Occupation · SOC 37-1011
First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
Directly supervise and coordinate work activities of cleaning personnel in hotels, hospitals, offices, and other establishments.
Median wage
$47,520
$34,390–$74,190
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
174,660
Job Zone 2
Typical preparation
Some preparation
Stackable credential programs
39 mapped
Core skills
Management of Personnel ResourcesMonitoringCoordinationSpeakingTime ManagementComplex Problem SolvingSocial PerceptivenessInstructing
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageAdministration and ManagementEducation and TrainingPublic Safety and Security
Technology & tools
Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain softwareFacilities management softwareElectronic mail softwareWeb page creation and editing softwareData base user interface and query software
Representative tasks
Supervise in-house services, such as laundries, maintenance and repair, dry cleaning, or valet services.Select the most suitable cleaning materials for different types of linens, furniture, flooring, and surfaces.Advise managers, desk clerks, or admitting personnel of rooms ready for occupancy.Inspect work performed to ensure that it meets specifications and established standards.Perform or assist with cleaning duties as necessary.Plan and prepare employee work schedules.Establish and implement operational standards and procedures for the departments supervised.Inspect and evaluate the physical condition of facilities to determine the type of work required.Inventory stock to ensure that supplies and equipment are available in adequate amounts.Issue supplies and equipment to workers.Forecast necessary levels of staffing and stock at different times to facilitate effective scheduling and ordering.Check and maintain equipment to ensure that it is in working order.Maintain required records of work hours, budgets, payrolls, and other information.Direct activities for stopping the spread of infections in facilities, such as hospitals.Recommend or arrange for additional services, such as painting, repair work, renovations, and the replacement of furnishings and equipment.Coordinate activities with other departments to ensure that services are provided in an efficient and timely manner.Investigate complaints about service and equipment, and take corrective action.Instruct staff in work policies and procedures, and the use and maintenance of equipment.Select and order or purchase new equipment, supplies, or furnishings.Prepare reports on activity, personnel, and information, such as occupancy, hours worked, facility usage, work performed, and departmental expenses.Confer with staff to resolve performance and personnel problems, and to discuss company policies.Evaluate employee performance and recommend personnel actions, such as promotions, transfers, and dismissals.Recommend changes that could improve service and increase operational efficiency.Perform financial tasks, such as estimating costs and preparing and managing budgets.Screen job applicants, and hire new employees.Perform grounds maintenance tasks, such as removing snow and mowing the lawn.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Cleaning materials and product labels — identify and match to appropriate surface types under direct supervisor guidance in a hotel or commercial facility.Room readiness status — communicate to front desk or admitting personnel following a standard checklist in a hospitality setting.Basic cleaning duties — perform alongside experienced staff to meet daily service schedules in an assigned area of a building.Work inspection checklists — apply to completed rooms or spaces to identify obvious deficiencies under close supervision in a janitorial environment.Employee work schedules — assist in preparing draft shift rosters using a spreadsheet or office suite software under supervisor direction.Facility conditions — observe and record physical issues such as damaged fixtures or soiled surfaces using a standard inspection form.Safety and sanitation protocols — follow established procedures for handling cleaning chemicals and equipment in a commercial cleaning environment.Staff instructions — listen actively and relay task assignments clearly to individual team members at the start of a shift.Inventory tracking — count and log cleaning supplies using inventory management software under the guidance of a senior supervisor.In-house support services such as laundry or linen handling — assist in coordinating delivery and pickup schedules under direct oversight in a lodging facility.
developing
Cleaning materials selection — choose appropriate products for linens, flooring, and upholstered furniture with minimal oversight in a mid-sized commercial or hospitality facility.Completed work areas — inspect and evaluate against established quality standards, providing corrective feedback to housekeeping staff during routine operations.Room occupancy readiness — advise desk clerks and management personnel of available rooms in real time using facilities management software during a busy shift.Employee work schedules — plan and distribute weekly shift rosters that balance coverage needs and labor hours using spreadsheet software.Operational standards — implement department cleaning procedures and communicate updates to team members in a janitorial or housekeeping department.Minor maintenance and valet service coordination — supervise in-house support tasks and escalate unresolved issues to the appropriate department without prompting.Team performance issues — apply social perceptiveness to recognize early signs of conflict or low morale and address them through direct conversation.Facility physical condition — conduct routine walkthroughs to evaluate wear, damage, or cleanliness deficiencies and prioritize corrective work orders.Cleaning supply inventory — manage stock levels and initiate reorder requests using inventory management software to prevent service disruption.New staff orientation — instruct entry-level workers on cleaning techniques, safety practices, and departmental standards during on-the-job training sessions.
proficient
Departmental operational standards — establish, document, and enforce comprehensive cleaning and service procedures across all areas of a large facility without supervisory guidance.Complex cleaning and maintenance challenges — apply critical thinking and deductive reasoning to diagnose root causes and implement effective solutions in non-routine situations.Full-range facility inspections — independently assess physical conditions across multiple zones, determine required work types, and prioritize resources accordingly.Multi-shift employee schedules — develop and adjust staffing plans that account for absenteeism, seasonal demand, and labor budgets using advanced spreadsheet and HRIS tools.In-house services including laundry, dry cleaning, and valet operations — oversee and coordinate all service lines to ensure consistent quality and timely delivery.Cross-departmental communication — negotiate service timelines and resource sharing with managers from maintenance, front office, and administration to resolve competing priorities.Staff performance evaluations — conduct formal appraisals, identify skill gaps, and design individualized learning strategies for housekeeping and janitorial team members.Cleaning materials procurement — assess product effectiveness and cost efficiency, then recommend supply changes to management based on quality control analysis.Guest and client complaints — resolve service failures promptly using active listening and service orientation principles to maintain satisfaction standards.Regulatory and safety compliance — interpret public safety and security requirements and ensure all departmental practices meet applicable standards in a commercial or institutional environment.
advanced
Departmental strategy and long-term standards — set the operational direction for the entire housekeeping and janitorial division, aligning goals with organizational objectives in a large-scale facility or multi-site operation.Personnel resource management — lead recruitment, retention, and succession planning for a sizable cleaning workforce, leveraging personnel and human resources knowledge to build a capable team.Organizational quality benchmarks — design and institutionalize quality control frameworks that define measurable performance expectations across all supervised departments.Budget and resource planning — oversee procurement decisions, supply chain software inputs, and labor cost forecasting to optimize departmental expenditures at an executive level.Leadership development programs — mentor developing and proficient supervisors by designing training curricula and coaching sessions rooted in adult learning strategies.Facility-wide condition assessments — lead comprehensive evaluations of physical plant needs across an entire property portfolio, presenting findings and capital improvement recommendations to senior leadership.Policy and compliance governance — author and implement public safety, sanitation, and environmental compliance policies that govern all cleaning and maintenance activities organization-wide.Technology adoption and integration — evaluate and champion new facilities management software, helpdesk platforms, and inventory systems to improve operational efficiency across the department.Cross-functional executive collaboration — represent the housekeeping and janitorial function in senior leadership meetings, negotiating resources and advocating for service quality with C-suite and property management stakeholders.Culture and values modeling — exemplify dependability, integrity, and cooperative leadership to establish a workplace culture that sustains high performance and low turnover across all shifts and service areas.
Also known as
59 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Hotel Room Service SupervisorServices Apprentice (Air Force 3F131)Services Journeyman (Air Force 3F151)Supervisor, MaintenancePrivate Residence Household ManagerFood Service Attendant (Navy 002795)Motel Room Service SupervisorHouse Cleaner SupervisorHome Restoration Service SupervisorBachelor Quarters Manager (Navy 1112)Maid SupervisorHousekeeping SupervisorExecutive HousekeeperJanitor SupervisorJanitorial SupervisorHousekeeper, HomeCleaning Staff SupervisorBarracks and Grounds Marine (Marine Corps 8911)Supervisor, Janitorial ServicesJanitorial Services SupervisorMaintenance SupervisorServices (Air Force 3F1X1)Custodian SupervisorFacilities Management Officer (Marine Corps 1330)Linen SupervisorEnvironmental Services Supervisor (EVS)Linen Room SupervisorHousekeeping Operations Manager (Housekeeping Ops Manager)Building SupervisorEnvironmental Services Custodial ManagerLaundry Operator (Navy 001732)ButlerHousekeeper SupervisorServices Craftsman (Air Force 3F171)Sanitation SupervisorJanitorial ManagerSupervisor, Home Restoration ServiceBuilding Cleaning SupervisorHouse SuperintendentHousekeeper