Attracting top talent can be a hard task, and finding it can be even harder. For recruiters, it’s extremely tough to find the right fit for a job and company, especially when the job is for a maintenance manager. On the other hand, for job seekers, it’s hard to get to a point where recruiters are impressed enough to offer the job. In any case, it’s best to familiarize yourself with the right maintenance manager job description to understand what the role entails.
In this article, we’ll go over the typical maintenance manager job description, what they do, and what qualifications they tend to have. If you're interested in learning via video, then watch below. Otherwise, skip ahead.
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What Does a Maintenance Manager Do – Typical Roles in Organizations
A maintenance manager is responsible for the repair, upkeep, and maintenance of company buildings and mechanical equipment and assets. Their primary role is to make sure all the necessary installations, maintenance schedules, and system updates are being done.
Maintenance managers have to do everything in their power to ensure operational effectiveness and efficiency. Depending on the size and type of the company, maintenance managers may play varying roles.
For example, in a bigger organization, a maintenance manager may only be responsible for one aspect of a company. They may only be maintaining factory machines and equipment. However, in smaller organizations, they may also be responsible for the timely maintenance of things, such as elevators, automatic doors, computers, carpentry, and overall facility management.
In any case, maintenance management is more about being able to delegate tasks effectively while keeping track of all maintenance activities. More importantly, maintenance management also means getting involved in maintenance business administration; that involves things such as maintenance budgets, crafting safety policies, contract negotiations, and managing preventative maintenance.
Lastly, another crucial role of most maintenance managers is to understand the maintenance procedures of their company and maintain the necessary maintenance logs.
Maintenance Manager Job Description Template
All job descriptions can be boiled down to a few different sections; you should always start with a summary of what you need and expect from a maintenance manager. Therefore, when you post a job on job boards, candidates can read the initial section to get an idea of your company and what the typical day would be like for a maintenance manager.
A typical job brief for a company with machinery, equipment, and assets could look like this:
“We are searching for a full-time, qualified, and reliable Maintenance Manager with at least five years’ experience to lead our maintenance department. As head of the entire maintenance program, you will be managing and overseeing all the installation, repair, and upkeep maintenance operations in the various company facilities.
You will be maintaining all machinery and equipment, will be planning repair activities, and will help the maintenance staff develop efficient maintenance procedures.
You may apply if you have had success in the maintenance and management role, have excellent technical skills, interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities. It’s also advisable if you have computer skills and understand sophisticated maintenance software (CMMS software) and mechanical systems.”
You can also add any additional company-specific requirements or expectations in the job brief to provide a better outlook of what the job would entail.
Maintenance Manager Job Description – Duties and Responsibilities
The next section details all the duties and responsibilities a maintenance manager would have in your company. You should make sure you list down every single aspect of the job, and that includes things that may or may not be needed in the foreseeable future.
The typical duties and responsibilities of maintenance managers include the following:
- Perform maintenance management on all fronts by supervising maintenance workers and establishing priorities in maintenance schedules and tasks.
- Work closely with the maintenance supervisors, maintenance technicians, service providers, and other maintenance staff.
- Maintain all manufacturing assets in facilities, monitor equipment inventory, handle purchase orders, invoice approvals, and manage maintenance department budgets.
- Prioritize maintenance tasks and activities to ensure operational efficiency.
- Provide training and development opportunities to all maintenance staff and personnel.
- Carry out performance evaluations and appraisals.
- Carry out maintenance activities based on preventive maintenance programs and predictive maintenance initiatives.
- Coordinate outside activities, such as inspections, ensuring safety protocols are met, and project management.
- Build a healthy work environment for all personnel.
- Develop, manage, and maintain quality standards, safety standards, and optimal working standards.
- Conduct one-on-one meetings with technicians and staff to train and update them on all changes, such as new electrical systems, computer software, and maintenance techniques, among other things.
- Review maintenance department financials to manage labor costs, maintenance costs, and other expenses in budgets.
- Maintain a detailed maintenance log and report on all daily maintenance activities.
- Carry off-the-book maintenance inspections of all facilities to check if any issues need resolving.
- Ensure all health and safety policies are taken care of and that everything is in compliance.
While the job duties mentioned above are what a standard maintenance manager job description would have, you may include more specific duties according to your company’s requirements.
Maintenance Manager Job Description – Typical Qualifications
After you list all the duties and responsibilities, you should also include the ideal candidate’s qualifications. While the qualifications can be different depending on your organization, the typical job requirements for a maintenance manager may consist of the following.
- A Bachelor’s degree in management sciences, along with a high school diploma.
- At least five years of experience in maintenance.
- Previous managerial experience can be beneficial, especially in maintenance management.
- A working understanding of CMMS software, carpentry, electrical systems, and mechanical systems.
- Working knowledge of how various facilities, machines, and equipment work.
- Depending on the organization, previous experience with a specific industry is always welcome.
- Any form of certification, courses, or additional qualifications from a recognized institution will be helpful.
While the qualifications may seem high, they’re necessary in the maintenance management world. A maintenance manager can be single-handedly responsible for smooth operations in your company.
Maintenance Manager Job Description – Typical Skills and Abilities
After listing down the necessary qualifications needed, it’s also ideal to list down all the skills that may be needed or can help in doing the job. The following are the typical skills needed to become a good maintenance manager.
- You should have excellent management skills and have the ability to focus on various tasks and activities simultaneously.
- Excellent communication, conversing, and coaching skills to develop healthy relationships with the maintenance staff, contractors, and service providers.
- Interpersonal and people management skills for handling and managing various teams and personnel.
- Proficiency in computer skills, including managing databases, word processing, spreadsheets, and various management software.
- Ability to run, operate, and check various technical aspects of machinery, equipment, and buildings.
- Superior problem-solving skills are a requirement to make sure all issues are resolved quickly and swiftly, thereby causing minimum stoppage in general operations.
- Time management skills are essential to make sure all maintenance tasks, activities, and schedules are met.
- Knowledge of reliability measures, techniques, and best practices are a bonus.
- You should have the ability to walk around, manually conduct inspections, and have a hands-on approach to maintenance management.
- Depending on the location and organization, being bilingual can be a valuable skill.
- Outstanding organizational and leadership abilities are a requirement to manage everything effectively.
- Excellent planning skills are a plus to ensure the maintenance manager has the ability to prioritize maintenance tasks, activities, and programs, and set up workable maintenance schedules.
While not all potential maintenance managers will have the skills and abilities mentioned above, it’s best to find someone that ticks the most boxes.
Becoming the Ideal Maintenance Manager
Crafting an excellent maintenance manager job description is a great way to make sure you receive decent candidates. Alternatively, it’s a great way for aspiring maintenance managers to understand and learn what it takes to be a maintenance manager.
While not everyone will tick all the boxes in terms of skills, abilities, or even qualifications, you should still focus on the best possible candidate. However, you shouldn’t compromise too much as a maintenance manager’s job is crucial to operational continuity.
You could have them go through a rigorous onboarding procedure to ensure they understand every aspect of their job. If you’re having trouble, you can always get professional help with crafting the right maintenance manager job description for your organization.
Josh is a partner at Maintenance Manager HQ.
