Manager, Commercial Real Estate

PRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING•Boston, MA

5d•$90,000 - $130,000•Hybrid

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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.
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.
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 closely with local brokerage partners to market and lease available commercial space.
Comfortable touring prospective tenants through spaces, guiding them through the leasing process, and serving as a trusted bridge between tenants and POAH staff to ensure clear communication and mutual understanding.
Manage lease renewals, extensions, workouts, and—when necessary—tenant default and eviction processes with sound judgment and strategic communication.
Advise acquisitions and development teams on the underwriting, design, and positioning of commercial and mixed-use space to maximize long-term value.
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.
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.
Willingness to travel regionally, especially to sites in Chicago, Cincinnati, Boston, Washington D.C., on a monthly or quarterly basis as needed.

Nice To Haves

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.

Benefits

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
Individual professional development budget for every employee
End-of-year bonuses
A vibrant company culture

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