A janitorial supervisor typically overseas a crew of janitors, maintenance workers, and cleaners who work at one or more buildings. The janitorial supervisor may be involved in hands-on tasks around the property while supervising and directing his other workers. His exact duties and responsibilities may vary, but a janitorial supervisor may be responsible for scheduling workers, assigning duties, and training new workers. The supervisor may also be the contact person for workers when they need to arrange for time off or have other work-related concerns.
In many cases, people get experience and janitorial work on the job. An entry-level janitor might be assigned simple, basic tasks in building maintenance or cleaning and may eventually learn more about janitorial management or how to work with various building systems during his or her employment. From this experience, he or she may eventually reach the level of janitorial supervisor and be responsible for a specific crew or even the entire maintenance staff for a particular property. In some cases, a janitorial supervisor may work for a mobile cleaning and maintenance service that services many different properties. If the supervisor works on a mobile crew, he or she may be responsible for scheduling transportation to and from job sites and making sure that there is adequate room in vehicles for his or her crew.
In addition to training staff and performing various types of labor, the janitorial supervisor serves a managerial function. In many cases, janitors and cleaners work during times that a building is not in use by its primary occupants. This means that janitorial staff may have to work evenings and weekends, which may require careful scheduling by the supervisor. In addition, the supervisor is responsible for making sure that there is an adequate number of staff on each shift to accomplish necessary tasks.
Janitorial supervisors may be responsible for hiring and training entry-level workers. This process typically involves acquainting the new hire with a property and demonstrating the appropriate process for maintaining and cleaning its facilities. On smaller properties, the janitorial crew may be responsible for care of the entire building and grounds. This may mean that the janitorial supervisor will have to be well versed in various types of maintenance, including grounds maintenance as well as internal systems such as the furnace or air conditioning. The supervisor will also have to know when it is appropriate to call in an outside contractor to perform specialist work rather than attempting repairs on his or her own.