A facilities manager's daily duties can vary depending on the facility they oversee.
Some of the common duties in this career include:
- Maintaining the facility and overseeing the daily administrative operations.
- Plan and coordinate all installations (telecommunications, heat, electricity etc.) and refurbishments.
- Inspect buildings’ structures to determine the need for repairs or renovations
- Instructing team members on the best practices to maintain the property.
- Creating and maintaining budgets for maintenance, repairs and Operations.
- Manage the upkeep of equipment and supplies to meet health and safety standards.
- Overseeing the closure of projects within the approved budget
- Review utilities consumption and strive to minimize costs
- Supervise all staff facilities staff (custodians, technicians, groundskeepers etc.) and external contractors
- Supporting a company's strategic objectives by driving Take Cost Out (TCO) initiatives
- Ensuring coherent availability and utilization of resources in areas like transport, canteen and waste disposal
- Hiring external professionals for repairs for the building, equipment or machinery
- Developing and maintaining a vendor base for a cost-efficient procurement of inventory
- Overseeing communication and security frameworks within the facility
- Ensuring the property meets local and industry-specific safety guidelines
- Performing regular inspections to ensure the building is functioning correctly
- Managing contracts for various construction and maintenance projects
- Negotiating annual maintenance contracts and renewing insurances for maintenance
- Maintaining records the facility, including maintenance bills and payment information
Overseeing the cleaning, landscaping and parking teams
WHAT ARE A FACILITIES MANAGER'S DAILY DUTIES?
A facility manager's primary role can vary depending on their work environment and industry. They may focus on managing contracts, inspecting equipment for repairs or overseeing business operations. They may also help communicate clear directions to the team or a group of management of stakeholders. They may serve an important role as a leader within an organization, encouraging teamwork and fostering fellowship among the team members. Commonly, they serve a role similar to a general manager. This means they may be responsible for overseeing the overall operations within the facility.
To become a facilities manager, you may pursue training and education to help you develop relevant technical and interpersonal skills.
Here are a few options you may pursue to help you meet the qualifications for this career.
Is becoming a facility manager a good job?
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DOES A FACILITIES MANAGER NEED?
Facilities management may be a good career depending on your interests and goals. If you are interested in management and leading teams of people, this may be a good option for you. Consider making a list of your skills, strengths and experiences to help you determine if this is a good career option. A facilities manager often has strong interpersonal and organization skills, so they can manage teams of professionals and oversee administration tasks.If you like challenges, are passionate about keeping things in order, can prepare efficient budgets that can add to an organization’s profit, are articulate in your communication and can solve problems with creative and result-oriented solutions, you may be a great fit for the job.
- how to perform the technical duties related to the role
- what the different management styles are
- how to develop a facilities management strategic plan
IIFM Training courses can help you better understand the importance of effective management of facilities and how it can contribute to the success of an organization and your career. Sometimes, people can have different commitments, like a job, that need the majority of their time. In that case, they can enroll themselves in short-term training courses in facilities management at IIFM institutes that offer flexible timings and schedules. IIFM Institutions offer specialized facilities management courses that can cover:
You can also begin your career in this field with an academic degree ( Diploma, BE ) & some employers may prefer candidates who have a bachelor's in a relevant area, such as business, engineering or administration.
Several courses in facilities management and planning are available in IIFM that can help you understand the Subject of facilities management on basic, intermediate and advanced levels.
- knowledge of general maintenance methods and operating requirements
- Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing (MEP)
- Entire Building Property and Facilities
- Soft service Management
- Security Management
- Vendor Management
- Administration, service delivery and operations management
- health and safety
- Strong negotiation and procurement skills
- Utilities and communications infrastructure
- Contract management
- Space management
- Energy management
- accounting and budgeting
Education
Registration
Training
WHAT DOES A FACILITIES MANAGER DO?
Registering with IIFM is optional for this career, but it can help you show your qualifications to a hiring manager. Adding a registration to your CV may increase your chances of getting your application materials noticed. IIFM can also help you develop your skill set. Some memberships with local workshops to help you build your skills. Also, membership can help you develop a professional network, which could lead to more career opportunities.
The IIFM is a global organization that empowers facility professionals to optimize operations of their facilities, teams and workplace projects. IIFM can help individuals develop industry knowledge and build a network. Consider joining your local chapter of IIFM and take part in events and topics that grab your attention. These events can help you build a network of like-minded people who can play a pivotal role in your career growth going forward. Becoming a part of apprenticeships and workshops can also help you take advantage of knowledge the industry veterans have to share.