President/chief executive officer jobs in Santa Clara, CA - 1,042 jobs

Company Background Gaetani Real Estate (GRE) has provided professional property management services to San Francisco Bay Area property owners for more than 75 years. Backed by three generations of experience, we deliver thoughtful, customized management solutions for commercial and multi-unit residential properties-taking the hassle and worry out of ownership while protecting long-term value. Position Summary The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a key member of the executive leadership team responsible for driving operational excellence, business scalability, and organizational alignment across a mid-size, multi-entity property management organization. This role oversees day-to-day operations and leads strategic initiatives that elevate the company into a best-in-class property management organization, with potential expansion through organic growth. The COO provides high-level vision and leadership while remaining hands-on to understand the business at a deep operational level. This individual will drive accountability, optimize processes, strengthen cross-functional collaboration, and ensure the company delivers exceptional service to owners and residents, while increasing profitability. This role oversees corporate and field operations including: Property Management (APMS, OSM, PMs) Maintenance (Marview Maintenance) Human Resources (in partnership with the Human Resources Director) Leasing team Inspection team Key Responsibilities & Duties Strategic Leadership & Growth Partner with PRNs and executive leadership to define, refine, and execute the company's long-term strategic plan. Build an operational roadmap that supports scaling the organization to the “next level” while maintaining culture, compliance, and service quality. Lead organizational assessments and design improvements across workflow, communication, technology, staff structure, and operational efficiency. Explore and evaluate potential acquisitions of small property management companies, including operational due diligence, integration planning, and post-acquisition alignment. Drive adoption of industry best practices and service standards to position the organization as a market leader in operational excellence. Operational Management Provide direct leadership and oversight to Property Management, Marview Maintenance, Leasing, Inspections, and corporate operations (HR). Develop and maintain performance metrics, KPIs, service-level expectations, and dashboards to track operational health across all departments. Build consistent, scalable processes that applies procure-to-pay and project-to-cash principles for property operations, maintenance scheduling, inspections, leasing, tenant relations Pre-emptively plan and execute oncompliance requirements. Standardize communication for field teams (technicians and OSMs) and the corporate office. Ensure seamless coordination between Marview Maintenance and Property Management to improve turn times, maintenance quality, owner satisfaction, and resident experience. Drive cross-department alignment with Portfolio Accounting, and collaborate on standard operating procedures that increase work efficiency, ; strengthen data quality and enable reporting Property Management Oversight Ensure PMs, APMs, and OSMs receive clear expectations, standardized workflows, and consistent training to maintain high service delivery. Improve communication between PM teams and clients, ensuring transparency and continued relationship building and trust. Ensure compliance with state and local landlord-tenant laws, rent control rules, notice requirements, and inspection standards. Strengthen processes related to turnovers, vendor management, leasing velocity, resident satisfaction, and building operations. Build out a standardized process for onboarding, offboarding, property management that is executed clearly. Maintenance Operations (Marview Maintenance) Ensure maintenance operations are efficient, cost-effective, and responsive. Oversee scheduling systems, technician performance, work order quality standards, and customer service outcomes. Introduce preventative maintenance programs and long-term capital planning coordination with PMs and ownership. Improve maintenance reporting and communication between Marview and corporate stakeholders. Leasing & Inspection Teams Supervise the leasing department, ensuring leasing velocity targets, marketing quality, strategic pricing, showing activity, application processing, and move-in readiness. Oversee the inspection team's compliance with local regulatory requirements (especially for SF), routine inspection schedules, and building conditions reporting. Ensure inspection data feeds into maintenance planning, property budgeting, and owner communication. Technology, Systems & Process Improvement Collaborate with the CFO on the optimization of AppFolio, including workflows, data consistency, reporting, and user adoption. Identify and implement technology solutions that improve efficiency across departments (maintenance routing, inspection tools, HRIS, etc.). Build repeatable SOPs, templates, training guides, and scalable operational frameworks that reduce errors and dependency on individuals. Improve reporting structures and internal communication channels (Teams, task systems, dashboards). Partnership with CFO Partner with the CFO to provide input to the company's financial budgeting cycle and contribute insight to periodic performance tracking across fees, maintenance revenue, commissions, and unit growth Ensuring alignment between financial strategy, operational goals, and day-to-day business activity. Understand and provide inputs to corporate budgeting processes, variance analysis, and forecasting, Discuss and opine on cross functional workflow build out, and set priorities for cross-functional initiatives Optimize vendor contracts, property management contracts, maintenance spending, inventory control, and operational expenses. Qualifications Required 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, property management, facilities/maintenance, real estate services, hospitality, multi-site management, or another complex operational industry. Proven experience scaling operations or leading multi-department organizations. Experience overseeing multiple business units or cross-functional teams (Operations, HR, Maintenance, etc.). Strong financial acumen with ability to interpret financial statements, understand budgets, and partner with the CFO/finance team. Demonstrated success implementing operational improvements and building processes from the ground up. Strong leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills. Ability to be both strategic and hands-on, comfortable with executive decision-making and tactical problem-solving. Ability to work within regulated environments and willingness to learn property management laws (if not already experienced). Preferred Experience in property management, real estate, multi-family, or facilities/maintenance environments. Experience with AppFolio or similar property management systems. Experience with mergers & acquisitions or integrating acquired companies. Experience with California or San Francisco-specific housing compliance. Core Competencies Strategic Planning & Execution Operational Excellence Process Design & Standardization Leadership Development Scalability / Systems Thinking Financial Analysis & Budget Knowledge Problem-Solving & Decision-Making Cross-Functional Alignment People & Culture Leadership Success in This Role Looks Like A best-in-class property management department with standardized processes and predictable performance A strong, aligned leadership team across PM, maintenance, leasing, HR, accounting, and inspections Clear KPIs, reporting structures, and communication channels Faster maintenance response times and improved tenant/owner satisfaction Improved financial performance and operational efficiency A roadmap for scaling or acquisitions A culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement A COO who can operate at the executive level and step into tactical work Annual Salary Range The annual salary range for this position is $300,000-$400,000. Final compensation may be higher and will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and business needs. Equal Employment Opportunity Gaetani Real Estate is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related conditions, ancestry, medical condition (including genetic characteristics), veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in a manner consistent with applicable law.