• Have a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Property Management, Business, Marketing, Hospitality, or a related field.
• Have 5+ years of successful multifamily leasing, property management, or related sales leadership experience.
• Have demonstrated success improving leasing performance through coaching, process improvement, and operational leadership.
• Have experience developing and delivering training programs or coaching sales professionals.
• Have exceptional analytical skills and enjoy using data to identify trends and drive better business decisions.
• Have strong sales, relationship-building, communication, and presentation skills.
• Have the ability to influence and coach others without direct supervisory authority.
• Have experience with AppFolio or similar property management software.
• Are proficient with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and reporting tools.
• Thrive in a fast-paced environment while balancing strategic initiatives with day-to-day operational support.
• Embody our core values: Be Kind, Be Flexible, Own It, and Always Improve.

Some additional things you will need:

• A valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
• Ability to travel regularly throughout Fairlawn's portfolio, including occasional overnight travel
• Availability to work longer hours during peak leasing season, turnover (specific dates vary from year to year), and major operational initiatives
• Must be able to perform the physical functions of the position, including walking properties, conducting onsite observations, participating in leasing activities, and working from a computer for extended periods.

We are seeking candidates who demonstrate a strong alignment with the requirements listed above. While meeting all qualifications is preferred, we understand that exceptional candidates may bring comparable experience and skills to the table, including prior experience at Fairlawn. We value diversity of thought and experience, and we are committed to considering all applicants [internal and external] and to identifying and selecting the most qualified applicant for the role.

Depending on the role requirements, offers of employment may be contingent upon one or more of the following: employment history verification, criminal background check, motor vehicle record check, education verification, or credit check.

Our company uses the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to run and help grow our business – the tools from EOS contribute to finding the right people and putting them in the right roles, effectively solving issues as they arise, and building a culture of accountability. In short, it gets everyone on the same page and working toward the same goals. If you have an ownership mindset and take pride in all the details, joining our team may be perfect for you!

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Salary: $85,000 - $120,000 + incentives