What is FM?

Facilities Management is varied and multi-disciplinary, and a Facilities Manager’s work may cover aspects from all the following fields:

• People Management
• Working with Suppliers and Specialists
• Property Portfolio Management
• Building Fabric Maintenance
• Managing Building Services
• Managing Support Services
• Project Management
• Customer Service
• Environmental Issues
• Space Management
• Procurement
• Risk Management
• Financial Management
• Quality Management
• Information Management

Who is a Facilities Manager?

Specific Job Titles include:

• Facilities Manager
• Head of Facilities
• Senior Facilities Manager
• Manager – Facilities and Support Services
• Workplace Services Contract Manager
• Area Facilities Manager
• Facilities Account Manager
• Head of Property and Facilities
• Corporate Real Estate and Services Manager
• Projects and Facilities Manager
• Facilities and Purchasing Manager
• Specialist Facilities Management Engineer
• Facilities Technical Manager

What does a Facilities Manager do?

A Facilities Manager provides a single point of entry for the coordination of all services relating to the efficient and effective running of a Facility. This includes setting up and running a helpdesk for all services and track work as well as customer activities. A Facilities Manager is also responsible for procuring 'value for money' services that perform the client’s requirements. The Facilities Manager develops the Facilities Management Strategy and Plan which includes look at the building in the long term and make sure solutions add value and are not just 'short term' fixes. It is within a Facilities Manager’s scope to manage sustainability issues and report on utilities and reduce the impact of the use of facilities on the environment. Environmental principles must be applied and reported on. A Facilities Manager must also be able to manage large contracts i.e. cleaning and technical maintenance to ensure contractors adhere to agreed standards, implement and report on adherence as well as financial benchmarks for services, and is also responsible for some aspects of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Facility Managers are jugglers!

What must you be able to do?

• Report to senior management in an effective manner on a regular basis.
• Deal with lots of customers and be able to understand and show empathy in these dealings.
• Manage contracts for services and goods on a daily basis and provide service level and financial reports,
• Provide leadership and management skills to a Facilities Management team comprised of diverse skills.

Competencies of a Facilities Manager

1. Planning and Project Management
2. Operations and Maintenance
3. Real Estate
4. Quality Assessment and Innovation
5. Leadership and Management
6. Human and Environmental Factors
7. Finance
8. Communication
9. Technology
10. Risk Management
11. SHEQ