What does a Maintenance Supervisor do?

A maintenance supervisor is in charge of overseeing the upkeep of a building. Maintenance supervisors most often work in commercial buildings, although at times a maintenance supervisor may work at a large residential estate. They often oversee the physical surroundings of a building to determine what maintenance must be performed, and are responsible for managing and assigning work to maintenance staff.

The first responsibility of a maintenance supervisor is usually to take responsibility for ensuring the physical surroundings of a building are in adequate condition. This can mean patrolling both the indoor and outdoor areas for signs of problems or areas that need repair. It normally means conducting periodic checks on all systems of a building, including heating and air conditioning, plumbing, elevators, and other related mechanical components of a building.

A maintenance supervisor may also take responsibility for the appearance of a building. This can mean inspecting the building for chipped or peeled paint, or patrolling the grounds to ensure that there are no spills or hazards. It can also mean monitoring gardens and related outdoor structures to ensure that the grounds remain aesthetically pleasing.

In addition to identifying and creating a maintenance plan and identifying problem areas, a maintenance supervisor must hire the individuals required to perform the needed maintenance. He may hire landscapers, gardeners, plumbers, HVAC technicians, or other individuals required to prevent and fix problems that occur in a building. A maintenance supervisor often hires these individuals in conjunction with other professionals in the organization. For example, he may report to the chief operating officer or other managers or division heads on the maintenance required in the building. He may need to get approval before hiring staff, or he may be vested with the sole responsibility to hire staff within a limited budget.

Once the staff has been hired, the supervisor usually assigns them tasks and oversees their work to ensure proper completion of tasks. This means a supervisor must delegate assignments to different individuals, prioritizing the tasks that are most important, and assigning the tasks to the staff members most equipped to perform them adequately. The supervisor then must ensure the work was done properly. He may also conduct periodic performance reviews on his staff to ensure that everyone is performing his or her duties in an efficient and acceptable manner.