Maintenance Coordinator: Job Description, Skills, Salary, and Career Path
Maintenance coordination is a pivotal role within any organization that relies on smooth and efficient operations of its physical assets. Whether it's a manufacturing facility, a commercial building, or a residential property, the maintenance coordinator ensures that everything runs seamlessly. If you're exploring this career path or looking to hire a maintenance coordinator, understanding the role, required skills, and potential earnings is essential.
In this article, we’ll dive into the responsibilities of a maintenance coordinator, the skills needed to excel in this role, salary expectations, and career progression.
What is a Maintenance Coordinator?
A maintenance coordinator acts as the central hub in a maintenance team. They are responsible for managing, scheduling, and coordinating all maintenance activities. Their role is crucial in ensuring that maintenance tasks are completed on time, within budget, and to the required standard.
Maintenance coordinators can be found across various industries, including manufacturing, property management, healthcare, and more. Their duties may vary slightly depending on the industry, but the core responsibilities remain consistent.
Key Responsibilities of a Maintenance Coordinator
1. Developing and Executing Maintenance Plans
One of the primary responsibilities of a maintenance coordinator is working with the maintenance manager and other senior staff to develop an annual maintenance plan. This plan outlines all the preventive and reactive maintenance tasks that need to be performed throughout the year. Once the plan is in place, the coordinator ensures its execution, monitoring progress and adjusting schedules as necessary.
2. Vendor and Contractor Management
Maintenance coordinators liaise with external vendors, service providers, and contractors to schedule repairs, maintenance, and servicing of equipment. They negotiate contracts, manage relationships, and ensure that all work is carried out to the organization’s standards.
3. Staff Coordination and Support
A maintenance coordinator assigns tasks to maintenance technicians and other staff, ensuring that everyone knows their responsibilities and has the resources needed to complete their work. They also provide support to staff, helping with problem-solving and stepping in when additional hands are needed.
4. Inventory and Equipment Management
Keeping track of tools, equipment, and supplies is another key task for a maintenance coordinator. They must ensure that all necessary resources are available when needed, monitor usage, and reorder supplies as required.
5. Budgeting and Financial Management
Maintenance coordinators often assist in creating the maintenance budget and may be responsible for tracking expenditures, handling payments to vendors, and ensuring that maintenance activities stay within budget.
6. Safety and Compliance Monitoring
Ensuring that all maintenance activities comply with health and safety regulations is critical. The coordinator monitors safety practices, ensures that personal protective equipment (PPE) is used correctly, and recommends safety improvements when necessary.
7. Administrative Support
From maintaining maintenance logs to handling work orders and tenant communications, maintenance coordinators provide essential administrative support. They ensure that all records are accurate and up-to-date, facilitating smooth operations.
Skills Needed to Excel as a Maintenance Coordinator
1. Technical Knowledge
A solid technical background is crucial for a maintenance coordinator. While they may not perform hands-on maintenance tasks regularly, they need to understand the work well enough to assign tasks appropriately, troubleshoot issues, and provide guidance.
2. Communication Skills
Excellent communication skills are essential. Maintenance coordinators must effectively convey instructions to maintenance staff, negotiate with vendors, and communicate with tenants or other stakeholders. Clear communication ensures that everyone is on the same page and that tasks are completed as expected.
3. Time Management and Multitasking
A maintenance coordinator juggles multiple responsibilities daily. Strong time management and multitasking skills are necessary to prioritize tasks, manage unexpected challenges, and keep everything on schedule.
4. Proactivity and Problem-Solving
Proactive coordinators anticipate potential issues and take steps to prevent them. When problems do arise, they must be adept at quickly finding solutions and minimizing disruptions.
5. Organizational Skills
With numerous tasks, staff, and vendors to manage, organization is key. A good maintenance coordinator keeps detailed records, maintains organized schedules, and ensures that all processes run smoothly.
Maintenance Coordinator Salary Expectations
The salary of a maintenance coordinator varies depending on factors such as industry, location, and experience. Below are some average salary figures from major job platforms:
- Indeed: Average yearly pay is $51,258, with potential overtime earnings of up to $7,500.
- Payscale: Salaries range from $35,000 to $98,000, with an average of around $55,000 per year.
- Salary.com: Facility maintenance coordinators can expect to earn approximately $41,000, with the range typically between $35,000 and $48,000.
- Glassdoor: The average base salary is around $54,000 per year.
- Reed (UK): The average salary is £26,000 ($36,000).
These figures place the maintenance coordinator role between that of a maintenance technician and a maintenance manager in terms of earnings.
Career Path and Certifications for Maintenance Coordinators
A maintenance coordinator role often serves as a stepping stone to higher positions within the maintenance or facilities management field. With experience and further education, coordinators can advance to roles such as maintenance manager, facilities manager, or operations manager.
Common Certifications for Maintenance Coordinators:
- Certified Maintenance Coordinator by the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM)
- Certified Manager of Maintenance by the National Center for Housing Management (NCHM)
- Project Management Professional (PMP) certification by the Project Management Institute
These certifications can enhance a coordinator’s skills, making them more competitive in the job market and better equipped to handle the demands of the role.
Vendoroo - The Ultimate AI Maintenance Management Solution
Vendoroo is the top choice for property management maintenance software, designed to streamline maintenance processes while ensuring that property managers, vendors, and tenants have a seamless experience.
- Seamless Integration: Vendoroo works effortlessly with your existing property management software, so you don’t need to switch systems.
- AI and Automation: The AI maintenance coordinator handles work orders from start to finish, troubleshoots with tenants, triages and assigns vendors, tracks progress in real-time.
- 24/7 Expert Support: Combines AI technology with human expertise, providing round-the-clock support for all maintenance tasks.