How to hire a lead custodian

How to hire a lead custodian, step by step

Here's a step-by-step lead custodian hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a lead custodian job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new lead custodian
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a lead custodian do?

Post a lead custodian job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your lead custodian job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a lead custodian for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A lead custodian's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, lead custodians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of lead custodians and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Lead Custodian	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead Custodian		$11-21
   Housekeeper Supervisor	A housekeeper supervisor is an employee who ensures that facilities and establishments are kept clean and tidy by assigning tasks to the housekeeping staff. Housekeeper supervisors inspect the area of housekeeping and address the complaints regarding low housekeeping services... Show more	$13-25
   Housekeeping Director	A housekeeping director is a management professional who is responsible for supervising a staff of housekeepers to maintain cleanliness in various areas of facilities such as hotels, apartment buildings, or nursing facilities. This director must train the housekeeping staff to follow proper procedures and job safety... Show more	$15-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cleanliness
   • Floor Care
   • Safety Procedures
   • Ladders
   • Minor Maintenance
   • Building Maintenance
   • OSHA
   • Plumbing
   • Light Fixtures
   • Scrubbers
   • Custodial Equipment
   • Clean Windows
   • General Maintenance
   • Commercial Cleaning

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate equipment including carpet extractors, floor scrubbers, slow/high speeds for stripping/refinishing floors, furniture moving equipment and snow blowers.
   • Operate power tools, buffers, scrubbers, extractors, vacuums, brooms, mops, to ensure daily cleaning.
   • Perform repairs, including painting, basic carpentry, and wall repair, minor plumbing and electrical.
   • Execute minor repairs including furniture assembly, changing ballasts, plumbing, locks, windows, ceiling tiles.
   • Operate power equipment, scrubber, stripper, carpet extractors, pressure washer, and hand power tools.
   • Work and train under license / union electricians, learned and field used NEC codes and OSHA safety regulations.

   More lead custodian duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your lead custodian job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A lead custodian can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, lead custodians' average salary in louisiana is 53% less than in vermont.
   • Seniority. Entry-level lead custodians 48% less than senior-level lead custodians.
   • Certifications. A lead custodian with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a lead custodian's salary.

   Average lead custodian salary

   $15.44hourly

   $32,122 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level lead custodian salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average lead custodian salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$41,110	$20
   2	Minnesota	$38,910	$19
   3	Washington	$36,205	$17
   4	Oregon	$36,168	$17
   5	Colorado	$33,208	$16
   6	Michigan	$32,659	$16
   7	Pennsylvania	$32,254	$16
   8	Maryland	$31,903	$15
   9	Wisconsin	$30,984	$15
   10	Montana	$30,600	$15
   11	Ohio	$28,865	$14
   12	Kansas	$28,410	$14
   13	Arizona	$28,171	$14
   14	Missouri	$27,646	$13
   15	Virginia	$26,889	$13
   16	Texas	$24,871	$12
   17	South Carolina	$24,344	$12
   18	Florida	$22,874	$11
   19	New Mexico	$22,209	$11

   Average lead custodian salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	City of Roanoke, Virginia - Government	$60,707	$29.19
   2	City of Houston	$55,797	$26.83
   3	University of California-Berkeley	$42,099	$20.24	5
   4	California State University, Fullerton	$42,022	$20.20
   5	Stanford University	$41,261	$19.84
   6	University of California	$40,828	$19.63	21
   7	UC Merced	$40,234	$19.34
   8	Charter Schools USA	$39,643	$19.06	9
   9	City of Dallas Employees	$39,352	$18.92
   10	Oak Grove School	$39,023	$18.76
   11	Kansas City Kansas Community College	$37,889	$18.22
   12	University of Washington	$37,844	$18.19	7
   13	Camino Nuevo Charter Academy	$37,835	$18.19	5
   14	State of Connecticut	$37,370	$17.97	5
   15	Laguna Development Corporation	$37,245	$17.91
   16	Princeton University	$37,094	$17.83	3
   17	Hillsboro School District	$37,059	$17.82
   18	Township High School District 113	$37,015	$17.80	5
   19	Ocean View School District	$36,563	$17.58
   20	Adams 12 Five Star Schools	$35,758	$17.19	4

4. Writing a lead custodian job description

   A lead custodian job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a lead custodian job description:

   Lead custodian job description example

   We are excited to be partnering with a great company in the Austin, TX area and we are seeking a high performing employee to do great things for our team as a
   Janitorial / Custodian Lead at a production facility. You will use your experience to benefit our partner’s mission by making an impact on the business and being awesome. We have very competitive pay at $25/hour and full benefits for our employees. You don't want to miss this career opportunity!! Come join our team!
   
   WHAT YOU WILL DO AS THE JANITORIAL / CUSTODIAN LEAD ?
   Responsible for engaging at a high level to maintain good relations with the employees within a fast-paced production facility. You will work alongside the employees to ensure tasks are completed and company policies are being met and/or exceeded. You will be a true advocate for the company and the staff.
   Effectively coach and mentor employees Ensure that the employees are working safely Administrative support: GFTX Janitorial & Workplace inbox monitoring, ticket management, invoice preview & logging, misc. signage, meeting management & minutes reporting. Small projects and operations support Inspections, QA/QC, Workplace Standards document management and review. Supply & inventory ordering and management support
   WHAT YOU WILL BRING AS THE JANITORIAL / CUSTODIAN LEAD ? At least 2 years of relevant experience required (janitorial experience preferred but not required) Bilingual in Spanish/English is a plus but not required Must be comfortable in active construction zone OSHA 10 required, training to be provided if needed Experience in handling sensitive, confidential information Strong organizational skills with a keen ability to prioritize and switch between tasks frequently Excellent human relations and effective communication skills required to develop cooperative work relationships with employees at all levels of the organization Ability to adhere to and meet deadlines Strong administrative and data management skills, high attention to detail Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint is required
   MORE THAN JUST A JOB
   IntelliSource understands the importance of having a connected, productive workforce and building dynamic employee loyalty. Our employees enjoy our strong culture that is sustained by an engaging, fun, innovative and fast-paced work environment. We were founded on the premise that people matter and the intention with offering a job is to do more than simply introduce new skill sets; we are ready to enroll and inspire our employees to make learning, process improvement and exceptional performance an ongoing practice and an outstanding career. We never stop helping others learn and we never stop learning.
   
   IntelliSource is proud to be an inclusive employer and we value diversity within our teams. We are an equal opportunity employer and make hiring decisions based on job related factors. We do not discriminate based on any information on the application including race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. This is a free service to you. We are an E-Verify Employer.
   
   WHO WE ARE
   At IntelliSource, our business - and our approach - is personal. We have over 20 years of business process outsourcing experience with some of the nation’s most recognizable Fortune 500 and fast-growth brands bringing innovative solutions through people, processes and technology. Knowing every company has different needs, IntelliSource understands a one-size-fits-all approach is not going to bring success. Our flexible approach to finding the right business solution sets us apart from our competitors. Our goal is to empower our customers and our people to reach their full potential.
   
   #ISTSLTX

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find lead custodians for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any lead custodians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level lead custodians with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your lead custodian job on Zippia to find and recruit lead custodian candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit lead custodians, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new lead custodian

   Once you've selected the best lead custodian candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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