Facility maintenance supervisors have a wide range of responsibilities and work in a variety of industries. People in this position are typically in charge of planning facilities projects, managing a facilities staff, and performing maintenance tasks on their own. Maintaining the upkeep of a building, property, or grounds, as well as repairing and operating machinery and tools, are all important aspects of the facilities maintenance supervisor’s job.
The facilities maintenance supervisor usually has a lot of responsibilities. Some supervisors are in charge of preparing and managing the maintenance budget for a building. Most are responsible for hiring and training facilities management personnel, as well as scheduling and assigning tasks to employees. Repairing machinery, ordering parts and supplies for the building, and working closely with the property management team are among the other responsibilities. The supervisor is usually in charge of keeping track of important building inventory and ensuring that the property complies with all legal requirements.
These supervisors are needed by a wide range of businesses and industries to help manage their properties. A school, hotel, apartment complex, factory, hospital or medical building, office park, government building, or financial institution might hire a facilities maintenance supervisor. Several facility maintenance supervisors are assigned to specific regions or multiple locations in some large corporations. Because smaller businesses have only one or two employees, the facilities maintenance supervisor has more hands-on responsibilities.
A facilities maintenance supervisor’s typical responsibilities change from day to day, depending on the needs of the property. If a building’s air conditioning system fails, for example, the supervisor may spend the entire day or several days repairing it or managing contracted workers. Many of these types of employees work unusually long hours. The facilities maintenance supervisor is usually on call at all hours of the day and night. He or she does not typically work at a desk all day and is required to work in both hot and cold weather, as well as in inclement weather.
The majority of facility maintenance supervisors have a high school diploma or equivalent education. To be considered for the supervisor position, a candidate must have at least two years of facility maintenance experience and be able to read blueprints. Technical training or previous experience in a wide range of areas, such as plumbing, heating and air conditioning, electrical, and mechanics, is ideal for this type of position. He or she must be able to read and write, as well as have a basic understanding of computers. Many supervisors are required to have strong interpersonal skills and a desire to solve problems or troubleshoot.