Short-Term Rental Manager – Luxury Properties

Location: San Diego (in-person required)

Start: ASAP

We're looking for a San Diego–based STR property manager with 3+ years of hands-on experience onboarding and operating Airbnb/Vrbo listings. You must have an existing local vendor network (cleaners, handymen, inspectors), be comfortable with tech/AI, and be available for in-person property visits in Mission Hills, Pacific Beach, and Pt Loma. If you don't meet all three, this isn't the role for you.

Still reading? We're a boutique luxury STR management company scaling our San Diego portfolio. This is a hands-on, detail-driven operations role focused on new property launches, quality control, vendor coordination, and guest experience optimization.

What You’ll Be Doing

New Property Onboarding (Top Priority)

You’ll serve as the primary point of contact once a new property signs with us.
• Coordinate onboarding tasks such as working with designers, setting up locks and cameras, scheduling photography, and preparing the property for launch
• Build and manage a repeatable “Owner Signed → Live & Performing” launch checklist
• Ensure new properties are fully operational and guest-ready before going live

Inspection Oversight & Quality Control
• Oversee inspections to ensure properties meet standards before guest arrivals
• Manage the current inspector and help add backup inspection coverage
• Review inspection results and ensure issues are resolved quickly

Vendor & Local Network Management
• Maintain a strong local network of cleaners, handymen, landscapers, and other vendors
• Hold vendors accountable; replace underperformers quickly and professionally

Guest Experience Enhancement
• Devise system to assist with guest issues and after-hours situations not fully handled by our current systems
• Identify opportunities to elevate the guest experience through amenities, design details, or curated local partnerships.
• Partner with marketing to support guest-facing initiatives, such as referral programs or branded in-home items.

Process Improvement
• Work closely with our operations team to identify process improvements and help scale as we add properties

What We’re Looking For

Must-Have
• Local to San Diego – You’ll be spending a lot of time Mission Hills/Pacific Beach/Pt Loma
• Minimum 3 years experience in short-term rental property management (Airbnb, VRBO, vacation rentals)
• Proven experience onboarding and launching STR properties from contract to live listing
• Existing San Diego vendor relationships (cleaners, handymen, inspectors, landscapers)
• Highly organized, responsive, and comfortable working independently
• Willing to jump in and help as needed — equally comfortable handling minor hands-on tasks as well as coordinating by phone

Strongly Preferred:
• Experience managing boutique or luxury vacation rentals (vs. budget/high-volume)
• Familiarity with AI tools for operations (ChatGPT, workflow automation)
• Background in hospitality, interior staging, or guest experience design
·
The Details

Compensation: $28–$35/hour, based on experience
Structure: 90-day trial as a consultant
Growth Path: Opportunity to transition to a salaried role (~$70,000) with performance incentives


How to Apply -Submit your Resume via email along with these three requirements:

Your application will not be considered unless you submit ALL of the following:
1. Resume
2. 3-minute video answering: "Walk us through an STR property you personally launched from contract signing to first guest. What was the biggest challenge in getting it guest-ready and how did you solve it?"
3. Written response: What types of San Diego vendors do you currently have relationships with? (cleaners, handymen, inspectors, landscapers, etc.) Describe the types and how long you've worked with them.
4. Written response: Describe a time you personally stepped in to solve a property issue (maintenance, inspection, or guest emergency). What was the issue and what action did you take?

This isn’t a 9-5 sit behind a desk role — it’s a hands-on position on a team that cares deeply about quality, accountability, and doing things well. We’re an intentionally small, tight-knit team that works hard, plays hard, and supports each other fully. We trust people to own their role, step in when needed, and take pride in the end result. If you’re highly motivated, take initiative without being asked, and want to be part of a team that genuinely enjoys working together, we'd love to hear from you.