An excavation equipment manager keeps a fleet of excavators, dozers, loaders, trucks and trench boxes ready to work. They schedule service, run the shop and yard, get machines and tools to the right site, and track parts and supplies so crews aren't stuck waiting.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, other specialty trade contractors · BLS, May 2025
Excavation & Site Work - Warehouse / Equipment Manager
Company Name:
[INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE]
Department:
Operations
Reports to:
[Operations Manager]
Location:
[INSERT LOCATION HERE]
1. Position Summary
Oversee the maintenance, distribution, and management of heavy machinery, tools, and supplies essential to excavation and site work operations. Ensure optimal equipment performance through scheduled maintenance and effective supply chain coordination. Contribute to overall operational efficiency and project success by managing resources and logistics.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Supervise and schedule regular maintenance for excavation and site work machinery to minimize downtime.
Manage the distribution of tools and equipment to various job sites ensuring timely delivery and availability.
Oversee inventory control and supply chain processes to maintain adequate stock levels.
Collaborate with site managers and operations teams to troubleshoot equipment issues and implement solutions.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Monitor equipment usage and performance, ensuring adherence to safety and operational standards.
Coordinate daily tool assignments and equipment check-outs, maintaining accurate logs and documentation.
Conduct routine inspections and oversee minor repair tasks in collaboration with maintenance staff.
Communicate with vendors and suppliers regarding maintenance parts, equipment upgrades, and service needs.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Equipment uptime: Target 95% or higher.
Inventory accuracy: Maintain 98% accuracy in tool and supply records.
Maintenance compliance rate: 100% adherence to scheduled maintenance protocols.
Cost reduction in supply chain: Achieve a 10% reduction in overhead costs annually.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Logistics, Operations Management, or related field.
Minimum of 3 years’ experience managing equipment or warehouse operations.
Strong organizational and communication skills with attention to detail.
Proficiency in inventory management systems and basic computer skills.
Ability to troubleshoot mechanical issues and coordinate maintenance activities.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience in the excavation, construction, or home services industry.
Background in heavy equipment management, supply chain optimization, or warehouse logistics.
Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with operations and maintenance teams.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds regularly and occasionally up to 100 pounds.
Standing, walking, and climbing required for equipment inspection and maintenance tasks.
Exposure to outdoor environments and variable weather conditions is common.
Comfortable working in noisy and busy warehouse areas.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours are Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM with occasional overtime during peak periods.
On-call duties may be required during equipment emergencies or maintenance issues.
Work in a fast-paced environment with a mix of indoor warehouse and outdoor field work.
Occasional travel between multiple job sites may be necessary.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Annual salary range: $55,000 – $75,000 USD, commensurate with experience.
Eligibility for bonus programs based on operational efficiency and KPI performance.
Health, Dental, and Vision insurance provided.
Access to a 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
Additional fringe benefits include paid time off and professional development opportunities.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE], we foster a collaborative and growth-oriented culture that values each team member’s contribution.
We are dedicated to innovation, continuous improvement, and delivering exceptional service to our clients.
Our team is passionate about building careers and supporting our employees’ professional development and success.
Join a company that empowers you to make a tangible impact while advancing your skills in a supportive environment.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
What makes an excavation equipment manager different
In site work, the fleet is the company's biggest asset after its people. One machine down for a week can idle a whole crew.
Raised machines get blocked
OSHA requires heavy machinery held up by slings, hoists or jacks to be blocked or cribbed before anyone works under or between it. Dozer blades, loader buckets and dump bodies must be fully lowered or blocked during repairs or when not in use, with controls in neutral, the motor stopped and brakes set. The manager stocks cribbing and makes these shop rules. Source: OSHA: Equipment, blocking, parking and lighting (29 CFR 1926.600).
Trench boxes are equipment too
Trench boxes and shoring built from a maker's tabulated data must follow it, and OSHA wants that data in writing at the job site while the system goes in. A damaged box gets examined by a competent person, and if it can't be shown safe, it stays out of service until a registered engineer approves it. The manager keeps data sheets with each box and pulls bent ones. Source: OSHA: Requirements for protective systems (29 CFR 1926.652).
Cab seals count as dust control
When an operator grades or digs alone, OSHA's silica rule accepts an enclosed cab as the dust control. That only holds if the cab is kept as free of settled dust as practicable, its door seals and gaskets work, it stays under positive pressure with filtered fresh air, and it has heating and cooling. The manager builds those checks into the service plan. Source: OSHA: Respirable crystalline silica in construction (29 CFR 1926.1153).
Machines parked by the road need lights
Crews often leave machines on site overnight, sometimes beside a busy road. OSHA requires equipment left unattended at night next to a highway or active work to carry lights or reflectors, or sit behind barricades that have them. Parked machines get the parking brake set, and wheels chocked on a slope. The manager supplies the lights and checks them on site visits. Source: OSHA: Equipment, blocking, parking and lighting (29 CFR 1926.600).
Service runs on hours, not miles
A site work fleet is serviced by engine hours, undercarriage wear and the maker's intervals. If your newer machines report hours, idle time and fault codes through telematics, schedule service from that data before a breakdown. Buckets, thumbs and couplers wander between jobs, so track them by serial number too.
How much excavation equipment managers make
The closest BLS group for excavation equipment managers is First-Line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers. First-Line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers who work for other specialty trade contractors earned a median of $38.07 an hour ($79,180 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $79,860 median for First-Line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers in all industries. About 2,520 of the 617,500 First-Line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers in that survey work for other specialty trade contractors.
Usually salaried. The template's bonus rewards uptime and cost control, and some companies also weigh repair spend per machine hour.
Other specialty trade contractors
$79,180$79,180 median Middle half $65,940–$103,990 10th–90th $54,100–$126,830
All industries
$79,860$79,860 median Middle half $62,690–$101,360 10th–90th $49,600–$126,790
$25k$50k$75k$100k$125k$150k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Other specialty trade contractors
$54,100
$65,940
$79,180
$103,990
$126,830
All industries
$49,600
$62,690
$79,860
$101,360
$126,790
BLS doesn’t publish pay for excavation contractors on their own. These figures cover other specialty trade contractors, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Has run a heavy equipment shop, fleet or rental yard
Knows hydraulics and undercarriage wear well enough to judge a mechanic's call
Keeps service records nobody has to chase
Plans machine moves around the crews' schedules
Buys parts and outside repairs with total cost in mind
Teach these on the job
Your fleet software and the makers' telematics portals
Your repair cost codes
Your dealers and parts vendors
Your trench box and attachment tagging system
Your shop safety rules
Fleet maintenance software, the makers' telematics portals and a check-out system for parts and tools run the job. The shop needs jacks, stands, cribbing and a service truck, so be clear whether the manager also turns wrenches or leads the mechanics who do.
Excavation equipment manager interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Field breakdown response
An excavator blows a hydraulic hose in the middle of a pipe job. Walk me through what you do.
A strong answer: Has it shut down with pressure relieved, gets the spill contained, sends a mechanic or hose service or swaps a machine, logs it, and checks why the hose failed.
Behavioral · Cost control
Tell me about a time you cut maintenance or supply costs without hurting uptime.
A strong answer: Names the change, such as vendor pricing or bulk filters, and shows uptime held.
Pull a year of service and repair history first. The template's targets mean more once you know what normal downtime looks like for a fleet your age.
Equipment uptime
Hours each machine was ready when a crew needed it, pulled from telematics and the foremen's requests, with breakdowns kept apart from planned service.
Inventory accuracy
Monthly count of parts, filters, tools and attachments against the system, plus the cost of anything missing.
Maintenance compliance rate
Services done on time by engine hours or the maker's schedule, pulled from the fleet software and reviewed machine by machine.
Cost reduction in supply chain
Parts, rental, outside repair and freight spend per machine hour against last year, counting only savings that didn't add downtime.
Mechanic experience is a plus, not a must. A manager who has turned wrenches can judge whether a repair is worth doing and whether an estimate makes sense. If you hire a planner instead, pair them with a strong lead mechanic and give them weeks in the shop to learn the fleet.
How much does an excavation equipment manager make?
First-Line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers who work for other specialty trade contractors earned a median of $38.07 an hour ($79,180 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $65,940 and $103,990 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
When should a machine be replaced instead of fixed?
When repair cost per hour keeps climbing, breakdowns hurt jobs, and parts get hard to find. Track each machine's lifetime repair spend and hours so the call rests on numbers, and compare it with renting for the work that machine does.
Who decides whether to rent or buy?
The equipment manager brings the numbers: how many hours a machine type works each year, what renting cost, and what owning would. The owner or operations manager makes the call. Rentals need tracking too, since a forgotten rental keeps billing after the job ends.
Does the equipment manager handle DOT truck inspections?
Usually, since dump trucks, tractors and lowboys are part of the fleet. FMCSA counts each unit in a combination on its own, so the tractor and the lowboy each need a passed inspection within the last 12 months, with proof on board. Keep each report for 14 months where the unit is housed or maintained. A lowboy parked all winter still needs a current inspection before its first spring move.
How does an equipment manager keep crews from waiting?
Plan the next day's moves with the foremen each afternoon, keep a spare compact machine and common wear parts ready, and run a check-out log for attachments and small tools. A crew that loses an hour hunting for a coupler pin loses it for every person on site.
Is this the same as a warehouse manager?
Partly. The template mixes both: the warehouse side of parts, tools and supplies, and the fleet side of service and repairs. In site work the fleet side is usually the bigger job, so hire for equipment know-how and teach the stock system.
