A human resource department needs a human resource manager. A marketing team needs a marketing manager. And a maintenance team needs a maintenance manager.
Wherever there’s a group of people that needs to be coordinated, there also has to be someone in charge of delegating and overseeing their tasks. Maintenance managers are a bit different in the sense that their scope of responsibility is much larger than that of a typical manager. Without a proper maintenance team and a manager not effectively performing their role, asset-intensive companies can easily crumble from losses that may range from unexpected equipment breakdown, downtime, loss of productivity, and even severe workplace injuries.
On that note, let’s take a look at what a maintenance manager does and how far do their roles and responsibilities extend.
Generally, maintenance managers oversee a team of maintenance supervisors that manage technicians and workload during a specific shift. Depending on the size of the organization, managers report to either a maintenance director, president, or vice president of operations.
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Strategic Planning
Maintenance managers must take a look at the big picture view of the maintenance department and plan for the long-term vision and direct comprehensive efforts around building efficient operations, systems, and safe production standards. Not only do they focus on the company’s overall goals but also make key decisions regarding OSHA requirements, applicable laws, and regulations.
Coordination of Responsibilities
The responsibilities of maintenance managers may vary depending on the nature of the specific business. However, responsibilities typically include planning and directing overall maintenance work and coordinating responsibilities with maintenance supervisors to accomplish work in a timely and safe manner.
Train and Develop Employees
Hiring, training, and development of maintenance staff are all overseen by maintenance managers. In addition, maintenance managers ensure a positive, team-oriented working environment while focusing on delivering safe, high-quality, and efficient maintenance services.
Set team goals
Overall vision, mission, and strategies for the entire maintenance department must be set by the maintenance manager. It may also involve setting immediate smaller goals to get the organization to its ideal state depending on the environment the manager works within.
Proactive mindset
Veteran maintenance managers have progressive-thinking mentalities and the ability to instill that thought in their subordinates. They must be able to visualize the problems that do not exist yet are also able to promote a proactive approach to maintenance.
Implement health and safety measures
Asset-intensive industries have to follow various safety standards and maintenance managers ensure that the health and safety rules and regulations are strictly enforced and followed. In some companies, strong procedures may already be implemented and well-ingrained within the maintenance department. If not, the maintenance manager should take on this responsibility.
Streamlining maintenance and documentation
Once the above requirements are met, a maintenance manager must make sure that a robust system is in place to record all maintenance activities and one which can streamline work orders for repairs or maintenance. A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) can be a valuable tool in this aspect. With CMMS software, the maintenance manager, as well as the entire maintenance team, can track equipment and work order history, and generate reports and analytics over time for better decision making. A CMMS also ensures that a safer working environment is maintained through the upkeep and maintenance of assets.
CloudApper CMMS can be an affordable and beneficial tool for any maintenance team regardless of the industry. The application can be customized according to the specific needs of the business.