This is a remote international contractor position. Us-based applicants will not be considered. We welcome candidates from latin america, south africa, and other international markets. This role requires professional english fluency (you will communicate directly with property owners, tenants, and vendors in santa barbara, california), availability during us pacific time business hours (8 am – 5 pm pt), and reliable high-speed internet.
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about mission city
mission city property management is a boutique residential property management company in santa barbara, california. We manage approximately 100 single-family and multi-family rental doors in one of the most desirable (and most regulated) markets in the country.
santa barbara is known for poor property management. We exist to change that.
our model is simple: people first, supported by technology. Every system we build starts with the human experience, the owner, the tenant, the team member. And we are growing. Our target is 175 doors by end of q3 2026, with continued growth to 300+ and beyond.
we are a small team (founder + one remote support team member) looking for the person who becomes the operational backbone of this company.
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the role
this is not a virtual assistant position. This is not a support role. This is the founder's number two.
the director of operations will own the day-to-day operations of mission city, build the systems and processes that don't exist yet, lead and develop the team, and create the structure that allows the founder to step back from operations and focus on growth.
you will work with the founder, not under him. That means:
→ owning the operation: processes, systems, responsiveness, service quality, and accountability. When something breaks, you fix it. When something is missing, you build it.
→ leading the team: directly managing the current team member, building clear roles and expectations, and proactively planning for future hires as the company grows.
→ supporting the founder: creating the operating rhythm, running the meetings, building the agendas, and pushing back when priorities drift. The founder is a visionary who builds at midnight and gets pulled into the weeds.
this role has real authority. You don't wait to be told what to do. You identify problems, create solutions, and implement them. You bring the founder updates, not questions.
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what you'll be responsible for
operations:
→ build and run a weekly operating rhythm (team check-ins, task tracking, kpi monitoring) without requiring the founder's presence
→ serve as the primary escalation point for operational issues, resolving independently and briefing the founder after
→ ensure compliance with california dre regulations, understanding which activities require the licensed broker's involvement
team:
→ directly manage the existing support team member, providing structure, accountability, role clarity, and development
→ build a culture of ownership, follow-through, and proactive communication → identify hiring needs before they become emergencies. Plan and budget for growth proactively.
process and systems:
→ audit, document, and improve workflows across leasing, maintenance, owner communication, tenant relations, and vendor management
→ build sops and documentation that anyone on the team can follow without the creator being in the room
→ evaluate the existing tech stack (8 platforms) using a three-layer approach: is this the right tool? Are we maximizing it? How does it connect to the rest of the stack?
→ surface gaps and automation opportunities for the founder to build against
client experience:
→ own the responsiveness standard: when mission city says it will do something, it gets done
→ build systems so no communication falls through the cracks across six inbound channels
→ ensure every interaction reflects a premium, boutique service standard
financial operations:
→ help evaluate and optimize corporate accounting and trust accounting for growth
→ coordinate with outsourced accounting partners
regulatory and compliance:
→ stay current on california and santa barbara regulatory changes
→ translate changes into operational updates → build a knowledge base for licensed vs. unlicensed activities under california dre
growth:
→ current growth target is 175 doors by end of q3 2026
→ build operational capacity that supports growth without sacrificing quality
→ build everything with scale in mind: what works at 100 doors should work at 300
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what success looks like
for our clients:
→ owners feel informed and confident. They know what's happening before they have to ask.
→ tenants feel respected and heard. Every message gets a real response.
→ when we say we'll do something, it gets done. Every time.
internally:
→ systems are documented, scalable, and not dependent on any one person
→ team members are accountable, supported, and clear on what's expected
→ operations run without constant founder involvement
→ the founder is only needed for escalations and situations requiring a licensed broker
by month 6:
→ weekly ops meetings running consistently with team buy-in
→ kpis built and defined (real metrics that measure company health, not busy work)
→ all operational functions either have a clear process or a documented build plan
→ the founder has a high-level view of operations without being in the weeds
→ quarterly bonus structure defined and ready to activate
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how we build at mission city
→ people first, supported by technology. Every system starts with the human experience. Technology supports people, it doesn't replace the relationship.
→ buy-in, ownership, and purpose. Every sop, meeting, and system exists because it makes the team, the service, or the operation better. If it doesn't serve a clear purpose, we challenge it.
→ premium quality, not industry average. The benchmark is what the best boutique management companies do, not what the industry has always done.
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compensation
→ base salary: $3,500 - $4,500/month depending on experience
→ paid monthly via wise
→ salaried position. Compensation is based on outcomes and impact, not hours tracked.
schedule: monday–friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm pacific time u.s. holidays observed and paid. 5 additional pto days per year.
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who we're looking for
→ operations experience in property management, hospitality, or a service-heavy industry. Pm experience is a plus but not required.
→ experience managing people and holding them accountable, including difficult conversations
→ experience working with or managing a founder/visionary personality
→ strong communicator who is clear, direct, and comfortable pushing back respectfully
→ self-directed problem solver who figures things out without waiting for instructions
→ bilingual (english/spanish) required
→ based outside the united states, available during us pacific time hours
→ reliable high-speed internet and professional home office setup
→ comfortable learning new technology and tools
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why this role matters
this is not a maintenance role. It's a build role.
you will shape how this company operates as it grows. The systems, the culture, the service standard, you're building it. This is the ground floor of something meaningful with real ownership and the ability to make decisions and implement change.
if you're looking for a role where you punch in, follow a playbook, and punch out, this isn't it. If you're looking for a role where you partner with a founder to build a company that sets a new standard for an industry that badly needs it, we want to hear from you.
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how to apply
submit the following to apply@missioncitypm.com:
* resume
* internet speed test — screenshot from speedtest.net. Minimum 100 mbps download, 20 mbps upload.
* video introduction (2-3 min) — loom, youtube unlisted, or google drive. Answer: → tell us about yourself and your background in 60 seconds. → what attracted you to this role at mission city? → describe a time you walked into a situation with no structure and had to build it from scratch. We're looking for clear communication, strong english fluency, and how you come across to stakeholders.
* disc assessment — free at tonyrobbins.com/disc. Include your results.
* extra credit (optional): a) what does ai and automation mean to you in your day-to-day work? B) how would you fix a company with 6 communication channels where messages get missed? C) what does "premium service" mean to you? Give a specific example.
applications missing items 1-4 will not be reviewed. We know this is more effort than typical. That's intentional.
* we respond to every complete application.