Most companies that operate a large amount of equipment have maintenance technicians to perform regular checks and repairs on them. However, sometimes companies have maintenance needs that on-site teams can't keep up with. This calls for someone who can coordinate with third-party service providers to perform routine maintenance, which is exactly what the maintenance coordinator job description entails.
Maintenance coordinators are a vital part of a company's maintenance activities and quality control process.
However, maintenance coordinator job descriptions come with a ton of responsibilities, and it's important to know the complete set of duties that coordinators have to perform.
In this article, I'll provide a maintenance coordinator job summary, what requirements come with the job title, and the benefits that come with the job.
Let's jump right in.
Maintenance Coordinator Job Description [A 2020 Overview]
Basically, a maintenance coordinator is someone who schedules, procures, and manages maintenance supplies and services for companies.
They work directly under senior maintenance supervisors to organize third-party contractors for a variety of duties. Additionally, they coordinate maintenance efforts between company personnel.
Also called a junior maintenance manager, a maintenance coordinator performs tasks such as handling maintenance budgets and requisitions, completing work orders, making payments to maintenance service providers, etc.
The 'Coordinator' aspect of the job applies to several common areas such as facilities management, building maintenance, general day maintenance, recordkeeping of equipment and supplies, and quality control as per the preventive maintenance program.
Here is a brief overview of their responsibilities:
- Coordinate between maintenance staff for various tasks
- Develop and utilize maintenance plans
- Keep maintenance logs for minor equipment such as HVAC systems, light bulbs, basic electrical systems, etc.
- Purchase cleaning supplies, tools, and working equipment for staff
- Ensure maintenance safety and quality control protocols are met
- Supervise repair work performed by third-party maintenance teams
Furthermore, a maintenance coordinator may be required to oversee general facilities maintenance tasks such as sanitation.
Most maintenance coordinators also function as administration point people and project coordinators.
Prime Responsibilities in a Maintenance Coordinator Job Description
Maintenance coordinator jobs have shifted towards a more administrative role due to smart software and communication tools.
Today, maintenance coordinators utilize software such as CMMS software to keep track of all the technicians in the field, the tools they are using, and various other elements.
However, before they delve into more diverse areas of their job, coordinators have to work in some basic maintenance capacities.
Here are the three prime responsibilities of today's maintenance coordinators.
Organizing Maintenance Personnel
With so much equipment in the field, companies have to hire several different types of maintenance workers. Maintenance coordinators are responsible for coordinating with these workers for the basic upkeep of machinery.
From supervising emergency repairs to ensuring safety codes are observed, they perform a variety of basic oversight and reporting around the office.
Additionally, they put together teams for routine maintenance, sometimes assisting managers in relaying information to the field staff.
To organize maintenance personnel, a coordinator has to:
- Communicate with various maintenance stakeholders in (and outside) the company
- Call in skilled technicians (electricians, mechanics, plumbers, etc.) for specific tasks
- Maintain maintenance quality control and compliance with building safety codes
- Convey instructions from managers to on-site workers
In short, maintenance coordinators act as middlemen between management and technical staff.
Procure Equipment and Tools
Maintenance coordinators and technicians often work together to perform regular and emergency maintenance tasks.
However, maintenance technicians need tools and safety equipment, which coordinators procure for them on behalf of the company.
To buy equipment, a coordinator has to:
- Get quotes from multiple vendors to find the best prices
- Determine the repair needs of the equipment, and create a purchase list
- Acquire the equipment and make payments out of the allocated budget
- Make reports of purchases and forward them to senior management
- Maintain a log of procurements
Modern data logging and reporting software has replaced the need to manually create hard copies of reports. These systems are usually easy to understand and operate, even for a new coordinator.
Manage Facility Maintenance and Upkeep
Most companies have an upkeep schedule that's developed according to facility maintenance needs.
These needs are determined by finding out equipment usage cycles throughout the company.
To manage upkeep, a coordinator has to:
- Keep records of how many cycles the equipment goes through before requiring repair.
- Track the office sanitation and building cleaning needs over a specific period of time.
- Coordinate with engineers and management to develop maintenance schedules.
- Supervise repair processes and log each procedure for future reference.
Well-planned upkeep minimizes the overall repair costs and saves resources for future maintenance.
Soft Skills for Maintenance Coordinators in 2020
Aside from the basic managerial and problem-solving skills, maintenance coordinators need an additional range of soft skills to be better at their jobs.
Here are some of the most important soft skills for modern maintenance coordinators:
- Organizational Skills: Since it is a people-oriented position that requires a lot of record-keeping, coordinators are required to possess high-level organizational skills. This helps them multitask while scheduling and planning for the future.
- Communication Skills: Coordinators usually lead teams of skilled personnel. Good communication and interpersonal skills help them better instruct the field teams and collaborate more effectively.
- Financial Affinity: Coordinators are also partially responsible for the budgetary management of the company's maintenance activities, which often involves hiring contractors. This means that they need to be financially responsible and know how to procure better services at lower prices.
- Cross-Functional Support Skills: Depending on the individual responsibilities of their position, coordinators have to provide additional support to other departments such as IT and engineering. To better assist such teams, they need to have the ability to quickly understand new requirements and how the other department works.
In addition to these, a coordinator in 2021 should be up to date on tech and industry trends, with working knowledge of CMMS systems and software programs such as MS Excel.
Typical Qualifications of a Maintenance Coordinator
Any advanced maintenance management requires at least an associate's degree, with some years of experience in the field.
The maintenance coordinator's job is no different.
Generally, a full-time maintenance coordinator should have the following qualifications:
- High school diploma or GED with a long-term apprenticeship
- A vocational certificate with at least 3 years of maintenance experience
- An associate's degree in a relevant discipline
- Intra-graduate work experience with a valid journeyman certificate
Additionally, a modern coordinator should have a working knowledge of maintenance management systems such as CMMS systems.
There are multiple maintenance management and communication courses available online.
Taking some of these courses will diversify the skill sets of current coordinators while preparing them to advance their careers. Furthermore, it will also improve the chances of a coordinator being hired at a better position, with a higher salary.
Maintenance Coordinator Job Description: Salary and Perks
According to Glassdoor, the average maintenance coordinator salary in the US is $59,149, per year.
This can vary based on a candidate's individual qualifications, experience, employment status (full-time or part-time), and the company's salary packages.
Some companies may also offer performance-based remunerations, which could improve individual salaries based on performance.
In terms of benefits, it varies from company to company. However, the standard benefits such as paid time off, and health, life, dental, and occupational injury insurance are constant. Additional benefits may include extended medical coverage for families.
How to Become an Ideal Maintenance Coordinator
Like most managerial positions, maintenance coordination is changing with time and the arrival of automated record-keeping and work logging software.
Coordinators are using software to create and respond to work orders, organize maintenance efforts, maintain asset records, and manage budgets.
These software systems help coordinators reduce the time it takes to manually create paperwork for maintenance tasks performed, assets repaired, and resources spent in the field.
Considering this, any working maintenance coordinator has to achieve some level of understanding of these systems before applying them to modern companies.
Candidates who are searching for a maintenance coordinator's position should also apply to vocational courses and long-term apprenticeships.
It may be a basic position, but maintenance coordination provides several opportunities for moving up to senior management. A coordinator who's starting out now can become a senior maintenance manager with sufficient qualifications and experience.
In light of this, it's necessary for current coordinators to continue learning for a more fruitful career path.
Josh is a partner at Maintenance Manager HQ.
