There is no universal outline of what a facilities manager does.
Your role and your responsibilities as a facilities manager will vary depending on where you work, what your specific title is and how you fit into the larger schematic of the company. Facilities managers typically have broad-ranging responsibilities that cross different departments.
The Role of A Facilities Manager
They are expected to plan for and adapt to the workplace they exist in, which is why there are so many opportunities for qualified facilities managers across companies of different kinds and different sizes.
On a macro level, facilities managers are responsible for the safety of the people, the efficiency of the company’s output and the maintenance of the physical/technological elements of the building.
If we take an example of a recent specific job opening, we can see how that role manifests itself in a specific scenario.
AccorHotels in County Kildare are searching for a Director of Facilities. These are some of the responsibilities listed in the job scope:
- Lead and manage the day-to-day activities of the Maintenance department and ensure all standards are maintained.
- Oversee ongoing maintenance, repair and preventative maintenance in the Hotel with a focus to improve efficiency, profitability and service levels.
- Co-ordinate renovation, manage capital projects and CAPEX, managing outside contractors as required.
- Prepare and manage the annual maintenance budget and assist in the preparation of the capital plan.
- Effective contribution and participation as a member of the EXCOM team.
- Build a long-term strategy and capital plan over a 3-5 year period ensuring all mechanical and electrical support functions of the resort are proactively managed.
- Liaise and propose green initiatives in line with government support schemes and maximising the efficiency of the resort and the return on investment for the owners.
- Ensure the hotel complies with all government regulations pertaining to building code requirements, fire, health and safety programs.
- Review ongoing service contracts ensuring superior performance and competitive pricing.
- Monitoring energy and water management programs to ensure cost effective use of utilities.
In a hotel specifically, you are likely to be drawn into doing smaller tasks on occasion. But for the most part, the role of the Facilities Manager is to oversee and direct the team of maintenance workers while understanding the regulation requirements and reporting to general management.
An open hotel would have very different requirements to a facilities manager working on a building site or in a factory creating baked goods for example.
The application of anticipating problems, problem solving and overseeing the work at large are the same. But the specifics of what you’re doing changes based on the needs of the setting.
What Employers Look For In A Facilities Manager
Workable have a Facilities Management template that offers a good general outline for what employers look for from their facilities management professionals. That template outlines the goal of a facilities manager as ensuring the business’ accommodation is problem-free and safe so that employees can work under the best conditions. They do that by being responsible for preserving the good condition of infrastructure and ensuring the facilities are safe and well-functioning.
The three primary responsibilities outlined for facilities managers are:
- Planning and coordinating all installations and refurbishments.
- Managing the upkeep of equipment and supplies to meet health and safety standards.
- Inspecting buildings’ structures to determine the need for repairs or renovations.
Both the template and actual job outlines include a requirement for a qualification in facilities management.
Facilities Management Courses
Portobello Institute will be holding a virtual open evening on the 22nd of April at 7pm. You can sign up here.
If you would prefer to read more about Facilities Management, the FM section of the knowledge zone has various articles discussing Facilities Management including What Does Facilities Management Cover? To browse through the different FM courses available at Portobello, you can go directly to the Facilities Management department.
Finally, if you have any questions, you can contact course advisor Brandon on 01 892 0035 or email brandon.mclean@portobelloinstitute.com.
