Facilities Manager Kaiwhakahaere Whakaurunga
Facilities managers co-ordinate the strategic and operational management of buildings and facilities to ensure they are safe, healthy, sustainable, productive and fit-for-purpose.
Facilities managers may do some or all of the following:
- manage health and safety risks
- oversee building maintenance and check that it's compliant with the latest regulations
- create strategic plans for future growth and new ways of working
- manage the sustainable use of energy and water resources
- business continuity planning
- be involved in the negotiation of the purchasing and leasing of buildings
- project management of construction, engineering, workspace design, or landscaping work
- monitor the building’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning
- use technology to manage and monitor how buildings operate.
Useful Experience
Useful experience for facilities managers includes work in:
- administration
- construction and trades
- engineering
- management.
Personal Qualities
Facilities managers need to be:
- able to coordinate different people and tasks
- accurate, with an eye for detail
- critical thinkers
- good problem solvers
- organised, proactive and flexible
- strong communicators.
Skills
Facilities managers need to have knowledge of:
- how a facility operates optimally
- how a building needs to comply with laws and regulations
- how to use technology to improve a building’s performance
- creating management plans
- health and safety regulations
- project and asset management
- procurement management, including contract administration
- environmental conservation and sustainable practices.
Conditions
Facilities managers:
- usually have to be on-call after hours for emergencies
- usually work in offices
- may have to travel for work if they manage a number of facilities.
Subject Recommendations
There are no specific secondary education requirements to become a facilities manager. However, construction and mechanical technologies, English, maths and business studies are useful.
Related Courses
Facilities Managers can earn around $55K-$100K per year.
Pay for facilities managers varies depending on skills and experience.
- New facilities managers with one to two years’ experience usually earn between $55,000 and $70,000 a year.
- Mid-level facilities managers with three to four years’ experience usually earn between $70,000 and $100,000.
- Senior facilities managers can earn between $100,000 and $150,000.
Source: FMANZ, 2020.
Facilities managers may specialise in:
- asset management
- design and construction
- environmental stewardship
- health and safety
- procurement and contract management
- project management.
Years Of Training
There are no specific requirements to become a facilities manager as you gain skills on the job.
You can enter the role in a variety of ways, including through:
- learning on the job and working your way up from an entry-level position
- having a tertiary qualification in facilities management or a related field
- a trade
- getting into a training programme or internship.
Trade qualifications or tertiary qualifications in facilities management, engineering, building science or project management are often useful for career progression.