A Facility Manager has among his functions developing corporative strategies for the building assets he manages, maximizing workspace policies, coordinating construction works, renewal or relocation projects, procuring product and service related to facilities, to make them work properly and maintaining all facilities.
In Spain, much to our regret, Facility Managers are usually identified as the “General Services” guy. In most cases his scope of work is unknown and in other cases they don’t receive in their own companies the support or recognition they need to develop as they should. That’s why the mission to make this profession more visible is so important.
A Facility Manager’s tasks can be very different form company to company. In that sense, this professional role can carry out different tasks with different levels of responsibility. Although, depending on the organization, you might have a different name or different responsibilities, there are many kinds of profiles or job titles that are part of Facility Management discipline; even if you don’t know it.
All this has taken us to try to define some of the Facility Manager’s tasks and responsibilities, bearing in mind the influence area can be very wide it will be a hard task. Even if your job name is different, if you are responsible of any of the following tasks, you are definitely a Facility Manager. Let’s help you find out:
- I am a Facility Manager if I develop workspace policies to maximize the use of our worksplace. I try to design spaces aligned with my company’s needs; I organize and manage moves amongst other many things. I am a Facility Manager even if I am usually known as Space Manager.
- I am a Facility Manager if I run and control all operations from a company’s building portfolio standpoint, always trying to reach the highest profitability. To do this, I negotiate rents, lead marketing programs to increase occupancy; I manage budgets and financial transactions and my card says I am a Real Estate Manager.
- I am a Facility Manager if I work to maximize every process that implies energy consumption with-in my company’s buildings. I do the follow-up, analysis and control of these process, which help me identify solutions to achieve a maximum optimization. I am a Facility Manager although I’m commonly known as an Energy Manager.
- I am a Facility Manager if I am responsible of procuring and dealing with material and service suppliers, negotiating new contracts, evaluating their performance, implementing contract management processes, amongst others. I am a Facility Manager even if my company calls me Contract Manager.
- I am a Facility Manager if I take part through my knowledge, skills, tools and techniques in activities involved in the construction process of a new building. I help guarantee the project objectives by committing to budget and time goals, making sure the project is executed properly and fulfils with the company’s needs and expectations regarding the building’s daily use. I am a Facility Manager even if I’m called Project Manager.
- I am a Facility Manager if I manage a company’s Real Estate portfolio making it more profitable and maintaining its value through-out time. Yes, I’m also known as Property Manager.
- I am a Facility Manager if I define general building policies (strategy, goals, etc.), I manage service outsourcing, communication, documentation management and ticket registration processes. I am a Facility Manager although I’m commonly known as Asset Manager.
- I am a Facility Manager if I give technical support, I control the building budget and assure it´s law compliance, I also manage incidence tickets so that maintenance and renewal works in my building run smoothly. I am a Facility Manager even if my colleagues call me Site Manager.
- I am a Facility Manager if I provide my company with goods and services according to the needed quality and available budget. I organize invitations to tender, I evaluate bidders and their technical and economic proposals, I homogenize offers and do the follow-up and control of these contracts. I am a Facility Manager although sometimes I’m part of the Purchasing Department and I´m called Procurement Manager.
- I am a Facility Manager if I am responsible of running and managing maintenance duties to keep all equipment and facilities working properly with maximum availability. To do this, I design and carry out the most adequate maintenance strategy and plans. I am a Facility Manager although I’m commonly known as the Maintenance Manager.
- I am a Facility Manager if I manage hospitality activities oriented towards our clients and building users. I try to assist them in the best possible way, designing and coordinate events that are held in our premises with all the associated services such as catering. I am a Facility Manager although I’m called the Hospitality Manager.
- I am a Facility Manager if I identify, analyse and evaluate services risks that can affect my company’s activity or continuity, trying to reduce or minimize them as much as possible. I am a Facility Manager even if I’m commonly known as Risk Manager.
- I am a Facility Manager if I am responsible of supervising my company’s environmental and sustainable performance within the framework of Social Corporate Responsibility, analysing activities to find where improvements can be made and to grain legal compliance, promoting new initiatives and a sustainable culture. I am a Facility Manager although I’m also called Enviromental or Sustanaibility Manager.
CIFMers 2016 has the goal of strengthening the Facility Manager’s role and his professional recognition. If you are or consider yourself a Facility Manager, you can’t miss them. It is in everyone’s hands to give our profession the visibility it deserves.
CIFMers 2016 is designed for all these aforementioned roles. Although you might think that some of these areas have nothing to do with you, it’s good to listen to other professionals who will share their ideas and how they solve their challenges, as many of these ideas you will be able to apply to your own work, for sure.
Photo by: Gerd Altmann http://bit.ly/1Ma4KNg
