A Day in the Life of a Facility Manager The job description of every facility manager is different. Facility managers of indoor facilities have concerns such as lighting, air conditioning and heating systems, locker rooms, and flooring systems. Facility managers for outdoor facili- ties have concerns such as the effect of weather, water, and animals as well as access-control concerns. Even with the differences between all the facilities, most facility managers have the same basic concerns on a day-to-day basis. Some managers might have 30 years of experience while others might be thrust into the role of a facility manager their first day on the job. Although every manager is different, they all have the same basic responsibilities. They have to manage all the equipment and personnel that are in or need to be in the facility. Most facility managers will have two typical workdays: a nonevent date and an event date. The following might be considered a typical manager's schedule: Nonevent Date Time 8:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. Activity Walk to office using different routes each day to check for any problems such as graffiti or broken windows Review phone messages and return calls; check with night supervisor to determine status of evening changeover and cleaning; review write-up about the facility and coming acts online; follow up with budget projections Weekly staff meeting to discuss pre- and postevent information with representatives from all departments Advance the show (discuss the specific event times and dates, ticket prices, seating manifest, staffing needs, security needs, and so on) with future game or team promoters and focus on maintaining the integrity of the event and the facility. (These discussions are then written down into production notes that are discussed with staff members and become the event's "bible," which is often referred to as a script.) Lunch Weekly meeting with facility tenants to analyze complaints or problems; issues covered in such meetings focus on financial consolidation, capital projects, business outlook, tenant concerns, cleanliness, and so on Call promoters and facilities in other states to analyze potential events that could gener- ate additional revenue for the facility and negotiate potential contracts; look for ways to reduce expenses such as talking with new vendors If lucky, go home Event Date (Night Event) Time 5:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 8:00-9:00 p.m. 10:00-11:00 p.m. 2:00 a.m. Activity Arrive with the trucks to set up the facility and help the back-of-the-house crew examine rigging, stage, sound system, and so on; often need to meet with a representative of the event to make sure everyone knows their roles and complies with the contract After the facility is set, shower and get dressed in a suit to work with the front-of-the- house staff on customer relations, ticket sales, the media, and so on Do a typical day's work and address any issues that arise before the event Attend security meeting to discuss specific procedures with all ushers, managers, and emergency personnel (police, fire responders, emergency medical technicians) Open doors to allow for security searches; work with those in the back of the house (e.g., stagehands, facility workers, caterers, and custodians) to make sure the work is being done correctly and safely; walk the facility to spot any concerns and talk with patrons to make sure they know what is going on and that the facility has a visible face During the event, head to the administrative offices to sit in on the settlement process (paying the bills and totaling the revenue) to help resolve any issues with the stagehand bill or staffing costs Work with the night crew to get the load out (set removal) started, which can take several hours, and then prepare the facility for the next day Hopefully go home, though many promoters want the facility manager there from the beginning of an event to the end