what is a maintenance supervisor?
As a maintenance supervisor, you oversee the maintenance work of your team to ensure they follow the company's procedures and regulations. The job also involves maintaining safety standards. To meet your goals, you are responsible for equipment operations, including the continued functioning of critical tools and machines.
Maintenance supervisors link the maintenance manager and team to the preventative maintenance schedule and planner. Your duties vary depending on the specific nature of the business. As part of your job description, you oversee all maintenance or repair work to ensure timely and safe completion.
You occupy a middle-management position in companies, leading and motivating your assigned team of workers. Successful maintenance supervisors know how to supervise others effectively to get the expected results. You should also follow all applicable government regulations and agency rules to the letter, like those set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Would working as a maintenance supervisor suit your troubleshooting and problem-solving skills? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in a maintenance supervisor role.
view jobs near youaverage maintenance supervisor salary
Would you like to know what a maintenance supervisor earns? Where the highest salaries are paid for a maintenance supervisor? Then check out this salary comparison tool and find out all about the salary of a maintenance supervisor in the USA.
what influences the compensation of a maintenance supervisor
Your educational qualifications affect your earnings. Most employers pay more for additional qualifications like a bachelor's or master’s degree. Extra qualifications improve your salary prospects. For instance, if you have an HVAC repair or a plumbing certification, you are likely to receive a higher salary than other maintenance supervisors.
Your experience as a maintenance supervisor also impacts your salary. The longer you work in a role, the more expertise you gain, which translates to higher average pay.
types of maintenance supervisors
Some of the types of maintenance supervisors include:
- facilities maintenance supervisor: you direct technicians in minor engineering and maintenance projects in a facility, which includes everything from electrical to mechanical to plumbing tasks. You also assign your team cleaning and small carpentry tasks as required.
- public works maintenance supervisor: you lead a city's crew of road maintenance workers responsible for street sweeping and maintaining street surfaces, storm drains, and parking areas. You are also involved in traffic control maintenance and guiding new construction in the city.
- building maintenance supervisor: your work involves directing a group of maintenance technicians in overseeing installations, repairs, and other actions needed to maintain a commercial building. Be prepared to supervise the crew's day-to-day activities in and around the building under maintenance. You also communicate with the building users on essential points, such as upcoming maintenance work.
- residential maintenance supervisor: you supervise and oversee the technicians of residential properties. Unlike a building maintenance supervisor, a residential maintenance supervisor carefully plans and schedules the work to avoid causing disturbance to occupants.
- plant maintenance supervisor: these maintenance supervisors operate in a fully industrialized setting, and you require technical skills like maintaining the assets used at the plant to work in such an environment. Your main job is to supervise the team of technicians and ensure proper maintenance of complex equipment, tools, and plant systems.
working as a maintenance supervisor
Working as a maintenance supervisor involves troubleshooting problems and preventive maintenance in building systems. If this interests you, check out the specific tasks, work environments, and job prospects.
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maintenance supervisor job description
The specific tasks of a maintenance supervisor depend on the employer. Some of the duties include:
- planning and organizing technician tasks: you direct and organize all activities around equipment operations so your main responsibility is to plan the activities of maintenance technicians. You prepare schedules for preventative maintenance and assign duties to technicians.
- developing maintenance schedules: you complete all repairs and tasks on time by creating a timeline for preventive maintenance. You also participate in developing maintenance standards and policies for an organization.
- inspecting various elements of a building system: you are in charge of the entire building system, so you conduct regular inspections to identify areas that require repairs or maintenance work. You check the lifts, security systems, fire alarms, and plumbing systems. Regular inspections help you plan repair schedules.
- coordinating training sessions on facility maintenance: your job is to ensure safety in a building, so you train workers or residents to stay safe in a fire outbreak or other emergencies. You also train maintenance technicians in handling emergencies and maintaining safety standards during repairs.
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maintenance supervisor work environment
As a maintenance supervisor, you work in different indoor and outdoor environments. Expect to work under sinks and with internal and external HVAC units. Regardless of the setting or industry, it is essential to be observant and diligent with an eye for detail and technical skills. All your working environments are technical; hence, the need for specialized skills.
Most jobs are typically within a specific location, and you are likely to work at your company's offices most of the time. However, if you work on a contract basis, expect to travel between jobs; you could supervise maintenance work on an apartment in one area today, but tomorrow you may work in a different location to manage a repair in a factory. Since you should be physically present to supervise the teams, you cannot work from home or remotely.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your industry, your colleagues may include operation managers, service, glaziers, and facilities managers. You may also work alongside mechanical engineers, team leaders, and other specialists like project managers, project engineers, production managers, and maintenance engineers.
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work schedule
As a maintenance supervisor, expect busy work schedules. You typically work 40 hours a week, but if your factory or building is a 24-hour facility, you work different shifts to oversee your technician team. You create a schedule and review it daily to coordinate your team. After reviewing the schedule, you plan tasks to be undertaken by each team member and set the time for completion.
The nature of the work determines your work days. As long as the work is ongoing, you should be at the site to ensure a smooth and seamless workflow as planned. The days you work in a week vary depending on the nature of the project. Some maintenance projects take days to complete or involve working on weekends. Your schedule includes supervising the team's work, communicating with owners or residents, and reporting to the maintenance manager.
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job outlook for maintenance supervisors
Maintenance supervisors have opportunities for career advancement in the same area or different fields. With training and development, you have a range of growth opportunities. As a maintenance supervisor, you can develop your career through further training to become a maintenance manager. Some maintenance supervisors gain additional skills to become facilities managers or maintenance engineers. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the general maintenance and repair worker employment should grow 4% from 2022 to 2032.
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benefits of working for randstad as a maintenance supervisor
Working through Randstad offers you a range of benefits:
- being paid weekly
- flexibility
- always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
- many training opportunities
- a range of jobs in your area
Want a permanent contract? But you wonder why it would be interesting for you to work with a staffing company? A temporary job as a maintenance supervisor is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!
maintenance supervisor skills and education
Around 42% of all maintenance supervisors either graduated from high school or completed an equivalent certificate. It also asserts that another 41% attended college but never earned a degree. Additionally, it is important to note that some maintenance supervisors gained their experience on the job whereas others attended vocational institutes.
Overall, a bachelor’s degree is not a requirement to work as a maintenance supervisor. However, it is highly recommended that you seek this degree because it gives you an added advantage before your potential employers. It also increases your chances of rising through the ranks quickly enough. After you complete your education, you can focus on developing skills, which include, but are not limited to, supervisory skills, exceptional time management skills, and strong leadership skills. Computer literacy and effective budgeting skills are an added advantage.
As for receiving training, you should grasp health and safety regulations as well as maintenance procedures. In general, you do not have to do much to be a maintenance supervisor. A bachelor’s degree is an asset but not a necessity. Additionally, you can focus on creating connections since this, combined with the experience you have earned over time, may help you become a maintenance supervisor quickly.
skills and competencies
Employers look for maintenance supervisors with the following skills:
- technical knowledge: as a maintenance supervisor, you should have extensive knowledge of various tools and building systems. For instance, it is essential to understand how buildings' electrical and plumbing systems work and their required maintenance.
- listening skills: the key to running an efficient maintenance team is good listening skills. Listening to your maintenance technicians helps you stay on top of maintenance operations. When you communicate well with your team members, they will be forthcoming with suggested solutions.
- organizational skills: as a maintenance supervisor, you organize maintenance schedules and assign duties. It helps to have organizational skills to prioritize your workload, handle tasks, and conduct maintenance on time.
FAQs about working as a maintenance supervisor
Here, you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about maintenance supervisors.
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what is the difference between a maintenance supervisor and a maintenance manager?
A maintenance supervisor is in charge only of the individuals who work under them whereas a maintenance manager is in charge of all the employees and equipment in a given organization. A maintenance manager also oversees how a maintenance faculty utilizes the allocated resources. In a nutshell, a maintenance manager occupies a bigger role than a maintenance supervisor.
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how can I transition from a maintenance supervisor to a maintenance manager?
To transition from a maintenance supervisor to a maintenance manager, you have to excel in your current role. One way to become a successful maintenance supervisor is to communicate openly with your team members so they know what you expect of them and are able to deliver effectively. You should also focus on learning from your superiors and applying for higher positions, of course, after gaining much-needed experience.
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what are the pros of working as a maintenance supervisor?
First, there is a high demand for skilled maintenance supervisors, which means finding a job when you meet all the requirements is not a hassle. Second, as a maintenance supervisor, you will have the opportunity to advance in your career. Other pros of working as a maintenance supervisor are good salary and employment benefits and experience handling many different tools and equipment.
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what are the challenges of working as a maintenance supervisor?
Working as a maintenance supervisor is often physically demanding since it often involves standing for long hours and lifting heavy equipment. You may also be under pressure to beat deadlines and work within the allocated budget. Fortunately, each of these challenges can easily be overcome. For example, by freeing up your team, you are able to pay attention to what matters.
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what is another name for a maintenance supervisor?
A maintenance supervisor is also referred to as a maintenance specialist, maintenance planner, director of maintenance, and maintenance technician. It is important to note that the role and responsibility of a maintenance supervisor may differ slightly depending on the job title.
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how do I find a job as a maintenance supervisor?
Applying for a maintenance supervisor job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our maintenance supervisor jobs for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV. If you do not have a resume, no worries. Just check out our resume builder. This state of the art tool will help you to create your own resume. Need help with your application? Check out all our job-hunting tips!
submit your resume
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