Associate, Operations Specialist

Who We Are
Core Spaces (Core) is more than a real estate company, it's a people company. Where building relationships is just as important as building properties. From researchers and architects to designers and operators, Core is made up of risk takers and dreamers who are on a mission to invent the future of living. Our six cultural values guide us every day and we strive to live them in everything we do: PUSH (Invent Better Places to Live), GRIT (We Got This), LIFT (Help Each Other Win), SHINE (Bring Your Full Self), UPHOLD (Never Break Trust), GROW (Always Get Better). Everything Core does stems from this culture of collaboration and innovation, and the drive to constantly improve the resident experience. This unique approach has led to creating spaces and services that are redefining the way people live.

About the Company

Founded in 2010, Core is a vertically integrated real estate investment manager focused on acquiring, developing, and managing across the student housing and build-to-rent ("BTR") sectors. Its residential communities feature world-class amenities, progressive design, and hospitality-driven service. Core's student housing portfolio includes over 74,440 beds currently owned or managed, with a pipeline of over 53,860 beds in various stages of development. Core's BTR division has over 3,000 homes under development, now leasing or in its pipeline in high-growth metros nationwide.

Portfolio and pipeline numbers as of Q2 2026

Benefits

• A culture that provides you with a sense of belonging
• Competitive pay that values your contributions
• Incentives designed to reward your achievements
• Paid flexible PTO to disconnect or celebrate life milestones
• Paid 14+ holidays, including your birthday, to disconnect and celebrate
• Paid Parental Leave that begins after 90 days
• Paid volunteer time off to give back to your community
• Monthly workshop weeks; fewer meetings & more collaboration
• Robust health plan options that begin within at least 30 days of your employment
• Monthly phone reimbursement
• Wellness allowance and perks, including a yearly subscription to a meditation app
• An environment that provides you a voice to share your perspectives
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for access to confidential support services
• Company retirement options including 401(k) + matching & Roth account option

About the Role

The Operations Specialist serves as a highly mobile, field-based operator responsible for stabilizing, advancing, and optimizing property performance across the national portfolio. This role is deployed into communities to address operational gaps, lead through periods of transition, and execute on critical business priorities that directly impact occupancy, financial performance, resident experience, and team effectiveness. This position operates with a high degree of autonomy and judgment, frequently serving as the acting Community Manager and primary on-site leader. The Operations Specialist is expected to quickly assess operational health, identify root causes of underperformance, and implement solutions that drive measurable outcomes. Assignments are dynamic and business-driven, requiring approximately 80% travel, including the ability to provide weekend and extended-hour coverage during peak operational periods.

Responsibilities

• Operational Leadership and Execution
  • Assume full operational leadership of a community when assigned, including decision-making authority across leasing, financial performance, team leadership, and resident experience.
  • Rapidly assess property performance across operations, leasing, financials, resident satisfaction, and compliance to identify risks, inefficiencies, and opportunities.
  • Develop and execute action plans to stabilize operations, improve execution, and drive performance against key metrics such as occupancy, collections, retention, and NOI.
  • Ensure consistent execution of company standards, policies, and operational processes, reinforcing accountability at the site level.
  • Serve as the escalation point for complex operational, resident, or team-related issues requiring advanced problem-solving and sound judgment.
• People Leadership and Team Effectiveness
  • Provide direct, hands-on leadership to on-site teams in the absence of a permanent Community Manager, setting expectations for performance, accountability, and service delivery.
  • Coach, develop, and influence team members to improve execution, productivity, and alignment with company standards.
  • Lead hiring, onboarding, and training efforts in partnership with Talent Acquisition and People Operations when staffing gaps exist.
  • Facilitate team meetings, performance conversations, and real-time coaching to improve individual and team outcomes.
  • Address employee performance concerns, providing feedback and support while ensuring alignment with company expectations and policies.
• Leasing, Marketing, and Revenue Performance
  • Drive leasing performance through hands-on execution and strategic oversight of traffic generation, conversion, and renewal efforts.
  • Evaluate leasing funnel performance, pricing strategy execution, and competitive positioning to identify opportunities to improve occupancy and revenue.
  • Implement leasing and marketing strategies aligned with market conditions and business goals, adjusting approach based on real-time performance data.
  • Partner cross-functionally with Marketing and Revenue Management to optimize lead generation, campaign execution, and pricing effectiveness.
• Financial and Business Performance
  • Support ownership and execution of property-level financial performance, including revenue, collections, expenses, and variance management.
  • Monitor delinquency and collections processes, ensuring timely execution of notices, outreach to residents and guarantors, and escalation to legal action when necessary.
  • Review and support financial reporting, approvals, and documentation to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with company standards.
  • Identify opportunities to improve financial performance through operational efficiencies, revenue enhancement, and expense control.
• Resident Experience and Service Delivery
  • Establish and reinforce expectations for a high-quality, hospitality-driven resident experience.
  • Serve as the primary escalation point for complex resident concerns, ensuring timely, appropriate resolution and service recovery.
  • Ensure consistent delivery of service standards that enhance resident satisfaction, retention, and overall community reputation.
• Compliance, Risk Management, and Operational Integrity
  • Ensure compliance with all company policies, procedures, and applicable legal requirements, mitigating operational and financial risk.
  • Maintain accurate documentation, reporting, and execution of operational processes including incident reporting, inspections, and audits.
  • Identify operational risks proactively and implement solutions to prevent disruption to residents or business performance.
• Turn, Transitions, and Special Projects
  • Lead and support critical operational periods including move-in, move-out, and turn, ensuring execution meets timeline, quality, and resident experience expectations.
  • Provide operational support for new developments, acquisitions, and underperforming assets, ensuring successful transitions and stabilization.
  • Lead or contribute to special projects and company initiatives that improve processes, performance, or scalability across the portfolio.
• Training and Organizational Impact
  • Deliver structured and informal training on systems, processes, policies, and operational standards.
  • Reinforce company culture and values by modeling expectations and driving consistency across teams and markets.
  • Share insights and best practices gathered from the field to support continuous improvement at the portfolio level.
• Other
  • Work a full schedule including extended hours, evenings, weekends, and travel as required by business needs.
  • Perform all physical requirements of the role, including lifting up to 50 pounds and supporting operational tasks on-site.
  • Perform all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Schedule

This role requires approximately 80% travel, including the ability to provide weekend and extended-hour coverage during peak operational periods.