Business Systems Manager (Student Living)

at  Hines

Overview:
When you join Hines, you will embark on a career journey fueled by vision and guided by leaders who set the standards of our industry. Our legacy is rooted in innovation and excellence, earning us a spot on Fast Company’s esteemed annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2024. Discover endless opportunities to grow and make your mark at Hines.
Responsibilities:

As the Business Systems Manager within GDSO’s Living Technologies Team, you are part of a collaborative and service-oriented Information Technology Team, partnering with the aParto Accounting/Finance, Marketing, and Operations Team across the UK, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and soon France enabling Hines Europe to deliver an industry-leading Student Living experience. Supporting our Site Teams and partnering with Accounting/Finance Teams, you will ensure business processes are properly configured within StarRez and financial transactions are consistently and accurately recorded within our financial system of record. Leading the StarRez Support Team and collaborating with Marketing and Operations Teams, you will play a critical role in providing an optimal and frictionless End User Experience for our Site Teams and Student Residents. In addition, you will engage with acquisitions and new development efforts as Hines continues to grow its PBSA portfolio. As such, this will be a highly visible and collaborative role across the Hines Organization, requiring you to create and maintain strong working relationships with other Teams at your peer level and upwards to Senior Leadership across Hines. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Work with Accounting/Finance, Marketing, Operations, and Site Management Teams throughout the UK, Ireland, Italy and Spain to shape future StarRez usage and policy.
• Leading the StarRez Support Team, ensure proper configuration and settings for each company asset including the renewal of annual term sessions.
• Through a strategic partnership with StarRez Professional Services, your internal StarRez Support Team and potentially individual external contractors, create a seamless Support Team providing responsive and solution-oriented application support our On-Site Teams.
• Grow the aparto portfolio through your value-add contributions with cross-sectional Teams on-boarding other Student Accommodation assets through acquisitions and new development.
• Partner with Accounting/Finance, Marketing, and Operations Teams to ensure these Teams maintain operational and financial visibility through built-in and custom reporting and analytics capabilities.
• Ensure Students and Guest Residents have a streamlined booking experience, adhering to our design principles.
• Audit StarRez security settings for appropriate system access levels throughout the StarRez user base.
• Ensure StarRez Support Team is trained in all aspects of StarRez administration.
• Managing the StarRez Professional Services relationship, be the central point of contact for prioritizing and escalating issues impacting our On-Site Teams’ efficiency and effectiveness within StarRez as well as ensuring StarRez meets or beats SLA (Service Level Agreement) objectives.
• Attending StarRez conferences, develop and maintain partnership to influence their Product Road Map to align with organizational goals.
• Engage with industry subject matter experts and practitioners, maintaining visibility and keeping abreast of industry trends, best practices and industry innovations.
• Leveraging our internal employee development process, manage your Direct Reports’ performance and development, preparing them for future opportunities within the organization in addition to actively developing your own Succession Plan to ensure Team continuity.
• Though StarRez is our current Property Management System, partner with GDSO’s Business Process Management Team and Senior Leadership to comprehensively vet alternative platforms, ensuring Hines is using best-in-class systems aligned with portfolio growth as well as plans for additional lines of business, including Short Stay, Hostel, and other related businesses.

Qualifications:
Minimum Requirements include:
-

Bachelor’s degree, or other related work experience.

• Higher Education and PBSA industry experience.
• Demonstrated leadership skills.
• Two or more years’ experience using or supporting StarRez Property Management System (cloud).
• Two or more years’ experience leading people.
• Excellent communication skills and service-oriented approach to End User support.
• Excellent time management and task prioritization skills.
• Proficient with MS Office 365 (i.e., Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Proficient with collaboration platforms (i.e., MS Teams, Zoom, etc.).
• Experience using Power BI, Smartsheet and SQL preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working with international Teams.

Closing:
At Hines, we strive for excellence as a leading global real estate investment manager, driven by our by our belief that real estate is fundamentally about people. Our diverse portfolio spans $93.2 billion¹ of assets across such property types as living, office, retail, mixed-use, logistics and life science projects – all designed to enhance value, connection and inspiration. Our strategic approach integrates local expertise with global knowledge, taking calculated risks aligned with our convictions to exceed expectations and tailor solutions to our clients’ needs.
While our projects are renowned for enhancing cities and pioneering sustainable practices, we recognize that the true driving force behind Hines’ success is our 5,000 dedicated employees in 30 countries who draw on our 65-year history to build the world forward. This is why we prioritize investing in our people, offering comprehensive training, competitive compensation, robust benefits and generous vacation packages. By centering our focus on the growth and wellbeing of our team, we cultivate an inclusive environment where everyone, including our clients, can thrive.
Hines is proud to be named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2024. ¹Includes both the global Hines organization and RIA AUM as of December 31, 2023.
We are an equal opportunity employer and support workforce diversity.
No calls or emails from third parties at this time please

• Work with Accounting/Finance, Marketing, Operations, and Site Management Teams throughout the UK, Ireland, Italy and Spain to shape future StarRez usage and policy.
• Leading the StarRez Support Team, ensure proper configuration and settings for each company asset including the renewal of annual term sessions.
• Through a strategic partnership with StarRez Professional Services, your internal StarRez Support Team and potentially individual external contractors, create a seamless Support Team providing responsive and solution-oriented application support our On-Site Teams.
• Grow the aparto portfolio through your value-add contributions with cross-sectional Teams on-boarding other Student Accommodation assets through acquisitions and new development.
• Partner with Accounting/Finance, Marketing, and Operations Teams to ensure these Teams maintain operational and financial visibility through built-in and custom reporting and analytics capabilities.
• Ensure Students and Guest Residents have a streamlined booking experience, adhering to our design principles.
• Audit StarRez security settings for appropriate system access levels throughout the StarRez user base.
• Ensure StarRez Support Team is trained in all aspects of StarRez administration.
• Managing the StarRez Professional Services relationship, be the central point of contact for prioritizing and escalating issues impacting our On-Site Teams’ efficiency and effectiveness within StarRez as well as ensuring StarRez meets or beats SLA (Service Level Agreement) objectives.
• Attending StarRez conferences, develop and maintain partnership to influence their Product Road Map to align with organizational goals.
• Engage with industry subject matter experts and practitioners, maintaining visibility and keeping abreast of industry trends, best practices and industry innovations.
• Leveraging our internal employee development process, manage your Direct Reports’ performance and development, preparing them for future opportunities within the organization in addition to actively developing your own Succession Plan to ensure Team continuity.
• Though StarRez is our current Property Management System, partner with GDSO’s Business Process Management Team and Senior Leadership to comprehensively vet alternative platforms, ensuring Hines is using best-in-class systems aligned with portfolio growth as well as plans for additional lines of business, including Short Stay, Hostel, and other related businesses