An HVAC HR manager hires and keeps techs and office staff, and runs new-hire and safety training. They also handle hiring papers, driving checks, injury records, and staff problems. They set the rules for who can drive the company vans.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, HVAC and plumbing contractors · BLS, May 2025
[Chief executive officer or chief operating officer]
Location:
[INSERT LOCATION HERE]
1. Position Summary
Responsible for overseeing all human resource functions within the HVAC division to foster a productive and engaged workforce. Develop and implement recruitment strategies and training programs to meet the evolving needs of the organization. Ensure overall team well-being and compliance with regulatory standards, contributing to the operational excellence of HVAC services. Collaborate closely with senior management to support long-term strategic business goals.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Lead and manage the full cycle recruitment process, ensuring a diverse and talented candidate pool is maintained.
Develop, execute, and monitor comprehensive training programs tailored for HVAC technicians and support staff.
Manage employee relations, performance evaluations, and conflict resolution to maintain a positive workplace culture.
Implement HR policies and procedures consistent with legal requirements and company standards.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Oversee daily HR operations including employee onboarding, training sessions, and performance follow-ups.
Conduct regular team meetings to address challenges and provide ongoing staff development guidance.
Engage with department supervisors to identify staffing needs and support workforce planning.
Monitor and update HR records, ensuring accurate documentation of employee performance and compliance.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
New Hire Retention Rate: >90%.
Employee Satisfaction Score: >4.5 out of 5.
Training Completion Rate: 100% within designated timeframes.
Time-to-Fill Open Positions: <45 days.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
Minimum of 3 years’ experience in HR management preferably within the home services industry.
Excellent interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills.
Proficiency in HRIS and Microsoft Office suite.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience working in the HVAC or broader home services industry.
Previous involvement in union or non-union work environments.
Demonstrated success in implementing HR policies in a technical field.
Familiarity with safety standards and regulatory requirements specific to HVAC operations.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to sit or stand for extended periods during administrative tasks.
Occasionally required to lift or move up to 25 pounds for document management.
Regular review of work environment to ensure compliance with ergonomic standards.
Minimal physical exertion required in a predominantly office-based role.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Standard working hours from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM with occasional extended hours during peak operational periods.
Primarily office-based with occasional visits to job sites as needed.
Minimal travel expected, limited to regional meetings or training sessions.
On-call duties during unforeseen HR issues or urgent staffing needs.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Annual salary range: $65,000 - $85,000 based on experience and performance.
Performance-based bonus opportunities available.
Comprehensive benefits package including Health, Dental, Vision, and 401k.
Employee wellness programs and professional development opportunities available.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We nurture an environment where growth, collaboration, and innovation drive success; our HVAC division is a key component in providing exceptional home services to our community.
We value every team member’s contributions and invest in ongoing learning and development.
Our culture is built on transparency, inclusivity, and a strong commitment to customer satisfaction.
Join us to be part of a forward-thinking organization that truly cares about its employees and the communities we serve.
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].
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Every HR manager hires, onboards, and handles employee issues. At an HVAC company, most of the staff work in homes, attics, and company vans, and the hardest hire is a skilled technician.
Your best candidates work for competitors
Most HVAC techs already work for a shop like yours. BLS says about two in three HVAC mechanic and installer jobs in 2025 were at plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors. To hire one, your offer has to beat theirs on schedule, truck, training, and on-call load. BLS notes techs may work overtime in peak seasons, so recruit before summer and winter, not during them. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers.
Training your own technicians
You can also train your own techs. A Registered Apprenticeship gives you a set plan for it. Each program needs approval from the Labor Department or your state's apprenticeship agency, and in many states employers can get tax credits. HR usually keeps the records: who is enrolled, which classes they've finished, their hours on the job, and when each raise is due. Source: Apprenticeship.gov: Registered Apprenticeship program.
Who gets the keys to a company van
Your insurer may set rules for who can drive a company van. If a background check company pulls driving records for you, the FTC has said the Fair Credit Reporting Act applies. Before you order the report, give a stand-alone written notice and get written permission. Before you turn someone down because of it, give them a copy of the report and a summary of their rights. Some states add more rules. Source: FTC: Using consumer reports, what employers need to know.
Injury records and reporting
OSHA says many employers with more than 10 workers must keep a log of work injuries and illnesses. HVAC contractors are not on its list of partly exempt industries. Every employer must report a work death to OSHA within 8 hours. An in-patient hospital stay, an amputation, or the loss of an eye must be reported within 24 hours. HR usually owns this log and the workers' comp claims that follow. Source: OSHA: Injury and illness recordkeeping and reporting.
How much HVAC HR managers make
The closest BLS group for HVAC HR managers is human resources managers. Human resources managers who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $132,700 a year ($63.80 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s below the $149,280 median for human resources managers in all industries. About 370 of the 220,660 human resources managers in that survey work for HVAC and plumbing contractors.
Usually a salary, sometimes with a yearly bonus tied to hiring, retention, or safety goals. These BLS figures cover contractors of every size. If this will be your only HR person, also compare local postings for HR managers and HR generalists at companies with about as many employees as yours.
HVAC and plumbing contractors
$132,700$132,700 median Middle half $110,800–$158,580 10th–90th $90,210–$198,170
All industries
$149,280$149,280 median Middle half $111,110–$199,290 10th–90th $88,200–$267,810
$50k$100k$150k$200k$250k$300k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
HVAC and plumbing contractors
$90,210
$110,800
$132,700
$158,580
$198,170
All industries
$88,200
$111,110
$149,280
$199,290
$267,810
BLS reports HVAC and plumbing contractors together. 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
Recruiting experience, ideally for skilled trades
Working knowledge of federal and state employment law
Fair, direct conversations about performance and discipline
Careful records: I-9s, personnel files, and injury logs
Earning trust with technicians in the shop, not just the office
Teach these on the job
HVAC roles, certifications, and career paths
Your technician pay plans and how they're figured
Your vehicle policy and your insurer's driver rules
Your safety program and OSHA recordkeeping forms
Your HR, payroll, and applicant tracking software
HR managers here usually work in an HR and payroll system such as ADP, Paychex, Gusto, or Paylocity, plus an applicant tracking system and a way to track training and certifications. Name your systems in the ad and say whether the role also runs payroll.
HVAC HR manager interview questions
They have their own page: 6 questions that test this job, what strong and weak answers sound like, and a work exercise to run with your finalists.
The targets in the template are examples. Set yours from your own past results, and review them each quarter with the CEO or COO.
New Hire Retention Rate
Take each month's new hires from your HR system and check who is still on payroll after their first season and after their first year. Track technicians and office staff separately.
Employee Satisfaction Score
Average score from a short anonymous survey run at the same times each year, such as spring and fall, plus what you hear in exit interviews. Compare field and office results.
Training Completion Rate
Required safety, vehicle and onboarding courses finished by their due dates, divided by all courses assigned, from your training records. Check it monthly and follow up with anyone who is behind.
Time-to-Fill Open Positions
Days from approving an opening to the new hire's first day, from your applicant tracking system. Track technician jobs on their own so office hires don't hide the trend.
They hire and keep technicians and office staff. They run onboarding and safety training, and they keep hiring papers, driving records, and injury records in order. They help managers with reviews, discipline, and complaints. They also keep the handbook in line with the law and answer staff questions about pay plans and benefits.
How much does an HVAC HR manager make?
Human resources managers who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $132,700 a year ($63.80 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $110,800 and $158,580 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and bonus terms.
When does an HVAC company need a full-time HR manager?
There's no set headcount. Watch for the signs. Your office manager spends most of the week on hiring and HR paperwork. Tech jobs stay open through the busy season. Managers each handle discipline their own way. If HR work keeps pulling your office manager away from billing, it's probably time.
What should HR check before a technician starts?
Get a copy of each tech's EPA refrigerant card. BLS says the EPA requires nearly all HVAC techs to be certified to handle refrigerant. Some states and cities also license techs, so check yours. Run the driving record check your vehicle policy calls for. And complete Section 2 of Form I-9 within three business days of the first day of paid work.
Does an HVAC company have to use E-Verify?
For most employers, E-Verify is a choice under federal rules. Federal contractors must use it if their contract has the E-Verify clause. Some states require it too, at times as a condition of a business license. E-Verify doesn't give advice on state laws, so ask your state or an employment lawyer. Either way, every new hire still needs a Form I-9.
Should the HR manager also run safety?
Often, at a company this size. The HR manager may run safety training, the OSHA injury log, and workers' comp claims, while a field supervisor checks job sites. If you split the work, write down who owns each piece, so nothing falls between HR and operations.
What should an HVAC HR manager job ad include?
Name the leader the role reports to, and whether it also covers payroll, safety, or the fleet. List the HR and payroll software you use. Say how many employees and locations it supports, and whether it recruits techs itself. Mention after-hours calls for injuries or urgent staff issues.
