How to hire facilities managers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Conduct classes to teach procedures to staff. • Monitor the facility to ensure that it remains safe, secure, and well-maintained. • Oversee construction and renovation projects to improve efficiency and to ensure that facilities meet environmental, health, and security standards, and comply with government regulations. • Oversee the maintenance and repair of machinery, equipment, and electrical and mechanical systems. • Participate in architectural and engineering planning and design, including space and installation management. • Plan, administer, and control budgets for contracts, equipment, and supplies. • Prepare and review operational reports and schedules to ensure accuracy and efficiency. • Set goals and deadlines for the department. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree] • Strong critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, monitoring, speaking and writing skills • Working knowledge of public safety and security, customer and personal service, English Language and administration and management • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $51.28 an hour ($106,660 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for facilities managers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to conduct classes to teach procedures to staff. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to monitor the facility to ensure that it remains safe, secure, and well-maintained. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to oversee construction and renovation projects to improve efficiency and to ensure that facilities meet environmental, health, and security standards, and comply with government regulations. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to oversee the maintenance and repair of machinery, equipment, and electrical and mechanical systems. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What facilities managers do
- Conduct classes to teach procedures to staff.
- Monitor the facility to ensure that it remains safe, secure, and well-maintained.
- Oversee construction and renovation projects to improve efficiency and to ensure that facilities meet environmental, health, and security standards, and comply with government regulations.
- Oversee the maintenance and repair of machinery, equipment, and electrical and mechanical systems.
- Participate in architectural and engineering planning and design, including space and installation management.
- Plan, administer, and control budgets for contracts, equipment, and supplies.
- Prepare and review operational reports and schedules to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
- Set goals and deadlines for the department.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for facilities managers
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Experience usually needed to start: Less than 5 years (BLS)
- Job outlook: +4.6% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 14,200 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay facilities managers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Washington | $139,990 |
| New York | $131,350 |
| New Jersey | $124,110 |
| Massachusetts | $124,100 |
| Colorado | $122,510 |
| Oklahoma | $90,390 |
| Arkansas | $89,810 |
| Vermont | $88,710 |
See facilities managers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Administrative Services Managers
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Financial Managers
- Industrial Production Managers
- Purchasing Managers
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Compensation and Benefits Managers
- Human Resources Managers
- Training and Development Managers
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.