Lead Maintenance Technician

Montgomery-County-Coalition-For-the-Homeles; Rockville (MD); On-site; USD 55,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lead Maintenance Technician at Nebel Street Emergency Shelter is responsible for preventive, corrective, routine, and emergency maintenance across the facility. You will respond to work orders, inspect spaces, repair systems, and coordinate with County representatives to keep the shelter safe, clean, and respectful for clients and staff.

This hands-on role requires strong planning, records management, and the ability to work evenings, weekends, or holidays as needed to support the

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; trade school, technical certification, or relevant license preferred.
• At least Three years of maintenance, facilities, building operations, or property management experience, including experience coordinating work or providing team leadership.
• Strong working knowledge of general repairs, preventive maintenance, building systems, tools, and safe work practices.
• Experience overseeing custodial or cleaning services, including quality inspections.
• Ability to assess urgency, organize competing priorities, and follow assignments through completion.
• Ability to maintain clear records, inventory, service schedules, and written updates; basic computer and work-order system skills required.
• Ability to recognize work that must be referred to the County or a licensed contractor and to coordinate vendors.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to maintain respectful, professional relationships with clients, coworkers, County representatives, contractors, and community partners.
• Ability to work calmly and use sound judgment in a busy shelter environment where urgent and unexpected needs may arise.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, kneel, climb stairs and ladders, reach, and work in confined or elevated areas as needed.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds independently and heavier items with assistance or appropriate equipment.
• Ability to work indoors and outdoors in varying temperatures and weather conditions.
• Ability to respond to maintenance needs throughout continuously operating facility.
• Availability for occasional evenings, weekends, holidays, and emergency response.
• Commitment to serving people experiencing homelessness with dignity, patience, and respect.
• Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record may be required based on organizational needs.

Responsibilities

• Prioritize, assign, track, and follow up on maintenance work orders based on safety, urgency, operational impact, and available resources.
• Personally complete routine, preventive, corrective, and emergency maintenance work; this is a hands on position rather than a primarily administrative or supervisory role.
• Maintain records of work orders, inspections, repairs, recurring concerns, preventive maintenance, vendor visits, and equipment service history.
• Develop, implement, and monitor a preventive maintenance schedule for building systems, shelter spaces, equipment, and grounds.
• Conduct regular facility inspections and promptly identify hazards, concerns, liabilities, and conditions requiring corrective action.
• Maintain an organized inventory of tools, equipment, replacement parts, keys, and supplies; recommend purchases.
• Meet regularly with shelter leadership and the County to report open work orders, completed repairs, safety concerns, vendor activity, supply needs, and planned projects.
• Recommend outside services when work requires a licensed contractor or specialized expertise; coordinate access and monitor contractor performance.
• Serve as the primary maintenance point of contact and be on call for evening, weekend, and holiday emergencies.
• Responsible for facility signage within the shelter.
• Support facility readiness for changes in shelter capacity, seasonal weather operations, special projects, inspections, and emergency response.
• Ensure maintenance work is completed with minimal disruption and with respect for client privacy, dignity, and the shelter's trauma-informed environment.
• Provide oversight of the contracted cleaning team, develop and monitor cleaning schedules, conduct inspections, and address missed assignments and quality concerns.

Skills

Team leadership

Record keeping

Vendor coordination

Communication skills

Problem solving

Calm under pressure

Physical ability

Driver's license

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Trade school / certification preferred

Job description

Description

The Lead Maintenance Technician will perform preventive, corrective, routine, and emergency maintenance at Nebel Street Emergency Shelter, a large, 24-hour emergency shelter serving single men. The position responds to work orders, completes inspections and repairs, supports the upkeep of interior and exterior spaces, and reports conditions that require additional attention from the County or a licensed contractor. The Lead Maintenance Technician works closely with shelter leadership and County representatives to maintain a safe, functional, clean, and respectful environment for clients, staff, and visitors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Prioritize, assign, track, and follow up on maintenance work orders based on safety, urgency, operational impact, and available resources.
• Personally complete routine, preventive, corrective, and emergency maintenance work; this is a hands on position rather than a primarily administrative or supervisory role.
• Maintain records of work orders, inspections, repairs, recurring concerns, preventive maintenance, vendor visits, and equipment service history.
• Develop, implement, and monitor a preventive maintenance schedule for building systems, shelter spaces, equipment, and grounds.
• Conduct regular facility inspections and promptly identify hazards, concerns, liabilities, and conditions requiring corrective action.
• Maintain an organized inventory of tools, equipment, replacement parts, keys, and supplies; recommend purchases.
• Meet regularly with shelter leadership and the County to report open work orders, completed repairs, safety concerns, vendor activity, supply needs, and planned projects.
• Recommend outside services when work requires a licensed contractor or specialized expertise; coordinate access and monitor contractor performance.
• Serve as the primary maintenance point of contact and be on call for evening, weekend, and holiday emergencies.
• Responsible for facility signage within the shelter.
• Support facility readiness for changes in shelter capacity, seasonal weather operations, special projects, inspections, and emergency response.
• Ensure maintenance work is completed with minimal disruption and with respect for client privacy, dignity, and the shelter's trauma-informed environment.

Maintenance Responsibilities:

• Maintain working knowledge of electrical shutoffs, water and gas shutoffs, clean-out traps, fire extinguishers, hydrants, emergency systems, and other critical building controls.
• Troubleshoot and complete approved repairs involving plumbing, electrical fixtures, lighting, doors, locks, walls, flooring, appliances, furniture, and basic heating and cooling concerns.
• Ensure sleeping areas, bathrooms, showers, laundry rooms, kitchen, offices, common areas, storage spaces, and exterior areas remain safe and operational.
• Inspect and maintain exterior lighting, walkways, parking areas, and grounds.
• Complete painting, patching, minor carpentry, assembly, preventive upkeep, and repairs to normal structural wear and damage.
• Respond to emergency maintenance conditions, take immediate steps to protect people and property, and notify the appropriate leadership, County contact, or emergency service.
• Document completed work, materials used, outstanding needs, and unusual conditions; communicate issues that may affect safety, shelter capacity, or program operations.
• Follow all applicable federal, state, County, OSHA, fire safety, licensing, permit, and organizational requirements.

Cleaning Team Oversight:

• Provide oversight of the contracted cleaning team, to ensure work meets standards based on shelter operations and immediate needs.
• Develop and monitor cleaning schedules for sleeping areas, bathrooms, showers, laundry rooms, kitchen, offices, hallways, common areas, entrances, exterior spaces, and other assigned areas.
• Conduct routine inspections to ensure cleanliness, sanitation, and quality standards are consistently maintained.
• Address missed assignments, recurring quality concerns, supply shortages, and urgent cleaning needs promptly with the contractor; communicate significant performance or coverage concerns to shelter leadership.
• Ensure appropriate inventory levels for cleaning supplies, chemicals, paper products, and equipment; ensure supplies are stored, labeled, secured, and used safely.
• Ensure cleaning staff demonstrate appropriate use of equipment, chemical handling, personal protective equipment, safety procedures, and expectations for professional and respectful interactions with clients. Communicate any issues to shelter leadership and the contractor.
• Coordinate deep cleaning, pest control preparation, biohazard response, emergency cleanup, and other specialized cleaning services with shelter leadership and approved vendors.

Requirements

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• High school diploma or equivalent required; trade school, technical certification, or relevant license preferred.
• At least Three years of maintenance, facilities, building operations, or property management experience, including experience coordinating work or providing team leadership.
• Strong working knowledge of general repairs, preventive maintenance, building systems, tools, and safe work practices.
• Experience overseeing custodial or cleaning services, including quality inspections.
• Ability to assess urgency, organize competing priorities, and follow assignments through completion.
• Ability to maintain clear records, inventory, service schedules, and written updates; basic computer and work-order system skills required.
• Ability to recognize work that must be referred to the County or a licensed contractor and to coordinate vendors.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to maintain respectful, professional relationships with clients, coworkers, County representatives, contractors, and community partners.
• Ability to work calmly and use sound judgment in a busy shelter environment where urgent and unexpected needs may arise.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, kneel, climb stairs and ladders, reach, and work in confined or elevated areas as needed.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds independently and heavier items with assistance or appropriate equipment.
• Ability to work indoors and outdoors in varying temperatures and weather conditions.
• Ability to respond to maintenance needs throughout continuously operating facility.
• Availability for occasional evenings, weekends, holidays, and emergency response.
• Commitment to serving people experiencing homelessness with dignity, patience, and respect.
• Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record may be required based on organizational needs.