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succession
planning
Succession planning – A key
imperative
Historically, estate management is not something
that one would typically regard as a lucrative
career path. Very few estate managers in South
Africa studied to qualify for that position.
The majority found themselves in estate
management after deciding on a career change,
when they were employed to project manage
a development and then found themselves
with the added responsibilities that come with
a community that has been fully populated.
Although most excel at what they do, it takes
time and experience to learn the intricacies that
come with the job. Statistics show that around
90% of estate managers are male and more
than 70% of those are over the age of 50, so
if there was ever a time to take succession
members of the estate management team have
very specific jobs, and it is only the manager
who is exposed to all elements of community
management. So simply promoting the security
manager or operations manager to the estate
manager’s position is like beginning all over
again.
Every HOA should start identifying members of
their management team who have the potential
to grow into competent estate managers
regardless of the job they currently perform.
ARC plans to undertake a project that will
encompass an industrywide audit of the
current HOA management structure of our
member estates. We plan to look at job titles,
job descriptions, roles and responsibilities,
planning seriously in this industry, it is now.
and specific job outputs and key performance
Experience tells us that when an estate loses a
the current salary structures attached to the
manager, the position is simply filled by another
manager in the industry – or, if a manager is
appointed from outside the industry, a large
amount of time and money is needed to train
that person in the specialised knowledge and
skills required. Very little succession planning
is carried out and very little has been done to
standardise the roles and responsibilities of the
estate manager so that when a homeowners’
association (HOA) appoints a new manager, it
has a clear understanding of the appropriate
indicators (KPIs). We also intend to look at
different job titles and duties and to develop
a detailed benchmarking for implementation
industrywide.
Apart from our efforts as an association to
standardise this aspect of the industry, ARC
urges its members to undertake their own
internal staff audits with a view to reaching a
stage at which anyone in the management team
is capable of stepping into the shoes of the
estate manager should the situation demand
criteria.
it. Clearly defined job outputs and KPIs, with
It is clear from this that there are two main
accountability among the management staff, as
problems. Firstly, as an industry we have not
clearly defined the roles, responsibilities, skills
directly linked salary levels, will ensure more
well as making it easier for a new staff member
to transition into the team.
and attributes that clarify the position. Secondly,
we tend not to plan properly for an estate
Jonathan Gilmour
manager’s retirement or departure. The various
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