Operations Manager Jobs in Santa Maria, CA (NOW HIRING)

People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH) is seeking a Property Management Learning and Operations Manager, who will lead department-wide learning initiatives, support operational excellence, and help ensure compliance across our Property Management and Facilities teams. The ideal candidate will bring strong knowledge of affordable housing programs, including HUD, LIHTC, and other regulatory requirements, along with a passion for developing people and improving processes.

With a mission to build affordable homes with site-based services that offer opportunities to change lives and strengthen communities, People’s Self-Help Housing is the longest-serving nonprofit developer on California’s Central Coast. We serve low-income working families, farm workers, seniors, and veterans and provide welcoming environments for those living with disabilities and for the formerly homeless. Along with building and managing beautiful and accessible neighborhoods in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties, we offer a broad array of programs to promote health, education, and connections to community-based resources.

This position is a hybrid role.

The Property Management Learning and Operations Manager (PMLOM) works under the direction of the Director of Property Management (DPM). This position plays a key role in supporting the Property Management and Facilities departments through training development, administrative coordination, and compliance support.

The PMLOM is responsible for leading department-wide training initiatives, coordinating administrative responses to audits and inspections, supporting Facilities administrative functions, and ensuring consistency in onboarding and internal processes. This role requires strong organizational skills, the ability to manage multiple priorities, and a collaborative approach when working with the Facilities Team, Portfolio Managers, Senior Property Managers, Maintenance Supervisors, Compliance, Asset Management, and other cross-departmental partners.

• Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive, department-wide training program for Property Management, Maintenance, and related functions.
• Design both long-term training curriculum and responsive, short-term training solutions to address urgent operational needs.
• Develop, maintain, and evaluate training materials, curricula, job aids, and standard operating procedures to support consistent implementation of department policies and practices.
• Train and support Senior Property Managers and Maintenance Supervisors in facilitating effective trainings.
• Monitor training effectiveness and recommend improvements based on operational performance indicators, audit findings, and staff feedback.
• Assist in onboarding new staff by ensuring delivery of consistent training on organizational procedures, policies, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Represent the Property Management department in the planning of the Site-Based Teams Retreat, PSHH Training Committee, and the PSHH IDEA Commission.
• Play a key role in planning and coordinating the annual Compliance and Property Management Conference.
• Schedule, coordinate, and facilitate in-person and virtual training sessions as needed, including the monthly Policies and Procedures trainings for Property Management and Maintenance.
• Identify training gaps in collaboration with Portfolio Managers and leadership and develop targeted solutions.
• Support administrative functions related to Property Management operations, with a strong focus on audit and inspection preparation and response.
• Coordinate and support audit and inspection readiness efforts, including tracking recurring findings, identifying trends, and recommending corrective actions.
• Work closely with Portfolio Managers to gather documentation, coordinate responses, and ensure timely completion of required submissions.
• Assist in reviewing documentation to ensure alignment with regulatory and organizational compliance standards.
• Participate in regulatory agency inspections and audits as needed.
• Help track outcomes, findings, and corrective actions related to inspections and audits.
• Provide administrative support to the Facilities Manager and Facilities Coordinator.
• Assist with tracking capital projects, preventative maintenance programs, and ongoing maintenance initiatives, aligning with organizational practices.
• Assist in developing and maintaining reporting tools that support oversight of work orders, preventative maintenance completion, capital projects, inspections and regulatory requirements.
• Support responses to inspections and compliance-related facility requirements.
• Help maintain centralized systems for tracking maintenance activities and reporting.
• Monitor and respond to the Property Management departmental email inbox.
• Provide guidance and respond to general Property Management questions.
• Assist in preparing internal reports, dashboards, and tracking tools to support departmental operations.
• Maintain organized documentation related to training, compliance, and administrative activities.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

• Strong training facilitation and curriculum development skills.
• Excellent organizational, time management, and project coordination abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and shifting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with staff at all levels.
• Working knowledge of affordable housing regulations (HUD, TCAC, USDA, HOME) preferred.
• Experience supporting compliance, audits, and regulatory inspections preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and property management software (e.g., Yardi) preferred.
• Ability to analyze processes and recommend improvements.
• Preferred: Spanish language proficiency, written and spoken.
• Experience in affordable housing operations strongly preferred.
• Experience developing and delivering trainings or facilitating group learning environments preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent experience in property management, training, business administration, or related field.
• Valid CA driver’s license, access to a reliable vehicle, and proof of adequate insurance.
• Ability to obtain relevant compliance certifications (HUD, Tax Credit, USDA) within a reasonable timeframe, if not already certified.
• Light lifting, walking, ability to bend and squat for short periods of time.
• Ability to travel to sites and attend in-person trainings, meetings, and inspections as required.
• This is a full-time, exempt position.
• Position may require occasional travel between properties and office locations.
• Flexibility to attend occasional evening or extended-hour training events may be required.