Manager, Portfolio and Building Services

Requisition ID: 43995 

Organization

Located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples, Vancouver has a commitment to becoming a City of Reconciliation. Vancouver consistently ranks as one of the world’s most liveable and environmentally sustainable cities. Named among Canada's Top 100 Employers, BC's Top Employers, and Canada's Greenest Employers, the City of Vancouver seeks colleagues who can help shape and embody our core commitments to sustainability, reconciliation, equity and outstanding quality of life for all residents.

Consider joining our committed team of staff and being part of an innovative, inclusive and engaging workplace.  Working at the City of Vancouver and within the public service can be a rewarding career where you play a key role in ensuring impartial and equitable access to services, upholding ethical governance, and addressing the needs of citizens with integrity and dedication.

Main Purpose and Function

The Manager, Portfolio & Building Services reports to the Director of Non-Market Housing Operations and assists in all aspects of managing the operations and janitorial services of the Non-Market Housing Operations portfolio. This position develops and implements enhanced workflow processes, policy and procedures, based upon the mission and values of Arts, Culture, and Community Services as well as compliance with Provincial legislation and non-market housing industry best practices. 

The Manager, Portfolio and Building Services directly supervises a team of Building Service & Working Supervisors, Administrative Support Officers, and the Scheduler, and indirectly supervises all Building Support Workers working across the portfolio of 12 NMHO buildings and approximately 1200 tenancies located in the DTES, Downtown South, and Killarney area. The Manager is responsible for the daily operational oversight and staff management of a complex, geographically disperse, and highly regulated housing portfolio. The Manager is responsible for managing the safety and security of staff, tenants, and buildings; ensuring compliance with residential legislation; the coordination of a variety of programs and services; tenant management and property management oversight; supporting the ongoing maintenance of sites; and tenant engagement strategies. In addition, the Manager, Portfolio & Building Services will identify, support, and integrate progressive outcomes on escalated files and highly sensitive projects relating to people and culture, tenancies, stakeholder relationships, and inter-departmental responses.

The Manager, Portfolio and Building Services works as part of the management team and exercises independent judgement and is involved in complex problem solving for a variety of issues and situations.  The position assumes acting responsibilities for the Director as needed.

Specific Duties/Responsibilities

• Supervises and leads staff
• Recruits, selects, hires and evaluates staff who report to this position, supporting other selection processes across the housing portfolio.
• Leads attendance and performance management discussions with staff, including guidance, direction setting, coaching and feedback to staff to support their success.
• Establishes and practices appropriate professional boundaries – with and between staff, tenants, and the community.
• Identifies needs and gaps and organizes staff training and development to maintain appropriate professional standards of service delivery.
• In consultation with the Director, is accountable for supporting the goals and improvement plans established with employees as it relates to matters of expectations, discipline and terminations.
• Represents the employer at grievance hearings and other employment related hearings such as arbitrations, Residential Tenancy Branch hearings, Labour Board hearings, and Human Rights Tribunal hearings.
• Manages conflict in a positive manner that is effective for all parties and over time.
• Provides effective team leadership through execution and times of change; nurture and motivate a team of frontline workers, employing exemplary leadership skills, sound judgement, and effective communication skills. 
• Ensures the occupational health and safety of staff as per the City of Vancouver OH&S Program Manual and BC’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.
• Oversees compliance with WorkSafeBC regulations, addresses areas of concerns, responds to WorkSafeBC orders.
• Ensures the adherence of OH&S protocols and practices among staff; monitoring, inputting, and tracking accidents or near misses within the OH&S database system; escalating issues as appropriate.
• Establishes a safe and healthy environment for staff, tenants, and community members by promoting positive and responsive attitudes towards accident prevention and by establishing policies, standards, and guidelines.
• Participates as a management representative on the NMHO Safety Committee.
• Identifies, develops, and implements best practices and procedures as they relate to the safety, security, and maintenance of the physical structure and tenant management.
• Identifies areas of support for critical follow up and staff debriefs, recommends next steps or process enhancements
• Supports pragmatic solutions for complex HR matters, leaves, progressive discipline and grievances
  
  

Administration

• Assists in the development of an annual operating budget, including preparing annual minor and capital request submissions.
• Responsible for budget monitoring and reporting of the individual and aggregate operational and capital budgets in excess of $10,000,000 per annum.
• Analyzes and reports on financial information needed to effectively inform decision-making.
• Coordinates effective and sustainable outcomes with the Operations Manager on complex tenancy files that have escalated through unsafe or unhealthy behaviours and require a high level of sensitivity, urgent responses, and pragmatic frameworks for resolutions, That may include Residential Tenancy Branch & appropriate ministry departments, funders, and community partners
• Prepares reports on escalated and complex tenancies as required; including developing reports for funders and senior management.
• Prepares reports on community trends, issues, identifying escalated or politically active areas outlining recommendations for appropriate and strategic response.
• Leads strategic projects as set by the Director to assist in the effective and efficient managing of the portfolio, e.g. a staff scheduling system, policy and procedure development, business continuity, and pandemic planning.
• Achieves operational objectives by contributing information and recommendations to strategic plans and reviews; preparing and completing action plans; implementing productivity, quality, and tenant-focused service standards; completing audits; determining system improvements; implementing change.
• Works with the Scheduler to ensure adequate operational resources are in place and risk mitigation strategies for staff shortages are effectively addressed. In addition, works with Operations Administration Officer and Property Portfolio Assistant to orchestrate operational and tenancy management priorities and delivery mechanisms. As well ensuring that effective and accurate data entry into various computer systems/formats, and required reports or forms are supported through out the portfolio.
• Investigates and responds to tenant complaints as needed.
• Provides monthly portfolio reports to the Director.
• Assumes the leadership and management role in the Director’s absence.
  
  

Policies and Procedures

• Develops and implements policies and procedures that reflect operational, capital, property and tenant management strategies that reinforce the success of department objectives and that preserve physical assets.
• Develops and monitors priorities for operational management criteria, administrative support staff priorities and , workflow processes, and procedures, and oversight in the application of best practices, policies and procedures to ensure consistency/adherence, due diligence, and transparency.
  
  

Facilities

• In consultation with NMHO leadership team coordinates the impacts of maintenance, repairs, and renovation of the physical plant and acquisition, maintenance and disposal of equipment and furniture.
• In consultation with Facilities Manager coordinates and monitors maintenance requests, developing processes and measures to ensure ease of reference material and in consultation with the Director seeking improvements on and approvals for contracted for services.
  
  

Risk Management

• Participates in the development and implementation of plans and procedures to ensure the safety and security of the staff, tenants and buildings.
• Identifies and evaluates the risks associated with program and operational activities and takes appropriate action to control the risks.
• Balances operational requirements with risk reduction strategies always working towards mitigation of risks.
• Assists employees, external stakeholders, and community support workers with crisis management strategies, using sound judgement and problem solving approaches.
• Guides all team members in leading practices of regulatory bodies, funders, and judicial bodies to support peaceful and sustainable solutions to escalated and contentious scenarios.
  
  

Program Planning & Implementation

• In consultation with Director and NMHO leadership team supports the management of programs and services effectively, researching, and administering program policies and supportive mechanisms  that align with human capital and stakeholder engagement requirements that engender successful tenancies while maintaining health inclusive environments .  
• Develops new and unique ways to improve program operations of the NMHO portfolio and to create new opportunities.
• Develops crisis management strategies and practical responses to controlled and uncontrolled working environments that require resiliency, flexibility, and innovation. Recommending areas to address gaps and areas of improvement to better serve supported populations and lead people practices.
• In consultation with the Director, supports the development and analysis of KPIs, and metrics that underpin a framework of excellence in tenant and employee engagement strategies.

Community Development & Liaison

• Communicates with tenants to provide information and respond to enquiries or complaints.
• Liaises with other City departments, agencies and government offices as needed to maintain appropriate services.
• Works with the Director to build positive relations within the surrounding communities and partnering agencies by arranging and participating in engagement opportunities that build coherent and collective responses towards community building activities.
• Works in unison with the Director, departmental peers, site staff and key leads in delivering the mandate of safe and affordable housing to vulnerable and marginalized populations.
• Works cooperatively with the departmental peers and Residence Manager/Residence Attendant Shift Leads to identify and deescalate conflicts that arise within the tenant population, guests, and team members working towards creating an environment of trust while maintaining healthy boundaries.
• Ability to develop feasible plans and successfully implement the plans.

Building Operations & Services

• Overseeing the liaison between the building operations staff and client groups
• Assisting in the preparation and validation of specifications or scopes of work for service contracts, supplies and equipment purchases
• Assisting Supply Chain Management staff in assessing bids and tender submissions for building operations services or purchases
• Working closely with client representatives to resolve issues regarding services responsibilities and service delivery
• Responding to partner/client inquiries
• Liaising closely with client representatives regarding maintenance and operations program adjustments, service delivery changes and organizational structure changes
• Establishes and maintains effective communication and coordination with other divisions, project teams, and departments, consultants and contractors, and also with the different levels of government, outside agencies, not-for-profit organizations, associations and the general public  
• Support the identification of and resolution to issues impacting the operation of facilities
• In  the event of emergencies, will respond to facilities and provide On-scene management
• Directly and indirectly supervising a group of janitorial and administrative staff.
• Modifying and coordinating work assignments, schedules and processes for each direct and indirect report
• Support the implementation and updating of maintenance schedules and inventories using a computerized maintenance management system
• Other duties/responsibilities as assigned
  
  

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Education and Experience:

A university degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Urban Planning or a related discipline, and considerable experience in managing operational, administrative and financial activities, preferably in property management, community development, or a social housing environment, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Experience in the social housing sector, in progressively senior positions with management level experience including managing a large staff team. Recent related experience in: housing, social programming, human resource management, budget development and management; tenant and facility management; program coordination; working with non-profit organizations; and working with marginalized and disenfranchised populations. 

Experience in managing within a unionized setting an asset.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Considerable knowledge of budget preparation and management techniques.
• Considerable knowledge of the Residential Tenancy Act and Arbitration process.
• Considerable knowledge of the Society Act.
• Considerable knowledge of the WorkSafeBC and OH&S policy and procedures.
• Thorough understanding and application of the Collective Bargaining Agreement CUPE 15 that govern the unionized workforce.
• Interest and needs of people who face multiple barriers including poverty, mental health, physical disabilities, and/or drug or alcohol dependencies and who may be marginally housed or homeless.
• Social issues of poverty, isolation addiction, and marginalized populations, preferably within an urban context.
• Leadership approaches to management including performance and attendance management.
• Ability to lead and manage employees by way of best practices in hiring, coaching, mentoring, training, and managing performance and attendance.
• Ability to establish goals, manage competing priorities and be accountable for decisions and actions.
• Ability to organize training and education to support professional practices for staff working with vulnerable and at risk populations.
• Ability to plan, assign work, and evaluate progress of subordinates.
• Ability to work and manage in a unionized environment.
• Ability to promote, oversee and coordinate programming.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. 
• Ability to prepare reports, proposals and monitor expenditures.
• Ability to negotiate and work collaboratively.
• Collaboration and conflict management skills to promote a positive environment, good morale and cooperation.
• Communication skills to actively listen, reflect and reframe concerns or ideas, and gain trust to build understanding of common interests.
• Ability to work in a respectful and positive manner, dealing with people compassionately and tactfully.
• Ability to operate consistently within the City’s value base and provide a positive role model for employees, partners, and residents.
• Ability to anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of internal and external clients to meet or exceed their expectations within the organizational parameters.
• Speak, listen and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
• Ability to work evening or weekends as operational needs dictate.
• Vulnerable sector check

Where operationally appropriate and subject to change, the City of Vancouver has a Flexible Work Program. This program allows staff to work a hybrid work week from locations that are a daily commutable distance from their work at a City worksite.  At this time this position is eligible to be part of the Flexible Work Program.

Business Unit/Department: Arts, Culture and Community Services (1200) 

Affiliation: Exempt 

Employment Type: Regular Full Time 

Position Start Date: August 2025

Salary Information: Pay Grade RNG-091: $111139 to $138924 per annum

Application Close: June 29, 2025

At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve. Indigenous peoples, people of colour, 2SLGBTQ+ persons including all genders and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.  Accommodations will be provided upon request during the selection process. Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion. 

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In addition to uploading your cover letter and resume, part of the application process may include answering application questions related to the preferred requirements of the role which may take approx. 5-10 minutes. Cover letters should express interest and highlight additional information relevant to the position and resumes should include a summary of skills and experience related to the position.