A community association manager is a person who works for a community association and is responsible for the management of the residences that fall under its jurisdiction. A high school diploma or a general educational development (GED) diploma is usually required for becoming a community association manager. However, many employers prefer candidates with a college diploma. Furthermore, many employers prefer to hire candidates with management experience.
Community associations are organizations that represent and oversee the interests of residents in certain neighborhoods, condominium properties, and groups of residences. Community association managers, for example, are in charge of managing and maintaining the community’s common areas, such as common grounds, pools, and recreation facilities. A community association manager may be responsible for a variety of tasks in addition to community maintenance. For example, he might be in charge of ensuring the community’s overall safety and dealing with resident complaints and suggestions. A person in this field may also be responsible for creating budgets for the community he manages and collecting association fees from residents.
The education required to become a community association manager is frequently determined by the employer’s specific preferences. In some cases, a high school diploma will suffice, but most employers expect applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree. Employers frequently favor those with business, finance, or real estate degrees. They may also be looking for people with accounting degrees. After earning a bachelor’s degree, an individual may be able to find work in this field, but those with master’s degrees may have an advantage over other job applicants.
Employers frequently prefer to hire community association managers with prior experience. However, this does not imply that the applicant must have prior experience as a community association manager. Previous management experience, even if in a different industry, is frequently accepted. Experience in property management, on the other hand, could be extremely beneficial. In most cases, a new community association manager will be given some training by his employer, as he will need to learn the community’s policies and needs.
A person who wants to work as a community association manager can take some proactive steps to ensure his or her success. A person in this field, for example, might pursue a professional designation or certification. In addition, he may work to keep up with industry advancements and changes. These efforts may help him stand out from the crowd of applicants and ensure that he remains a valuable employee long after he has been hired as a community association manager.