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Facilities Officer

Also known as Facilities Support Officer and Facilities Assistant.

Facilities officers provide assistance to ensure the day-to-day smooth management and operation of a building's infrastructure through administrative support and, at times, overseeing maintenance tasks.

With further training and experience, a facilities officer can become a facilities administrator, facilities manager or director of facilities.

TASKS

Facilities officers may perform the following tasks:

log, analyse and track maintenance requests
issue work orders to appropriate tradespeople or maintenance officers
match work orders to invoices and send invoices for payment
distribute, archive and coordinate documentation
conduct routine cleaning inspections with cleaners and facilities managers
coordinate recycling and waste management reports
set up meetings, conferences and function rooms
collect and distribute mail
suggest initiatives to improve operating practices, such as increasing energy efficiency

PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS

good interpersonal, communication and customer service skills
able to work in a team
able to assess and prioritise tasks
good computer literacy
able to use initiative and work unsupervised
excellent organisational skills

Interest Area

EDUCATION & TRAINING

You can work as a facilities officer without formal qualifications. You will probably get some informal training on the job.

You can also become a facilities officer through a traineeship in Property Services (Operations).

Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10.

Entry to this occupation may be improved if you have qualifications in facilities management or a related field such as architecture, business, management, property or planning. To get into these courses you usually need to gain your HSC/ACT Year 12. Most institutions in Australia offer relevant courses. Institutions have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements or offer external study. Contact Open Universities Australia or the institutions you are interested in for more information as requirements may change.

Additional Information

The Facility Management Association of Australia (FMA Australia) offers a range of professional development courses relevant to all levels of the facilities management sector. Contact FMA Australia for more information.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Facilities officers work for public and private organisations that manage buildings and facilities, and may be employed in most industries, including finance, defence, education, retail, public administration and safety, entertainment and manufacturing.

With experience, and sometimes further training, facilities officers may take on management responsibilities.