Maintenance Supervisor I

Position Summary

The Maintenance Supervisor I provides day-to-day technical leadership of maintenance. At Horning, the Property Manager is the manager of record for all on-site property roles, including the maintenance team. The Maintenance Supervisor I works in partnership with the Property Manager to direct and supervise the technical work of the maintenance staff and partners with the Regional Maintenance Manager on capital and preventive maintenance planning.

This is a working supervisor role: the Maintenance Supervisor I personally performs hands-on maintenance alongside the team. In partnership with the Property Manager, the role is accountable for resident service quality, the physical condition of the asset, vendor coordination, inspection readiness, and the technical development of maintenance staff. The role is performing well when residents receive responsive, professional service, preventive maintenance and inspections are completed on schedule, vacant unit turns meet company standards, and the team is engaged, accountable, and growing.

Key Responsibilities

A. Team Leadership and Direction

• Provide day-to-day technical leadership and direction to the on-site maintenance team in partnership with the Property Manager (manager of record), including scheduling, work assignments, performance feedback, and coaching.
• Partner with the Property Manager and Regional Maintenance Manager on hiring, onboarding, training, performance reviews, and progressive corrective action.
• Conduct and participate in regular maintenance team meetings; deliver toolbox safety talks and ongoing skills development.
• Build and maintain weekly work schedules for staff and vendors to deliver on service requests, turns, preventive maintenance, and overall curb appeal.

B. Working Supervisor Duties

• Function as a working supervisor: personally complete service requests, turns, preventive maintenance, and emergency repairs as needed.
• Maintain working knowledge of all maintenance programs and capital improvement projects; provide field input to scope and execution.
• Maintain an organized, safe, well-stocked maintenance shop and supply rooms.

C. Vacant Unit Turn Management

• Oversee the make-ready process: inspect vacant units, assign turn work, and ensure units are delivered market-ready on time and on budget.
• Coach the team on turn quality standards and inspect completed turns before sign-off.

D. Preventive Maintenance and Inspections

• Prepare the property and units for inspections, including HUD and REAC where applicable to the assigned property, and lead remediation of any findings.
• Complete monthly building and unit inspections to ensure the property is maintained to Horning operating standards; document findings and remediate.

E. Vendor and Budget Stewardship

• Solicit vendor bids and coordinate vendor work with Property Manager and Regional Maintenance Manager approval; verify quality, scope, and invoice accuracy before sign-off.
• Track and recommend maintenance spend across budget categories (supplies, R&M, contract services); flag variances to the Property Manager, who approves and owns the property budget.

F. Compliance and Safety

• Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, Fair Housing, and all applicable federal, state, and local code requirements.
• Where the property includes affordable housing programs (HUD Section 8, Tax Credit / LIHTC, RCC), support compliance and inspection readiness for those frameworks.

G. Resident Service and Communication

• Set and reinforce the resident-service standard for the maintenance team. Partner with the Property Manager on resident communication during complex or extended repairs.
• Handle escalated resident situations professionally and in partnership with the Property Manager.

H. On-Call and Other Duties

• Participate in on-call rotation; serve as the technical escalation point for after-hours emergencies (life-safety, water, fire, electrical).
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Property Manager or Regional Maintenance Manager.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED with three (3) or more years of multifamily maintenance experience, including one (1) or more years in a lead or working-lead capacity, or an advanced trade credential with a minimum of two (2) years of related experience including lead exposure.
• Working knowledge of facilities management standards, concepts, practices, procedures, and policies, with the ability to apply them in a small-to-mid-size multifamily setting.
• Demonstrated competence across electrical, carpentry, plumbing, appliance repair, and HVAC.
• EPA Section 608 Universal certification.
• Strong leadership, communication, and resident-service skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, hold staff and vendors accountable, and work both independently and collaboratively.
• Reliable transportation to and from the worksite.
• Ability to participate in on-call rotation, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Proficiency with property management and workforce systems used at Horning, including Yardi, AppWork, ADP, and Microsoft Outlook, or demonstrated ability to learn comparable systems quickly.

Preferred Qualifications

• CAMT (Certified Apartment Maintenance Technician) or CAMS credential.
• CFC Universal certification.
• CPO (Certified Pool Operator) certification, relevant for properties with pool amenities.
• Familiarity with HUD physical condition standards and REAC inspection preparation, or experience supporting Tax Credit / LIHTC or RCC compliance.
• Experience working with asbestos and lead-based paint protocols, which are common in pre-1985 DC area properties.
• Experience supervising a small maintenance team in a DC, MD, or VA multifamily setting.
• Bilingual (English / Spanish) a plus.

Scope & Decision-Making Authority

• Day-to-day technical leadership and operational supervision of the on-site maintenance team (typically 1 to 2 staff at this property size), in partnership with the Property Manager who is the manager of record for all on-site staff at Horning.
• Authority to assign and direct daily maintenance work; PTO requests, schedule changes, and time records are approved by the Property Manager.
• Recommends hiring, performance ratings, and corrective action; final decisions are owned by the Property Manager in partnership with the Regional Maintenance Manager.
• Authority to authorize emergency repairs up to a defined dollar threshold per Horning purchasing policy; escalates above threshold to the Property Manager and Regional Maintenance Manager.
• Joint accountability with the Property Manager for resident satisfaction scores tied to maintenance, turn timelines, and inspection outcomes.

Software & Systems

• Yardi Voyager for property records and work order context
• AppWork for work order intake, status, and completion
• ADP for time and attendance, payroll, and HR records
• Microsoft Outlook and Office Suite for email, scheduling, and reporting

Physical Demands & Work Conditions

• Walks the property frequently to inspect work and supervise staff (more than half the time).
• Periodically positions self (kneel, crawl, crouch) when performing hands-on repairs (less than half the time).
• Works outdoors in varying weather (more than half the time).
• Frequently uses hands, fingers, and wrists to operate tools and equipment.
• Must distinguish between colors at all times (wiring, labels, paint).
• Must be able to lift, carry, and maneuver 40 to 75 pounds.
• Spends some time at a computer for scheduling, work-order management, and reporting (less than half the time).

Travel & On-Call

• Limited travel between Horning properties or vendor locations as needed.
• On-call as the property's technical escalation point for after-hours emergencies; participation in on-call rotation 50 to 75 percent of scheduled rotations.