How to start a career in estate management

With 3,000 homeowners associations in South Africa, 56,000 Sectional Title Schemes and 1.9 million homes established in organised communities, there are many opportunities to find work in the property and estate management sector.

The benefits of this sector include a rewarding career that offers you the chance to work with people in a fast-paced environment, to experience a variety of tasks, to enjoy an office environment that is, most often, situated in some of the country’s most beautiful settings, and to be able to build a long-term career.

It’s possible for matriculants and graduates to get into the estate management industry in one of South Africa’s many prestigious estates, but the role of estate manager is not an entry-level position. It is a case of ‘start from the bottom’ as most estates require at least 10 years’ experience in the property management field.

This is an understandable requirement considering the duties and responsibilities of this management position. While the estate manager’s role is varied and broad, the most important duty is to coordinate and ensure the efficient day-to-day management of a property estate. Considering the size and complexity of some of the country’s largest estates, and the fact that they can incorporate golf courses, restaurants, offices, pools and dams, this is a huge responsibility.

Other duties that fall under the estate manager’s job description include security and safety, upkeep and maintenance of buildings, gardens and landscaping, stakeholder management, liaison with owners, residents and contractors, staff management, legal and compliance, among others.

The estate manager is generally the most senior role on the larger estates and their teams include junior and mid-level staff who help achieve the goals of the estate. These roles could include assistant managers, operations staff, admin staff, accounts staff, marketing staff and staff who take care of the more physical roles like maintenance, landscaping and cleaning.

Opportunities to get your foot in the door are varied and could include a role in operations, leasing or accounts, for example. People who have worked in smaller property management companies, whether in residential or commercial property, or those who have a strong knowledge of sectional title law and the inner workings of bodies corporate and come from an estate agency background would also have much to offer an estate management team.

Soft skills

When it comes to the softer skills you need to possess in order to work in the property sector – and to make it up the ladder to managerial level – you must have an outgoing personality and be able to connect and relate to people at all levels. Strong communication and leadership skills, the ability to drive results under pressure, sometimes on very complex projects, the ability to adapt to any situation and to be flexible in your approach are also top of the list.

Ideal study routes to follow if you want to enter the property sector include degrees in property studies, facilities management, or a degree with a business focus. Various postgraduate study opportunities are available from South Africa’s leading universities where candidates can focus on specialist courses to hone their skills. A Real Estate NQF4 qualification is also a great way to enter the property sector.

Learning opportunities

The Association of Residential Communities (ARC) is a South African body established in 2008 to support homeowners associations and bodies corporate, as well as their management teams. They provide several learning opportunities and are now also offering their ARC Online Learning platform, which provides informative courses on community management. For continuous learning and improvement, this is a great body to connect with.

Furthermore, there are also international certifications and qualifications that can be pursued at a more senior level.

The old cliché of the ‘world being your oyster’ rings true when it comes to a career in estate management. It can take you across our beautiful country and even to international estates, all while learning and growing and meeting incredible people along the way.