what is a maintenance manager?

As a maintenance manager, you are the company's maintenance department leader. Your job revolves around maintaining the company's facilities and equipment to ensure that your co-workers have the best resources to complete their daily tasks. Your primary role is to supervise operations and activities within the department, and you are in charge of technical employees.

The job of a maintenance manager is quite different from other managerial roles. The scope of your responsibilities is broader than standard administrative tasks. Besides knowing the technical issues and equipment your team has to work on, your main challenge is creating a motivated workforce. As a maintenance manager, you should see yourself as a senior supervisor and as a facilitator. Keep asking your workers whether they need help, more training or specialised tools to manage their tasks better. You also help with other tasks like budget creation and expenses tracking within your department.

As a maintenance manager, you work in electrical plants, manufacturing companies or commercial buildings. Hence, a good maintenance manager needs a basic understanding of electrical systems, plumbing, carpentry and other crafts. You should be well-versed with maintenance regulations and safety procedures too. In small institutions, you need to do some maintenance tasks yourself. However, in large enterprises, the main job is to supervise operations.

Would working as a maintenance manager suit your organisational and time management skills? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in a maintenance manager role.

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maintenance manager salary

According to ONS, the median salary of a maintenance manager is £42,500 per year. You receive a lower salary of £35,000 annually at the beginning of your career, while skilled maintenance managers with some years of experience earn over £54,148 per year. You may earn higher or lower than this range, depending on your specific duties in the organisation. Retail, manufacturing and transportation companies tend to offer more roles and better salaries in this field.

factors that affect maintenance managers' pay

You have a chance to negotiate your pay based on your certification, educational level, additional skills and experience. Workers with exceptional skills and more experience tend to earn higher wages. You will also make more or less salary based on the organisation's location. Maintenance managers in urban centres earn more than those in smaller towns due to changes in demand and the cost of living.
 

female operating production machinery through a tablet
female operating production machinery through a tablet
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types of maintenance managers

Different industries require specific types of maintenance managers. Some of these include:

  • plant maintenance manager: your job is to ensure smooth plant systems and equipment operations. For this job, you oversee new equipment installation, repairs and preventive maintenance to ensure timely and effective production.
  • facilities maintenance manager: as a facilities maintenance manager, you take charge of all servicing and engineering tasks within a facility. You will often work with plumbers and mechanical and electrical engineers to ensure that the facility is safe for its intended purpose.
  • public works maintenance manager: your work is to lead and guide maintenance supervisors in government institutions. Some of the roles include overseeing landscaping or maintenance of roads, parks and recreation facilities.
  • building complex maintenance manager: you are responsible for residential complexes and commercial offices. Your job is to supervise daily upkeep operations like cleaning and manage maintenance procedures.
     
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working as a maintenance manager

If you want to start a career as a maintenance manager, you need to understand the scope of the work. Read on to learn more about the job's duties, responsibilities and expectations.

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education and skills

The level of qualifications required to become a maintenance manager depends on the size and nature of the company. You can get a job with GCSEs and related work experience in small institutions. However, you often need graduate-level qualifications for large organisations. Some of the educational requirements for the job include:

  • university degree: you can become a maintenance manager if you have a bachelor's degree in industrial maintenance and chemical or mechanical engineering. It would help if you developed your education with a master's in leadership and management.
  • training: some maintenance managers don't start as graduates but as field workers in the maintenance sector. For instance, you can pursue training courses in plumbing or electrical maintenance to be effective in the role. Some maintenance managers also start as handypersons with qualifications in various trades.

skills and competencies

You need the following qualities to become an effective maintenance manager:

  • leadership skills: as a maintenance manager, you supervise various workers to ensure tasks are completed on time. You need exceptional leadership skills to inspire and motivate workers toward a particular goal. Management skills also help you delegate tasks and multi-task effectively.
  • technical knowledge: you need basic computer skills to order stock, hold educational programmes and create schedules. A maintenance manager also needs knowledge of engineering concepts to do some tasks if a worker is unavailable.
  • problem-solving skills: as a maintenance manager, you need problem-solving skills to resolve issues swiftly and avoid interfering with other business operations.
  • people skills: as a maintenance manager, you deal with many colleagues, from cleaning staff to engineers and managers. You need great people skills to build effective relationships and communicate professionally with everyone.
     
two smiling males looking at a mobile phone
two smiling males looking at a mobile phone
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FAQs

FAQs about working as a maintenance manager

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