Developing Careers In Residential Management
With the residential living sector experiencing huge growth at the moment, we wanted to take a deep dive into how the space is developing for those working within it, and how their stories could inspire others to take similar paths.
Step forward Queen Ng'wananogu, now General Manager at luxury residential living provider, Dandi, who has been making a name for herself in the residential property management space recently, using her 17 years of experience in residential living in a series of LinkedIn posts as part of her drive to reach 40,000 followers by her 40th birthday. Our exclusive interview with her talks through her career in the space, touching upon:
- The difference between working for different residential living providers – from later living to BTR and luxury co-living
- The key traits required for a successful and developing career in residential property management
- How she hires and what she looks for in a new recruit
- And much, much more.
Whether you already work in the residential living space, hire into it, or want to find out more about what it’s like to work within residential living, you’ll want to see the insights from our interview with Queen below.
A career in residential management – how do organisations differ?
There are plenty of different ways people begin their careers in property management, across plenty of different types of environments.
Queen is no different – somewhat falling into property after moving to the UK, helping with her partner’s landlord and development business. In that role, she got a grounding in property management - handling leasing, arranging maintenance, managing contracts, and being the first point of contact for residents.
Getting into property and the beginning of a career in residential management
When her personal circumstances changed, she made the full-time move into the sector, joining as a Development Manager in the later living division at UK-wide property management firm, Firstport. Working with the elderly – being able to have an open door for a chat with residents, was a great introduction to the importance of people and personability in property – and the skills that would stand Queen in good stead going forward.
Next, she joined Quintain, a BTR specialist at their Wembley site. Here, she specialised in defect management as a Customer Service Administrator. Quite corporate in nature, roles and departments’ tasks were often segregated at Quintain – giving staff the chance to truly specialise in their roles, but not necessarily the exposure to all areas of residential management unless you proactively ask for it (something Queen did – getting involved with investor tours outside of her classic remit).
Moving from Later Living to BTR and Co-Living
Queen then joined Dandi – a family-run luxury co-living accommodation provider, at their Wembley site as a Defects Manager. Crucial to how she wanted to develop, she didn’t limit herself to the back office here, immersing herself in front-of-house activities, engaging with residents, and volunteering at community events.
How Queen's position has developed while at Dandi
Her enthusiasm and initiative were recognised, and she was promoted to Senior Resident Services Manager - a more resident-facing role - and eventually to General Manager, when the new site at Brondesbury was set up. Find out more about the day-to-day of her role as a General Manager below.
What does a General Manager do at a luxury residential living provider?
Traits needed for a successful career in residential living
As the above suggests, there are plenty of different roles available within residential living, suited to different personality types and skillsets.
What’s paramount to Queen though, when building out her own teams, is the personality and personal attributes of her potential hires, rather than the technical skills they possess when starting in their roles, or the sector in general.
How do you develop a team in residential management, and what do you look for when hiring?
According to Queen, “Customer Service and hospitality backgrounds are the way forward when it comes to hiring in residential living”. The ability to listen, relate, and respond effectively to people is more critical than ever. Indeed, this is something we hear from various hiring managers in different areas of residential management, as the sector becomes even more competitive for the best residential experience possible.
Advice for those looking to develop a career in BTR or Co-Living
Queen is a perfect example of how empathy, visibility, and adaptability can propel a career in residential living. By combining operational skill with genuine human connection, she’s built a career that’s both impactful and inspiring.
If you’re looking to join the exciting and ever-growing residential management sector, check out our live jobs here or get in touch with our specialist team below to discuss your potential future in the sector.
Millie Hunt – Mhunt@cobaltrecruitment.com
Eden Kendall - EKendall@cobaltrecruitment.com
Or, for those hiring into their residential management teams across asset classes, see our array of success stories working with different residential living providers here.
Thank you to Queen for her time - for Queen's regular posts and insights into the residential management space, and to help her on her 40k by 40 challenge, connect with her on LinkedIn here.
