Chief Operating Officer

Lockwood Management LLC•Southfield, MI

About The Position

Lockwood Companies is an integrated real estate company that develops, builds, and manages multifamily, affordable housing, and senior living communities throughout Michigan. Founded on a commitment to quality and community, Lockwood has grown into a trusted partner with 220 employees across property management, construction, and development. Our mission is to create thriving, sustainable communities that enrich lives. The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will serve as a key executive leader, responsible for the performance, culture, and growth of Lockwood’s property management portfolio (senior living, multifamily, and affordable housing). Reporting directly to the President/CEO, the COO will provide strategic leadership, disciplined execution, and people-first management. This role will focus on achieving excellence at the property level—driving occupancy, NOI, resident satisfaction, compliance, and staff engagement—while building the organizational structure, processes, and talent required for long-term growth. The COO will oversee 180+ property management team members, with the potential to expand scope into development oversight as the company evolves.

Requirements

10–15+ years of leadership experience in property management, real estate, or senior living operations.
Proven success in property-level P&L ownership and delivering financial, operational, and occupancy performance.
Expertise in affordable housing, multifamily, and/or senior housing regulatory compliance.
Strong background in organizational design, process improvement, and change leadership.
Demonstrated success leading large teams (100+ employees) across multiple properties or regions.
Experience with EOS/Traction or other structured operating systems.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills across diverse stakeholders.
Undergraduate degree required

Nice To Haves

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Responsibilities

Own all property management P&Ls; deliver on financial performance, occupancy, and NOI targets.
Drive resident satisfaction and retention through consistent service standards and proactive community engagement.
Ensure compliance with HUD, MSHDA, LIHTC, and other regulatory requirements.
Implement consistent processes across leasing, collections, expense control, vendor management, and resident services.
Champion technology and systems that improve property-level efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
Partner with CEO and Executive Team to shape and execute Lockwood’s strategic plan.
Design and refine organizational structures that support efficiency and growth.
Lead annual and quarterly planning, KPI development, and reporting cadence.
Build and scale an operating system (EOS/Traction or similar) to drive alignment and accountability.
Standardize processes across communities to eliminate variability and create operating leverage.
Lead, mentor, and develop regional and property-level leaders.
Recruit, retain, and develop “A players” to strengthen leadership depth and performance.
Conduct one-on-ones, skip-level meetings, and leadership coaching to foster engagement and accountability.
Champion a high-performance culture grounded in Lockwood’s values.
Ensure succession planning for key leadership and property-level roles.
Serve as a visible ambassador with residents, investors, lenders, and regulatory partners.
Build and maintain relationships with vendors, clients, and partners that support property success.
Represent Lockwood at industry associations, events, and conferences.
Support business development and growth opportunities for management services.