What does a facility supervisor do?
A Facility Supervisor is responsible for maintaining an organization's facilities' safety and security to ensure smooth and efficient business operations. Facility Supervisors monitor the adequacy of inventories and handle the budget to purchase materials and equipment for operations. They inspect machinery and schedule maintenance repairs for defective components to avoid potential hazards and operational delays. A Facility Supervisor must have excellent leadership and organizational skills to assist the staff in their inquiries and concerns, delegate tasks, and implement policies and protocols for everyone's strict compliance.
Facility supervisor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real facility supervisor resumes:
- Manage work order data base and ensure all work request are being complete on time and KPI's are meet.
- Perform preventive and building maintenance tasks; caulks windows and doors, routine plumbing, electrical repairs and replaces broken windows.
- Provide technical assistance to project engineers on HVAC and refrigeration unit installations for new additional student dormitory construction projects.
- Conduct landscaping such as mowing lawns and trimming shrubbery
- Prepare and maintain AutoCAD drawings for seating modifications.
- Develop and maintain ERP and EHS process manuals for company.
- Develop presentations using charts, graphs, and slides within PowerPoint.
- Maintain extensive grounds through cutting grass and edging around buildings and sidewalks.
- Measure and improve technician productivity through the use of ISIS CMMS work order system.
- Provide lifeguard services (swim lessons, water exercise classes) at Seattle aquatic centers and beaches.
- Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures.
- Certify in CPR for pets and spend many hours of rigorous hands-on training which involve observing and recognizing animal behavior.
- Create and present safety PowerPoint presentations.
- Repair emergency generators and transfer switches.
- Maintain oversight management for building code requirements.
Facility supervisor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Facility Supervisors are proficient in Customer Service, Safety Procedures, and OSHA. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Facility Supervisors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 13%
Energized a stagnant organization suffering from seriously poor customer service, productivity, and inventory and quality issues.
- Safety Procedures, 8%
Maintained a 100% safety rating by continuously monitoring OSHA regulations and proper employee use of personal protective equipment/safety procedures.
- OSHA, 8%
Perform mechanical and equipment repairs under accepted OSHA industry standards and according to chemical and hazardous management policies.
- HVAC, 7%
Provided technical assistance to project engineers on HVAC and refrigeration unit installations for new additional student dormitory construction projects.
- Plumbing, 5%
Performed preventive and building maintenance tasks; caulks windows and doors, routine plumbing, electrical repairs and replaces broken windows.
- Safety Training, 4%
Worked directly with Safety Manager to provide proper and relevant safety training for technicians.
Most facility supervisors use their skills in "customer service," "safety procedures," and "osha" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential facility supervisor responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a facility supervisor to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what facility supervisors do because "administrative services managers must be able to review an organization’s procedures and find ways to improve efficiency." Additionally, a facility supervisor resume shows how facility supervisors use analytical skills: "monitor and analyze training, scheduling, and performance evaluation cycles. "
Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling facility supervisor duties is communication skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "much of an administrative services manager’s time is spent working with other people." According to a facility supervisor resume, here's how facility supervisors can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "established key communications between corporate and complex facilities management. "
Detail oriented. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of facility supervisors is detail oriented. This skill is critical to many everyday facility supervisor duties, as "administrative services managers must pay attention to details." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "certified forklift operator and cpr certified maintain and submit detailed reports covering maintenance and pm's performed on a monthly basis. "
Leadership skills. facility supervisor responsibilities often require "leadership skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "in managing workers and coordinating administrative duties, administrative services managers must be able to motivate employees and deal with issues that may arise." This resume example shows what facility supervisors do with leadership skills on a typical day: "appointed to specially-created role of facilities supervisor following a track record of noted excellence in customer service and leadership. "
The three companies that hire the most facility supervisors are:
- Sodexo Management, Inc.131 facility supervisors jobs
- Fresenius Medical Care North America Holdings Limited Partnership18 facility supervisors jobs
- Fresenius Medical Care Windsor, LLC10 facility supervisors jobs
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Compare different facility supervisors
Facility supervisor vs. Maintenance lead technician
A maintenance lead technician oversees the daily maintenance operations of a department or establishment. Their duties revolve around conducting inspections and regular maintenance checks on facilities and equipment, performing repairs as necessary. They are also responsible for troubleshooting issues, fixing and replacing components, cleaning different areas, installing fixtures, and providing technical support to employees. Additionally, a maintenance lead technician guides and trains junior technicians while implementing the company's policies and safety standards for a smooth and efficient workflow.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a facility supervisor are more likely to require skills like "safety training," "preventive maintenance," "emergency situations," and "cpr." On the other hand, a job as a maintenance lead technician requires skills like "preventative maintenance," "ladders," "plc," and "maintenance procedures." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Maintenance lead technicians earn the highest salaries when working in the manufacturing industry, with an average yearly salary of $54,994. On the other hand, facility supervisors are paid more in the media industry with an average salary of $58,164.On average, maintenance lead technicians reach similar levels of education than facility supervisors. Maintenance lead technicians are 3.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Facility supervisor vs. Equipment manager
An equipment manager is responsible for monitoring the efficiency and optimal performance of the office equipment and machinery to support the business functions and daily operations. Equipment managers perform preventive maintenance on the machines and equipment, reviewing its licenses and service agreements, as well as look for product alternatives with minimal costing but deliver high-performance. They also attend to the employees' repair calls, delegate tasks to the equipment team, replace defective components, and monitor the adequacy of mechanical inventory.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, facility supervisor responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "customer service," "safety procedures," "osha," and "plumbing." Meanwhile, an equipment manager has duties that require skills in areas such as "equipment room," "logistics," "equipment management," and "equipment inventory." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Equipment managers earn a higher average salary than facility supervisors. But equipment managers earn the highest pay in the energy industry, with an average salary of $70,458. Additionally, facility supervisors earn the highest salaries in the media with average pay of $58,164 annually.In general, equipment managers achieve similar levels of education than facility supervisors. They're 1.0% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for facility supervisors in the next 3-5 years?
Irene Thomas Johnson
Executive Director, Solutions Development
Facility supervisor vs. Lead mechanic
A lead mechanic coordinates the teams of mechanics and ensures the timely completion of repairs. Lead mechanics supervise their subordinates, order mechanical parts, and inspect their work making sure that the standards are met. They are responsible for repairing, overhauling, and maintaining vehicles or farm equipment. It is their job to provide support and give advice on matters associated with repairs. They also conduct road tests and maintain the repair of equipment. They should also have leadership and strong communication skills.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a facility supervisor is likely to be skilled in "customer service," "osha," "plumbing," and "safety training," while a typical lead mechanic is skilled in "hand tools," "mechanical equipment," "hydraulic systems," and "diagnosis."
Lead mechanics earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $60,789. Comparatively, facility supervisors have the highest earning potential in the media industry, with an average salary of $58,164.When it comes to education, lead mechanics tend to earn similar degree levels compared to facility supervisors. In fact, they're 3.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Facility supervisor vs. Maintenance coordinator
A maintenance coordinator is responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and safeness of the organization's facilities, as well as conducting repairs on defective equipment and machinery. Maintenance coordinators inspect and diagnose inconsistencies with equipment, replacing faulty components immediately to prevent delays in the operation and avoid potential workplace hazards. They also monitor the adequacy of maintenance inventories and create purchase requests for necessary tools and materials. A maintenance coordinator keeps an organized record of maintenance logs, observing strict protocols and safety regulations during operations.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between facility supervisors and maintenance coordinators, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a facility supervisor might have more use for skills like "safety procedures," "safety training," "preventive maintenance," and "emergency situations." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of maintenance coordinators require skills like "good judgment," "preventative maintenance," "maintenance tasks," and "purchase orders. "
In general, maintenance coordinators earn the most working in the energy industry, with an average salary of $57,628. The highest-paying industry for a facility supervisor is the media industry.In general, maintenance coordinators hold similar degree levels compared to facility supervisors. Maintenance coordinators are 2.1% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of facility supervisor
Updated January 8, 2025
