A commercial landscape equipment manager keeps mowers, trucks, trailers and irrigation stock ready for crews that must reach contract sites on set days. They track each machine's service history, book repairs with the shop or dealers, run parts counts, and plan what to buy, keep or sell.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Serve as a key operations leader responsible for managing warehouse inventory and ensuring the proper maintenance of commercial landscaping equipment, tools, mowers, and irrigation supplies. Enhance operational efficiency and safety by maintaining accurate maintenance logs and timely scheduling of repairs. Support landscaping teams by ensuring the availability and peak performance of equipment to achieve superior service delivery.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Oversee the inventory management of tools, mowers, irrigation supplies, and related equipment.
Maintain detailed maintenance logs and schedules for all equipment.
Coordinate timely repair and service appointments to minimize equipment downtime.
Collaborate with the landscaping operations team to assess equipment needs and prioritize maintenance work.
Execute procurement, allocation, and disposal strategies for mechanical assets in alignment with company policies.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Conduct regular inspections of warehouse inventory and verify the condition of equipment.
Update and manage daily maintenance and service logs with precision.
Schedule and monitor preventative maintenance activities for landscaping machinery.
Liaise with technicians and service providers to coordinate repair work efficiently.
Communicate with field teams to ensure equipment availability and to address any immediate issues.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Equipment Maintenance Completion Rate: Achieve a rate of ≥ 98%.
Inventory Accuracy Rate: Maintain an accuracy rate of ≥ 95%.
Downtime Due to Equipment Failure: Limit to < 2% overall downtime.
Cost Efficiency on Equipment Repairs: Maintain repair costs within ≤ 5% variance of the allocated budget.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Logistics, or a related field preferred.
Minimum of 3 years’ experience in equipment management or warehouse operations.
Strong organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail.
Proficiency in inventory management software and Microsoft Office applications.
Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience in the commercial landscaping or home services industry.
Prior exposure to managing equipment maintenance logs and scheduling repairs.
Familiarity with landscaping tools, mowers, and irrigation systems.
Background in warehouse safety, compliance, and operational best practices.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs on a regular basis.
Capable of standing, walking, and working in varying weather conditions.
Frequent exposure to both warehouse environments and outdoor work settings.
Dexterity to operate forklifts and other warehouse machinery (certification preferred).
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Standard work hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Occasional evening work to address urgent equipment needs.
Minimal travel required between the warehouse and landscaping job sites.
Work environment includes exposure to outdoor conditions and fluctuating temperatures.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range: $50,000 - $65,000 per year, based on experience.
Performance-based bonuses available upon meeting key metrics.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
401k plan with company match.
Paid time off and professional development opportunities.
10. Company Culture and Overview
Our company fosters a collaborative and growth-oriented environment that nurtures innovation and excellence.
We are dedicated to supporting employee advancement through continuous training and mentorship programs.
Our mission is to deliver exceptional home and commercial landscaping services with a focus on customer satisfaction.
Join our team and contribute to an organization where your ideas and skills directly impact success and service quality.
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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What the equipment job looks like in commercial landscaping
A contract site gets its visit on the scheduled day, broken mower or not. This job exists so a breakdown never turns into a missed visit and an unhappy property manager.
A spare for every crew that can't wait
Commercial routes run on fixed days, and a missed visit shows up at the next walk-through. The equipment manager keeps backup mowers and trimmers ready, decides which crews get the newest machines, and rushes a replacement to the site when one fails. Some companies with large accounts keep a few machines in storage on site, which adds units to track.
Forklift training is yours to give
Pallets of fertilizer and irrigation pipe come off delivery trucks by forklift. The template prefers a certified operator, but OSHA makes certifying drivers the employer's job. You train each one, watch them drive in your yard, and record their name, the dates and who trained them. Retraining follows unsafe driving, a near miss or a switch to another truck type, and evaluations come no more than three years apart. Source: 29 CFR 1910.178: Powered industrial trucks, operator training (Cornell LII).
Shut machines down before service
Any machine that might start without warning, or let go of stored energy, while someone works on it falls under OSHA's lockout rule. The employer needs a program of energy control steps, training and regular checks, so each machine is cut off from its energy before work begins. In a mower shop, that can mean pulling the key and the spark plug wire, and blocking a raised deck, before anyone reaches under it. Source: 29 CFR 1910.147: The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) (Cornell LII).
Yearly inspections for trucks and trailers
Hitch a loaded equipment trailer to a crew truck and the pair can reach a combined rating or weight of 10,001 pounds. Driven in interstate commerce, such as across a state line to a job, that rig meets FMCSA's definition of a commercial motor vehicle. The truck and the trailer each need a periodic inspection within the past 12 months, with proof carried on each one. The equipment manager keeps that calendar and checks the state's rules for trucks that stay in state. Source: 49 CFR 396.17: Periodic inspection of commercial motor vehicles (Cornell LII).
Irrigation parts for dozens of sites
Commercial properties run different controller brands, valve sizes and head types, and repairs are often billed as extra work. The equipment manager stocks what the irrigation techs use most, sets up pull lists by site, and ties each part to a work order. That way the office can bill for it and the shelf count stays right.
How much commercial landscape equipment managers make
The closest BLS group for commercial landscape equipment managers is First-Line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers. First-Line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers who work for landscaping companies earned a median of $29.33 an hour ($61,000 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s below the $79,860 median for First-Line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers in all industries. About 1,600 of the 617,500 First-Line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers in that survey work for landscaping companies.
The template pays a yearly salary, with a bonus that follows the equipment and inventory measures below. BLS has no equipment manager occupation, so these numbers come from the group that covers maintenance supervisors and foremen at landscaping companies. They fit best when this person runs your shop mechanics; one who only books outside repairs may sit lower.
Landscaping companies
$61,000$61,000 median Middle half $52,710–$72,590 10th–90th $47,080–$87,820
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
Landscaping companies
$47,080
$52,710
$61,000
$72,590
$87,820
All industries
$49,600
$62,690
$79,860
$101,360
$126,790
BLS reports residential and commercial landscaping companies 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
Has kept service records for a fleet of mowers, trucks or similar machines
Knows small engines and hydraulics well enough to check a mechanic's estimate
Builds a repair or replace case from hours, costs and downtime
Keeps parts and irrigation stock counts that match the shelves
Solves a crew's equipment problem by phone before the day is lost
Teach these on the job
Your fleet software and unit numbering
Your dealers, warranty terms and loaner deals
Forklift operator training and evaluation, if they'll drive one
Inspection paperwork for your trucks and trailers
Your repair and capital budget categories
The job runs on asset records: a unit number, hour reading and repair history for every machine, kept in a fleet program or a spreadsheet the office can see. GPS units on trucks and trailers show where each one sits overnight. In the ad, give the fleet size by type, say whether a mechanic reports to this role, and name the equipment budget they'll manage.
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 · Mid-route failures
A mower fails mid-route at a key client site. What's your process to get the crew working again?
A strong answer: Sends a backup unit or does a field repair, logs it and looks for the root cause.
Behavioral · Maintenance records
Tell me about a time you set up maintenance logs or equipment tracking for a fleet of mowers or trucks.
A strong answer: Describes asset IDs, hour or mileage tracking, service history and how it helped them plan repairs and replacements.
Begin with the template's numbers. After a full season of records, set your own by machine type, because a stand-on mower and a dump truck don't wear out at the same pace.
Equipment Maintenance Completion Rate
Preventive services done by their due hours or date, divided by all that came due in the month, from your asset records. Flag any unit sent to a site while overdue.
Inventory Accuracy Rate
Count a few bins each week, such as irrigation heads, nozzles, trimmer line and filters, and compare with the system. Matching counts divided by items counted gives the rate.
Downtime Due to Equipment Failure
Hours machines were out of service because something broke, against the hours they were scheduled to work. Keep planned service separate so the number points at real failures.
Cost Efficiency on Equipment Repairs
Actual repair spending each month against the repair budget, by machine class. A model that keeps going over budget may be ready to replace.
Career path
Shop mechanicRepairs mowers, handhelds and trailers in the company shop.
What does an equipment manager do at a commercial landscaping company?
They make sure every crew leaves the yard with machines that run and the parts it needs. The work covers service schedules and logs, repair booking with dealers or the in-house mechanic, stock counts for parts and irrigation supplies, and buying and selling equipment. They also handle warranty claims and keep the yard and shop safe.
How much does a commercial landscape equipment manager make?
First-Line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers who work for landscaping companies earned a median of $29.33 an hour ($61,000 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $52,710 and $72,590 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Does an equipment manager need a forklift certification before we hire them?
No. OSHA makes the employer responsible for training, evaluating and certifying each forklift operator. You can count earlier training if it fits your truck and your yard and you've checked that they drive it safely. Either way, you still evaluate them on your equipment and keep your own written certification.
Is this a desk job or a shop job?
Both. The template sets weekday office hours and asks for software and budget skills, but it also asks the person to lift up to 50 pounds, drive a forklift and work outdoors. Expect mornings in the yard during load-out, afternoons on records and dealer calls, and some evenings when a breakdown can't wait.
When should repairs go to a dealer instead of the shop?
Send warranty work, engine and hydraulic problems your mechanic can't diagnose, and anything that would sit in your shop longer than a dealer's turnaround. Keep routine blade, belt, oil and filter work in house. Track repair time and cost both ways for a season, and the right split for your fleet becomes clear.
