Facilities Manager
Kaiwhakahaere Whakaurunga
Alternative titles for this job
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.
Pay
Facilities managers with one to four years' experience usually earn
$55K-$100K per year
Senior facilities managers usually earn
$100K-$150K per year
Source: FMANZ, 2020
Job opportunities
Vocational PathwaysPay
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.
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our pay information)
What you will do
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.
Skills and knowledge
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.
Working 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.
Entry requirements
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.
Secondary education
There are no specific secondary education requirements to become a facilities manager. However, construction and mechanical technologies, English, maths and business studies are useful.
Personal requirements
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.
Useful experience
Useful experience for facilities managers includes work in:
- administration
- construction and trades
- engineering
- management.
Find out more about training
- The Facilities Management Association of New Zealand (FMANZ)
- 021 196 2945 - info@fmanz.org - www.fmanz.org/careers-in-fm
What are the chances of getting a job?
Facilities managers in demand
Opportunities for facilities managers are good due to:
- not enough people going into the job because it's overlooked as a possible career path
- employers having difficulty finding the right person for the job because it's quite a new profession in New Zealand.
In a member survey by the Facilities Management Association of New Zealand (FMANZ), 62% of respondents said they had been offered a job by another company. This shows the limited number of employees in the industry and suggests the demand for skilled workers is high.
Types of employers varied
Facilities managers are employed by a range of different organisations and businesses. These include:
- airports
- banks
- laboratories
- large offices
- libraries
- hospitals
- universities
- shopping malls
- urban parks.
Most facilities managers are employed directly by an organisation. Some work for facilities management companies that provide services to organisations.
Sources
- Carbery, S, communications manager, FMANZ, careers.govt.nz interview, July 2020.
- FMANZ, 'A Career in Facilities Management', accessed July 2020, (www.fmanz.org).
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our job opportunities information)
Progression and specialisations
Facilities managers may specialise in:
- asset management
- design and construction
- environmental stewardship
- health and safety
- procurement and contract management
- project management.
Facilities managers are responsible for overseeing building maintenance
Last updated 7 December 2020