How to break into Commercial Property Management or Lease Administration

Working as a broker in commercial real estate can be very exciting and entrepreneurial given the unlimited potential.

However in uncertain times, many professionals want to leverage their experience and switch laterally to roles as salaried employees.

Two commonly advertised roles that are often mistaken for one another are the commercial property manager and the lease administrator.

Although both are essential to a well-run lease portfolio, their responsibilities, skill sets, and even their primary stakeholders differ significantly.

Lets dive into it.

What Does a Commercial Property Manager Do?

A commercial property manager is primarily responsible for the physical and operational management of a property. Think of them as the on-the-ground leader making sure everything works as it should—HVAC, security systems, landscaping, janitorial services, and more.

Key Responsibilities

- Oversee day-to-day building operations
- Manage vendor and maintenance contracts
- Serve as the first point of contact for tenant issues
- Ensure compliance with building codes and local regulations
- Monitor budgets, control expenses, and handle some aspects of rent collection

What Does a Lease Administrator Do?

A lease administrator focuses on the documentation and financial accuracy of lease agreements. This person ensures that all terms of the lease are being followed—by both landlord and tenant—and that key dates, charges, and escalations are correctly recorded and executed.

Key Responsibilities

- Maintain and update lease data in lease management software
- Track lease terms, renewals, options, and critical dates
- Calculate rent escalations and manage billing accuracy such as operating expense estimates versus statements
- Monitor compliance with lease clauses
- Generate lease reports for asset managers, accountants, or legal teams

Skills & Certifications

Commercial Property Manager

Skills

- Strong communication and negotiation
- Budgeting and financial oversight
- Vendor and contractor management
- Knowledge of building systems and maintenance
- Conflict resolution and tenant relationship management

Certifications : Highly recommended as most job opportunities will consider these mandatory requirements

- CPM (Certified Property Manager) – IREM
- RPA (Real Property Administrator) – BOMI
- Facilities Management Professional (FMP) – IFMA
- Real estate license (in most states)

While property manager roles exist in both residential and commercial real estate, the required skills—especially around financial oversight and facilities management—can differ significantly.

In commercial real estate, property managers often handle complex lease portfolios involving large-scale vendors, formal Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMCs), and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) warranties for equipment like HVAC systems, elevators, or building automation. These systems require specialized coordination, documentation, and scheduled servicing at a much larger scale.

By contrast, a property manager overseeing single-family homes is more likely to work with local, independent contractors for a wide range of tasks—from plumbing and electrical to heating repairs—on a case-by-case basis, often without long-term contracts.

The scope and scale of budgeting also varies dramatically. Commercial property managers are often responsible for managing large capital expenditure (CapEx) projects and detailed operating expense (OpEx) budgets, sometimes across multiple tenants and properties. Residential property managers typically work with smaller budgets and less complexity in terms of scale and planning.

Lease Administrator

Skills

- Attention to detail and data accuracy
- Understanding of lease terms and legal language
- Excel and lease management software proficiency
- Analytical and reporting skills
- Cross-functional communication

Certifications: Recommended but not necessary if you have experience in lease portfolio

- CLM (Certified Lease Manager)
- Real Property Administrator (RPA)
- Paralegal Certificate (optional but helpful)
- Understanding of  lease accounting standards like ASC 842

Lease administrators have to be very comfortable with the language of intricate and complex commercial real estate leases. Often, the junior roles are outsourced to BPOs or service providers and the inhouse team at a commercial tenant may be responsible for oversight and overall management of the lease portfolio.

Who Do They Work For?

Here’s a general rule of thumb:
- Lease administrators are more commonly employed by tenants—especially corporate tenants with a large lease portfolio across multiple locations. The roles are most likely to be based out of an office , hybrid or work from home

- Commercial property managers are typically hired by landlords or asset managers. These roles are always onsite so make sure that the commute to the building is feasible when applying for a role.

Why Both Roles Matter

For any landlord, investor, or corporate tenant managing multiple commercial spaces, having both strong property management and lease administration functions is key to:
- Maximizing asset performance
- Avoiding costly mistakes or oversights
- Ensuring smooth tenant/landlord relationships
- Staying on top of lease terms and renewals

Together, the commercial property manager and lease administrator help protect the integrity—and profitability—of a commercial lease portfolio.

Whether you’re on the landlord or tenant side, knowledge in tools or services that bridge these two roles are definitely advantageous because learning them is a steep curve. Most employers would rather hire someone that has experience and understanding of the commercial real estate intricacies.