Property & Tenant Relations Manager

Statement of Duties:
The Property and Tenant Relations Manager oversees the daily operations, tenant relations, and interdepartmental coordination for the portfolio of City-owned real estate leased to third parties, which currently includes the Somerville Armory, a multi-tenant arts and cultural facility, and 165 Broadway, a former fire station with multiple non-profit tenants. Soon, the portfolio will expand to include the Ralph and Jenny Center, a property housing the City’s Senior Center and additional tenants.

This role serves as the City’s primary and centralized point of contact for all tenant relations within the portfolio properties. The Manager is accountable for proactive relationship management, issue resolution, and ensuring a high level of tenant satisfaction. The Manager also coordinates with City departments who offer programming in these buildings. The Manager is responsible for building strong partnerships, supporting facility operations, and advancing the buildings’ roles in the civic life of the community.

The position also coordinates the City’s response to maintenance and operational issues within the buildings, serving as the central conduit between tenants and the Department of Public Works (DPW) and other relevant City departments.

In addition, the Manager coordinates, drafts, and promotes leasing opportunities within the portfolio.

About the Portfolio

Somerville Armory, 191 Highland Avenue: The Somerville Armory is a 125-year-old former National Guard Armory that was converted into an Arts and Cultural Center in 2008. The City acquired the building to preserve the artistic mission for the long-term and developed a Master Plan to guide the next phase of the building’s activities. It is envisioned that the Armory will serve as a cornerstone of Somerville’s creative economy and civic life, and to do so it will host a range of artistic tenants with diverse activities that serve everyone from the budding young artist to the professional. Tenants for the Armory will be selected in summer 2026 and the Manager will be supporting the onboarding of those selected tenants.

165 Broadway: The property at 165 Broadway is a former fire station that has been rented to non-profit tenants since the 1980s: Project Soup, a food pantry serving 900 families a month, and The Center for Teen Empowerment, employing and mobilizing teenage youth across the community.

Ralph and Jenny Center, 9 New Washington Street: The Ralph and Jenny Center will be donated to the City of Somerville by the Ralph and Jenny DeVitto Trust in 2026. The property consists of two buildings. One building is fully leased to a single tenant. In the second building, the City of Somerville Council on Aging operates a Senior Center on the first floor, while the second floor is leased to a tenant. Several tenants will remain in place after the transfer. The Property Manager will oversee the transition of the property to City ownership and ensure continuity of operations and tenant relationships.

Essential Functions:
Tenant Relations & Facility Operations

Serve as the primary point of contact for all portfolio building tenants: respond to inquiries, resolve issues, and facilitate collaboration among tenants, City staff, and any supporting partners and organizations.
Proactively maintain regular communication with tenants to identify emerging concerns, operational needs, and opportunities for collaboration.
Coordinate tenant leases and licenses, manage common space use requests, and establish shared schedules in partnership with collaborating City departments for each of the portfolio sites.
Liaise with the Department of Public Works (DPW) for maintenance, custodial, and facility support; track and report facility needs.
Receive, triage, track, and monitor maintenance requests reported by tenants ensuring timely communication, follow-up, and resolution.
Ensure that tenants comply with City policies, public safety standards, and accessibility requirements.
Support planning and implementation of capital improvements.
Coordinate with appropriate City staff to ensure revenue and expenses associated with the portfolio properties are submitted properly and tracked through basic accounting procedures.
Respond to public inquiries, conduct building tours, and provide information about programs, tenants, and events.
Leasing Coordination

Coordinate leasing activities for City-owned portfolio properties, including marketing available spaces, responding to inquiries, and coordinating showings.
Manage the commercial leasing process from prospect identification through lease negotiation support, RFP development, execution, and tenant move-in coordination.
Serve as the primary liaison between the City, prospective tenants, and City staff.
Maintain accurate records of lease terms, expirations, rent schedules, and occupancy status; prepare periodic reports on leasing activity and vacancies.
Ensure leasing activities comply with applicable municipal policies, procurement requirements, and relevant local, state, and federal regulations.
Armory-Specific Responsibilities

The Armory will be the most dynamic of the three properties in the first few years. The responsibilities specific to the Armory include:

Support relationship development amongst tenants and the creation of a strong building community.
Convene regular tenant meetings to share updates, build community, and gather feedback on building operations and programming.
Be a regular visible presence in the Armory (multiple times per week), and represent the City as a welcoming, informed ambassador.
Support the Somerville Arts Council in enacting the mission, vision of success, and goals outlined in the Armory Master Plan, and in identifying opportunities for partnerships, programs, and innovations that strengthen the Armory’s role in Somerville’s arts and cultural ecosystem.
Serve as staff liaison to the Armory Advisory Board, a community board tasked with supporting the City to uphold the long-term mission, review progress to financial stability, and advise on prioritizing investments in the property. Prepare meeting agendas, materials, and minutes; ensure timely communication and follow-up on Board recommendations.
Maintain effective communication between the Armory Advisory Board, City staff, and tenants to support transparency and shared purpose.
Recommended Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree or sufficient field experience in Property Management, Arts Administration, or a related field.
Minimum 3–5 years of experience in property management or facilities management, arts venue management, and/or municipal coordination.
Experience managing multi-tenant commercial property or community arts/non-profit facilities strongly preferred.
Familiarity with Somerville’s arts and non-profit ecosystem and municipal operations is desirable.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to coordinate across and manage relationships with diverse stakeholders.
Knowledge of facilities management, leasing, and public-sector operations.
Knowledge and experience with arts and community-based organizations and grassroots initiatives.
Ability to facilitate meetings, manage data, and prepare reports and presentations.
Comfortable working in a public-facing, dynamic, and evolving environment.
Strong attention to operational detail.
Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The City of Somerville’s workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse. Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.
Hours: Full-Time, City Hall Hours with availability to work occasional evenings or weekends for meetings and events.
Salary: $90,000 annualized, plus benefits.
FLSA: Exempt
Union: Non-Union
Date Posted: April 2nd, 2026