What are the responsibilities and job description for the Superintendent position at Postgraduate Center for Mental Health?
JOB SCOPE:
The Superintendent serves as the on-site operational leader, responsible for ensuring the safe, compliant, and efficient operation of an assigned residential building. Acting as the primary technical and operational authority, the Superintendent is expected to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and respond promptly and effectively to issues impacting safety, habitability, or overall building performance. Key areas of responsibility include maintaining building systems' integrity; executing preventive maintenance; leading emergency response efforts; ensuring regulatory readiness and compliance; coordinating vendors and service providers; managing work orders and maintaining accurate documentation; and overseeing the building's daily operational and administrative control.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
The Superintendent serves as the on-site operational leader, responsible for ensuring the safe, compliant, and efficient operation of an assigned residential building. Acting as the primary technical and operational authority, the Superintendent is expected to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and respond promptly and effectively to issues impacting safety, habitability, or overall building performance. Key areas of responsibility include maintaining building systems' integrity; executing preventive maintenance; leading emergency response efforts; ensuring regulatory readiness and compliance; coordinating vendors and service providers; managing work orders and maintaining accurate documentation; and overseeing the building's daily operational and administrative control.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Building Systems Ownership
- Plumbing systems
- Minor electrical systems (within scope)
- Boiler and heating systems
- PTAC/HVAC units
- Fire alarm and life safety systems
- Doors, locks, and hardware
- Common areas and building perimeter
- Independently perform routine plumbing and minor electrical repairs
- Conduct initial heating system diagnostics prior to vendor escalation
- Identify system vulnerabilities and proactively address risk conditions
- Prevent system failures through early detection and intervention
- Preventative Maintenance & Building Condition
- Develop and maintain a structured preventative maintenance schedule
- Track completion of recurring maintenance (monthly, seasonal, annual)
- Conduct regular inspections of mechanical spaces, common areas, and exterior conditions
- Maintain organized, code-compliant mechanical rooms
- Ensure the building remains inspection-ready at all times
- Identify recurring issues and implement corrective strategies
- Preventative maintenance execution and building condition are primary performance metrics.
- Emergency Response & On-Site Accountability
- This includes:
- Loss of heat
- Active water leaks or flooding
- Electrical hazards
- Fire alarm or life-safety system issues
- Severe weather impacts
- Critical operational disruptions
- Take immediate containment action
- Assess whether on-site response is required and report when necessary
- Perform initial diagnostics and stabilization efforts
- Escalate appropriately to leadership and vendors
- Document all actions taken
- Work Order Management & Administrative Control
- The Superintendent is responsible for full ownership of the work order process, including:
- Timely response to all maintenance requests
- Maintaining visibility over all open and pending work orders
- Prioritizing work based on safety, risk, and operational impact
- Closing work orders within established timeframes
- Ensuring 100% documentation completeness in closed work orders
- Clear problem description, actions taken, materials used, outcome and verification, photos where required
- Daily Operations Management & Task Prioritization
- Structuring and planning daily workflow
- Prioritizing competing demands (emergencies, work orders, vendors, inspections)
- Balancing reactive and scheduled work
- Coordinating access with tenants, staff, and vendors
- Ensuring operational continuity throughout the day
- Vendor Coordination & Oversight
- Schedule vendors efficiently and confirm access in advance
- Coordinate tenant access and site readiness
- Verify Certificates of Insurance (COIs) prior to work
- Confirm completion and quality of vendor work
- Escalate major repair recommendations to leadership
- Track vendor performance and report issues
- Communication & Reporting Discipline
- Provide clear and timely updates to supervisors
- Communicate status of ongoing work, delays, and escalations
- Draft building notices (water shutdowns, maintenance alerts, emergency notices)
- Maintain professional written and verbal communication
- Digital Systems & Administrative Tools
- Work order systems (e.g. RealPage)
- Email communication (Outlook)
- Team communication platforms (Microsoft Teams)
- Basic tracking tools (Microsoft Planner, Excel, calendar, checklists, etc.)
- Document all work digitally and accurately
- Track tasks and recurring responsibilities using systems (not memory)
- Communicate updates through appropriate platforms
- Maintain organized and accessible records
- Inventory, Supplies & Operational Controls
- Maintaining appropriate stock of essential supplies
- Establishing and monitoring par levels
- Ordering supplies before stock depletion
- Verifying receipt of materials and services
- Supporting invoice validation
- Maintaining key control discipline
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- High School Diploma or equivalent required; technical or vocational training in building maintenance or a related field preferred
- Minimum of five (5) years of experience in multi-unit residential maintenance or a Superintendent-level role required
- Demonstrated competency in plumbing, minor electrical work, and heating/boiler systems required
- Proven experience responding to building emergencies and executing preventative maintenance programs required
- Experience utilizing work order/property management systems and coordinating vendors required
- Familiarity with regulatory and compliance standards (DOB, FDNY, HPD) strongly preferred