Operations Manager, Luxury Real Estate

Connie Antoniou has been the #1 agent by volume in Jameson Sotheby's Chicagoland Northwest office in seven of the last nine years, and the #1 North Barrington agent three years running.

We are hiring an Operations Manager to help run the practice behind that business.

This is a senior, hands-on operations role working closely with Connie, the owner, and reporting directly to Muge. You will help keep the operating side of the business moving across transactions, listings, commissions, technology, calendars, vendors, research, communication and day-to-day problem solving.

The role is intentionally broad and will continue to grow. We are looking for someone who likes that.

WHAT YOU WILL OWN

Transactions & Compliance

• Manage transactions from accepted offer through closing
• Track deadlines, contingencies, attorney review and required documentation
• Maintain complete and accurate transaction and compliance files
• Coordinate signatures, documents and follow-up
• Work within Jameson Sotheby's brokerage policies and compliance requirements

Listings & MLS

• Manage client and property intake for new listings
• Prepare and maintain listings in connectMLS through MRED
• Research property history, tax records, parcels, PINs and prior listings
• Keep property information, documents, photos and listing status accurate
• Configure showings and seller notifications through ShowingTime
• Coordinate listing launches from preparation through activation

Listing Appointment Preparation

Before Connie walks into a listing appointment, you will help make sure she is prepared. That includes property and tax history, prior MLS activity, parcel and PIN information, property details and professionally organized presentation materials.

Commissions & Listing Financials

• Prepare and maintain commission records
• Confirm commission information and resolve discrepancies
• Coordinate commission documentation with the brokerage
• Track approved listing expenses and property-specific budgets
• Maintain visibility into costs for photography, staging, vendors, marketing and other listing preparation

Technology & Systems

Technology is a significant part of this job.

Our current environment includes SkySlope, DigiSign, connectMLS/MRED, ShowingTime, LandGlide, Propel, Outlook, Dropbox, 1Password and a Mac-based office environment.

We are also actively evaluating CRM and client-management technology, including platforms such as Lofty and Luxury Presence. One of your early responsibilities will be helping us evaluate what we have, understand what we need, and help choose, implement and manage the right system.

You do not need experience with every platform we use. You do need to learn unfamiliar software quickly, understand how systems connect and become capable with new technology without needing repeated hand-holding.

Calendars, Email & Communication

• Help manage calendars and scheduling
• Organize email and follow-up
• Coordinate vendors and appointments
• Communicate with clients, agents and vendors
• Keep important items from falling through the cracks

Professional writing matters. You should be able to send a clear, polished email to a client, attorney, agent or vendor without needing someone else to rewrite it.

Vendors, Properties & Agent Support

• Coordinate photographers, stagers, contractors and other vendors
• Confirm appointments, deliverables and follow-up
• Help maintain vendor standards and relationships
• Support other agents when operational coordination is needed
• Assist Connie and Muge with projects and operational needs across the practice

THIS IS A HANDS-ON ROLE

Not all of the job happens behind a computer.

You may be at a property helping with staging preparation, moving small items, straightening a room, handling a last-minute cleanup, meeting a vendor or making sure a property is ready before photography or a showing.

We are not hiring an Operations Manager to spend the day cleaning houses. We are looking for someone who sees that a room needs ten more minutes of work before the photographer arrives and helps get it done.

HOW YOU WORK MATTERS

The strongest candidate will be:

• Fast and able to move with urgency without becoming careless
• Highly organized across multiple transactions, listings and priorities
• Technologically confident and quick to learn new software
• Resourceful and comfortable figuring things out
• A strong, professional writer
• Detail-oriented with names, dates, contracts, MLS data and financial information
• Polished and professional in communication, attire and demeanor
• Ambitious and interested in becoming increasingly valuable to the business
• Comfortable taking ownership once you understand a process

WHAT WE NEED

• 4+ years of relevant experience in real estate operations, transaction coordination, brokerage administration or a closely related role
• Experience managing residential real estate transactions from contract through closing
• Experience with an MLS and transaction-management platform
• Working knowledge of Illinois residential real estate transactions, contracts, deadlines and attorney review
• Strong technology skills and confidence working in a Mac-based environment
• Strong professional writing and communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment
• Excellent attention to detail
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation
• Ability to work in person in Barrington and travel regularly to nearby properties

HELPFUL, NOT REQUIRED

Experience with SkySlope, DigiSign, connectMLS, MRED, ShowingTime, luxury residential real estate, commission processing, CRM implementation, calendar/executive support, vendor management, listing budgets, Luxury Presence, Lofty, Outlook, Dropbox or 1Password.

Very few candidates will know every platform on that list. We care more about whether you can learn quickly and become the person others rely on to understand the systems.

THE TEAM AROUND YOU

You will report directly to Muge and work closely with Connie, who owns the practice.

Jameson Sotheby's provides brokerage compliance oversight, IT support, marketing resources and training. MRED provides MLS training, including one-on-one support. Vendor relationships are already established.

What we need is someone who can increasingly take ownership of the operating side and make the entire system work better.

YOUR FIRST TWO WEEKS

We have already built the onboarding plan for this role. It covers systems access, Outlook, Dropbox, SkySlope, DigiSign, connectMLS/MRED, ShowingTime, LandGlide, listing research, listing appointment preparation and a complete listing workflow.

One of your first projects will be reviewing our current CRM and workflow tools and helping determine what should stay, change or be consolidated.

PAY & BENEFITS

Target total compensation: $70,000 to $95,000 per year, consisting of base salary plus performance bonus.

Benefits include:

• 401(k) with safe harbor employer matching
• Monthly health insurance stipend toward a plan you choose
• Paid time off
• Ten paid holidays
• Professional development and training
• MRED classes and one-on-one MLS training
• Vendor and technology training
• Downtown Barrington office steps from the Metra

TO APPLY

Please submit your resume and tell us about a process, system or technology you inherited that was not working particularly well. What did you change, and what happened afterward?

We are less interested in a perfect answer than in understanding how you think.

Whip & Chip LLC dba Connie Antoniou Luxury Lifestyles is an equal opportunity employer. Employment is at-will and contingent upon successful completion of a background check.