Manager, Transaction Operations

About Baird & Warner Real Estate

Over the last decade, Baird & Warner was named a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace ten times in a row. But we didn’t get there by accident — behind every great company is a culture created by the professionals who work there. Throughout our rich history, one thing has remained true: we believe that when you give people the support they need, amazing things can happen. That’s why at Baird & Warner we empower you to be independent, to grow in your career, to do the right thing by your colleagues and your community, and to have a true work/life balance. We truly care about making our team feel part of something bigger by sharing a single purpose — making it easier for homebuyers and sellers to realize their real estate dreams.

Job Summary

The Manager, Transaction Operations oversees the daily operations, performance, and development of the Transaction Processing Team, which is responsible for accurately closing thousands of residential sales transactions monthly. This leader ensures consistent service delivery, operational accuracy, and scalable workflows to ensure transactions are compliant and commissions are accurately and efficiently distributed across multiple functions, while maintaining strong cross-departmental relationships and driving continuous improvement.

The role manages a large team, prioritizes process optimization, and serves as a critical liaison between Operations, Accounting, Technology, and external partners. The ideal candidate is highly organized, solutions-oriented, and able to lead through periods of high volume and operational change.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead and support a team of 12 Transaction Processing team members.
• Manage team schedules, calendars, and all rotation planning:
• Work rotations
• In-office rotations
• Monthly all-in-office meetings
• Weekly front-end meetings
• Weekly closer meetings
• Oversee all time-off requests, ensuring coverage and continuity.
• Conduct 12+ ongoing 1:1 meetings, with responsibility for content, documentation, and follow-up.
• Mentor and guide the Assistant Manager, ensuring professional development and readiness for expanded responsibilities.
• Run weekly team meetings, including agenda development, training topics, and KPI reporting.
  

Operational Oversight

• Own end-of-month and month-end process management, including:
• High-volume transition support
• Metric reporting and analysis
• Oversee onboarding processes for new team members.
• Ensure processes are followed consistently and identify ongoing opportunities for improvement.
• Continue to serve as an escalation point for operational, process, or personnel concerns.
  

Cross-Functional Relationship Management

• Manage strategic and daily relationships with: Banking Partners, Business intelligence, Relocation, eBiz, Title partners, and Accounting
• Maintain the LanTrax Profit Power relationship and support project management for new initiatives
• Support operations and coordination with IT and internal technology teams
  

Technology, Tools & Platform Ownership

• Own and manage:
• Zendesk — product owner and operational lead
• Check Dashboard — primary relationship and manager
• Escalate tech bugs, failures, or requests on behalf of the team.
• Prioritize and track new product updates, particularly in transaction management systems and Profit Power.
• Example areas of responsibility include CSS & SC chat tools and other operational platforms.
  
  

Performance & Reporting

• Conduct Peak Performance reviews and create supporting reporting packages.
• Own daily operational numbers and ensure accuracy across reporting channels.
• Manage monthly 1:1 updates and documentation for the broader operations team.
  
  

Meetings & Communication

• Lead and prepare content for:
  
• Weekly team meetings
• Bi-monthly all-team in-office meetings
• Cross-departmental planning meetings 
• Serve as a key communication hub between Operations leadership and the processing team.
  
  

Continuous Improvement

• Drive digital workflow enhancements and operational modernization.
• Identify, document, and implement process improvements in partnership with internal teams.
• Support cross-referencing, auditing, and QA reporting (in partnership with Kristin).
• Champion standardization and consistency across all transaction workflows.
  
  

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in operations, real estate services, transaction management, or a related field.
• Prior leadership of large Team
• Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Strong communication, coaching, and conflict-resolution capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze data, create reports, and present insights to leadership.
• High comfort level with operational technology platforms and troubleshooting workflows.
  
  

Key Competencies

• Leadership & team development
• Process orientation & operational discipline
• Strong professional judgment
• High accountability and ownership
• Effective cross-functional communication
• Confidentiality and discretion

Benefits:

Medical, dental, vision, PTO, VTO

Salary Range:

$75,000-$85,000