The Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) in Facility Management consists of nine examination parts, all of which are written, with the exception of the project work, which is prepared in writing in advance and is also examined orally. The following parts of the examination are also examined:

• Personnel management
• Maintenance
• Legal knowledge
• Business administration
• Working technique
• Company and environment
• Company organization
• Occupational safety

In facility management manager jobs, you work in middle to senior management positions. The fields of application are diverse. These include service activities in the real estate industry, in manufacturing companies, hospitals, care homes or in the hotel industry. Working hours can vary greatly depending on the company and sector. Qualified specialists are in high demand on the job market.

Continuing education, further training to become a certified facility management manager is part-time, not a full-time course.

For example, the following requirements are expected for the Head of Facility Management:

• Degree in facility management, qualified master technician or comparable training
• Proven industry and management experience in facility management
• Sound business management knowledge and experience in benchmarking (FM)
• Preferably knowledge in the future field of activity
• Strong coordination and negotiation skills
• Experience in project management incl. preparation of quotations and measurements, invoicing, controlling
• Confident handling of the IT systems used
• Possession of a category B driving license

Jobs as a head of facility management therefore offer you excellent prospects for the future - especially if you already have practical experience in the skilled trades. Classic employers are private and municipal housing companies. However, public institutions and industrial companies also have a growing need for facility managers. Modern buildings are becoming increasingly complex. Sustainability, resource-saving modernization and adequate energy management are just some of the issues that are essential for modern building management.

The following personal requirements apply to Head of Facility Management jobs:

• Organizational talent
• High quality awareness
• technical skills
• Ability to lead employees and work in a team

Persons are admitted to the Head of Facility Management and Maintenance course if they meet the following requirements at the start of the examination:

• Completion of a Federal Professional Examination or another tertiary qualification
• At least 2 years of professional experience in facility management

or

• Completion of upper-secondary level or an equivalent qualification
• At least 5 years of professional experience in facility management, including at least 2 years in a management position

and

• Proof of the required module qualifications

The requirements for a Head of Facility Management are:

• Broad technical understanding of building technology
• Basic technical training with corresponding continuing education, further training
• Several years of experience in a comparable position
• Good IT skills
• Conceptually strong, but also pragmatic and hands-on
• Organizational talent
• Flexibility, tolerance and ability to work in a team
• Independent, accurate and clean way of working
• Reliable, determined and communicative

The tasks of the Head of Facility Management include

• manage the maintenance of buildings and facilities
  • organize the cleaning of the premises and the maintenance of the machinery
  • Planning of building conversions and modernization of technical systems
  • Ensure the function, maintenance and sufficient energy supply of buildings and mechanical equipment
  • Purchasing external services, evaluating different providers and coordinating their use
  • calculate costs, obtain quotations and monitor implementation

• Managing employees
  • Leading and developing groups of employees and deploying them according to their qualifications
  • Take measures to prevent accidents and ensure occupational safety in the workplace
  • Are available as contact persons for management, employees and customers

As a qualified Head of Facility Management, the following further training opportunities are recommended:

• Courses offered by the technical and vocational colleges and the sponsoring associations Allpura and fmpro
• At postgraduate level:
  • Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS)
  • Strategic facility management
  • Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Facility Management
  • MAS in Real Estate Management

A Head of Facility Management course lasts three to four semesters. It can be completed on a part-time basis. Various training methods are also offered.

fmpro Head of Facility Management means Head of FM according to the Swiss Association for Facility Management and Maintenance. The required qualifications are acquired in the form of modules prior to the examination and confirmed by the examination. Regulations and guidelines are issued by fmpro.