Directors of Facilities: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of directors of facilities about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for directors of facilities to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of directors of facilities expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for directors of facilities.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Directors of Facilities?
Do directors of facilities need a degree? What kind of experience do directors of facilities typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for directors of facilities to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Directors of Facilities
Jobs Postings for Directors of Facilities By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 39,922 (41%)
- High School or GED: 28,281 (29%)
- No Education Listed: 20,914 (22%)
- Master's degree: 6,157 (6%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,000 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of directors of facilities. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 41% of positions. In 29% of job listings a High School diploma or GED was required and in 22% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Directors of Facilities
Jobs Postings for Directors of Facilities By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 15,462 (25%)
- 2-3 Years: 17,468 (29%)
- 4-6 Years: 17,653 (29%)
- 7-9 Years: 4,893 (8%)
- 10+ Years: 5,289 (9%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for directors of facilities. In 29% of job postings for Directors of Facilities, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 29% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 25% of job postings for directors of facilities.
What Kind of Degree Do Directors of Facilities Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for directors of facilities, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 6 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective directors of facilities, and in 2021 a total of 99,510 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective directors of facilities.
Top Degree Programs for Directors of Facilities
Top 5 Degree Programs for Directors of Facilities (2021)
Program | Completions |
---|---|
Business/Commerce, General. | 55,970 |
Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | 18,408 |
Organizational Leadership. | 15,128 |
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,791 |
Project Management. | 4,155 |
Program | Completions |
---|---|
Business/Commerce, General. | 55,970 |
Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | 18,408 |
Organizational Leadership. | 15,128 |
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,791 |
Project Management. | 4,155 |
Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions and Contracts Management. | 1,058 |
What Skills Do Directors of Facilities Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by directors of facilities to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for directors of facilities, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Directors of Facilities
Based on 86,438 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Directors of Facilities
Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Facility Management | 25,306 | 29% |
Project Management | 15,445 | 18% |
Construction | 13,583 | 16% |
HVAC | 12,370 | 14% |
Workflow Management | 11,516 | 13% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Directors of Facilities
Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Operations | 41,757 | 48% |
Management | 41,299 | 48% |
Communications | 37,112 | 43% |
Customer Service | 34,735 | 40% |
Scheduling | 24,214 | 28% |
Based on 86,438 job postings related to directors of facilities, facility management was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 29% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for project management, construction, hvac, workflow management and warehousing were also highly sought.
As for common skills, operations was the most desired skill found in job postings for directors of facilities, followed by management, communications, customer service, scheduling and coordinating.
Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Facility Management | 25,306 | 29% |
Project Management | 15,445 | 18% |
Construction | 13,583 | 16% |
HVAC | 12,370 | 14% |
Workflow Management | 11,516 | 13% |
Warehousing | 11,230 | 13% |
Inventory Management | 10,929 | 13% |
Facility Repair And Maintenance | 10,117 | 12% |
Pharmaceuticals | 9,470 | 11% |
Inventory Control | 9,433 | 11% |
Plumbing | 9,361 | 11% |
Asset Protection | 9,203 | 11% |
Quality Improvement | 9,056 | 10% |
Merchandising | 8,826 | 10% |
Medical Prescription | 8,711 | 10% |
Medication Dispensation | 8,686 | 10% |
Cash Register | 8,656 | 10% |
Pharmacist Assistance | 8,584 | 10% |
Auditing | 8,379 | 10% |
Renovation | 7,331 | 8% |
Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Operations | 41,757 | 48% |
Management | 41,299 | 48% |
Communications | 37,112 | 43% |
Customer Service | 34,735 | 40% |
Scheduling | 24,214 | 28% |
Coordinating | 23,838 | 28% |
Leadership | 22,212 | 26% |
Problem Solving | 20,584 | 24% |
Planning | 19,601 | 23% |
Computer Literacy | 18,783 | 22% |
Detail Oriented | 18,115 | 21% |
Interpersonal Communications | 14,833 | 17% |
English Language | 13,394 | 15% |
Microsoft Office | 12,709 | 15% |
Verbal Communication Skills | 11,881 | 14% |
Sales | 11,714 | 14% |
Writing | 11,653 | 13% |
Coaching | 10,675 | 12% |
Mathematics | 10,653 | 12% |
Microsoft Excel | 10,577 | 12% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about directors of facilities? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for directors of facilities.
What do directors of facilities do?
How much do directors of facilities make?
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