A commercial plumbing COO runs field work on every project, from new buildings to replacements in occupied ones. They hold project managers and supervisors to one standard for safety and quality, and fix what slows crews down so general contractors and building owners keep calling back.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, plumbing and HVAC contractors · BLS, May 2025
Annual pay: 10th percentile $70,780, middle half $93,740 to $271,790, 90th percentile $421,320. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Reports to
Chief Executive Officer
Department
Operations
Schedule
Office hours plus regular site visits · Regular travel to project sites in the region, longer days when projects need it, and on-call for critical issues
Also called
Vice president of operations · Director of operations · Executive vice president, operations
Commercial plumbing COO job description template
This is our Role Blueprint, word for word. Replace the highlighted fields and adjust the example targets and pay to fit your company.
Responsible for overseeing daily field operations within the commercial plumbing division and ensuring all service activities are performed in compliance with regulatory and company standards. Plays a key role in driving operational efficiency, fostering a customer-centric approach, and enhancing overall business performance.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Lead and manage day-to-day field operations, ensuring that service delivery meets quality, safety, and compliance requirements.
Develop and implement operational strategies to improve efficiency and reduce costs across the commercial plumbing division.
Oversee the coordination between project management and field teams to ensure timelines and budgets are consistently met.
Monitor and enforce compliance with industry regulations, safety protocols, and environmental standards.
Collaborate with senior leadership to drive business growth and support strategic company initiatives.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Review daily operation reports and field performance metrics to proactively address any emerging issues.
Conduct site visits to ensure adherence to quality and safety standards during plumbing projects.
Liaise with project managers and field staff to streamline workflow and enhance service delivery.
Participate in regular leadership meetings to review performance, discuss challenges, and implement solutions.
Engage with key clients and stakeholders to address inquiries, resolve issues, and build lasting relationships.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Operational Efficiency: Achieve a 15% reduction in operational costs annually.
Compliance Rate: Maintain a 100% compliance rate with regulatory and safety standards.
Customer Satisfaction: Achieve a customer satisfaction rating of over 4.8 stars.
Project Completion Rate: Ensure at least 95% of projects are completed on schedule and within budget.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.
Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in operations, preferably within technical field services.
Strong understanding of commercial plumbing systems, regulatory compliance, and project management.
Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Proven ability to analyze data and drive operational improvements.
6. Preferred Experience
Prior experience as a senior executive or operations manager in the home services or plumbing industry.
Demonstrated record of developing and implementing process improvements in a technical service environment.
Experience with strategic planning and financial management in operational roles.
Familiarity with customer relationship management and business development strategies.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to perform periodic site inspections and navigate various work environments including noisy or outdoor construction areas.
Occasionally required to lift moderate weight (up to 25 lbs) during site visits.
Ability to work in environments with varying weather conditions and confined spaces when necessary.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical office hours with occasional extended hours based on project or operational needs.
Regular travel to commercial project sites across designated regions.
May require on-call availability during critical operational issues or emergencies.
Collaborative, fast-paced work environment that encourages teamwork and cross-departmental communication.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Annual salary range: $150,000 - $200,000 USD depending on experience and qualifications.
Performance-based bonus structure aimed at achieving efficiency and customer satisfaction targets.
Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance.
401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions.
Additional fringe benefits such as paid time off, professional development opportunities, and flexible working arrangements.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We are a forward-thinking, customer-obsessed company that continuously strives for excellence and innovation in commercial plumbing services.
Our culture is built on integrity, teamwork, and a commitment to personal and professional growth.
We value diversity and inclusion, and we work collaboratively to empower every team member to reach their full potential.
Our strong focus on quality service and community engagement makes us a leader in the home services industry.
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
The COO doesn't run one job. They set how every job runs, on sites shared with other trades and in buildings people still use.
A hazard your crew creates can be your citation
On a shared construction site, OSHA can cite the employer that created a hazard, even when only another trade's workers are exposed. An open floor hole your crew cut for a riser is yours. So is pipe left across a walkway. The COO sets the rule that crews cover or report every hazard they make before they leave the area. Source: OSHA CPL 02-00-124, multi-employer citation policy.
Medical gas work needs its own certificates
Hospitals, surgery centers and clinics may need piped oxygen, medical air and vacuum. Rules vary by state. In Minnesota, for example, people at a plumbing contractor who install, maintain or repair medical gas systems need a state certification that includes meeting ASSE 6010, and renewal takes continuing education. Before bidding medical gas, the COO decides who gets certified, who tracks renewals and how brazing gets checked. Source: Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: medical gas certification.
In Hawaii, the site decides who inspects
Hawaii's state plan, run by HIOSH, covers most private-sector workplaces in the state. Federal OSHA keeps contractors at Hawaii National Park and other land under exclusive federal jurisdiction, plus private employers inside the secured borders of military bases. A COO with jobs in Hawaii should know which agency covers each site and train supervisors on its rules. Source: OSHA: Hawaii State Plan coverage.
General contractors check your safety record first
Many general contractors prequalify subs on injury history and insurance experience ratings before inviting them to bid. One bad year can keep you off bid lists for a while. The COO owns the safety program, site audits and incident reviews behind that record, and makes sure every injury is reported honestly rather than hidden.
Occupied buildings change the job
Replacing a water heater or a riser in a working hotel, school or clinic means shutting off water for people still inside. Set company rules for shutdown notices, after-hours tie-ins, floor protection and who calls the building owner if something leaks. A flooded floor below can cost more than the job paid.
How much commercial plumbing COOs make
The closest BLS group for commercial plumbing COOs is chief executives. Chief executives who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $174,130 a year ($83.72 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s below the $213,990 median for chief executives in all industries. About 760 of the 204,350 chief executives in that survey work for plumbing and HVAC contractors.
The usual package is salary and an annual bonus. Link the bonus to job margin, schedule and quality measures the COO can move, not to hours worked.
Plumbing and HVAC contractors
$174,130$174,130 median Middle half $93,740–$271,790 10th–90th $70,780–$421,320
All industries
$213,990$213,990 median Middle half $129,540–$356,200 10th–90th $75,700–$507,730
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Plumbing and HVAC contractors
$70,780
$93,740
$174,130
$271,790
$421,320
All industries
$75,700
$129,540
$213,990
$356,200
$507,730
BLS reports plumbing and HVAC contractors together, residential and commercial. 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 several commercial projects at once through project managers
Knows commercial plumbing systems well enough to spot bad work on a walk
Builds safety programs that hold up on sites shared with other trades
Reads job cost reports and acts when margins start to slip
Holds project managers accountable without taking over their jobs
Teach these on the job
Your project management system and reporting format
Local inspectors and how each jurisdiction runs plumbing inspections
Your customers' prequalification and safety paperwork
Medical gas or other specialty programs you run
Your union or open-shop labor agreements
The COO works from a project system such as Procore, job cost reports from accounting, and a safety app for site audits and incident reports. On site, a tablet with current drawings and the punch list does more good than any office dashboard.
Commercial plumbing COO 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 · Water damage in occupied buildings
A failed joint on a test floods two floors of an occupied office building. What do you do?
A strong answer: Gets water stopped and cleanup started, supports the customer, notifies the insurer, finds the root cause, and changes how tests are run and watched on occupied jobs.
Behavioral · Building standards
Tell me about a standard you put in place across crews, such as pre-test checklists or foreman daily reports.
A strong answer: Names the process, how they got foremen to use it, how they checked it, and the result.
Treat the template's targets as placeholders. Pull a year of closed jobs, safety logs and customer feedback, then set targets the COO can actually move.
Operational Efficiency
Compare field labor hours with estimated hours by job and phase, and operations overhead with the plan. Put rework hours and return trips on their own line.
Compliance Rate
Count failed inspections, safety citations and site audit findings across all jobs, and check that each was closed with a written fix. The rate only means something if audits happen on every active site.
Customer Satisfaction
Ask the GC's superintendent and the owner's facility manager to score your crew, schedule and cleanup at closeout. Compare the scores by project manager.
Project Completion Rate
Count jobs finished by the contract date and within the revised budget, counting approved change orders, not the original bid. Track delays the general contractor caused apart from your own.
Those template lines stay word for word. Here is what they look like on a real day: walking active sites with uneven ground and loud equipment, hauling a tool bag up to 25 pounds, and checking tight mechanical rooms, pipe chases or crawl spaces. Some visits are outdoors in any weather. Put these tasks in the ad, and tell applicants they can ask about accommodations.
How much does a commercial plumbing COO make?
Chief executives who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $174,130 a year ($83.72 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $93,740 and $271,790 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and bonus terms.
Should a commercial plumbing company build a prefab shop?
Prefab lets crews build carrier assemblies, pipe racks and water heater skids in a shop, then set them fast on site. It pays when you have steady work in repeat building types and detailed models to build from. It costs floor space, a shop lead and delivery trucks, so the COO should prove it on a few jobs before committing.
What does a commercial plumbing COO do when a general contractor's schedule slips?
First, document it: daily reports, photos and written notices under the subcontract's delay clause. Then decide whether to move crews to other jobs or hold them, since idle crews burn money and moved crews are hard to get back. If the slip squeezes your work at the end, price the speed-up as a change order before adding overtime.
What should a COO look at on a site visit?
Start with what a crew can't easily hide: housekeeping, open floor penetrations, ladder and lift use, and how materials are stored. Then check pipe supports, labeling and test records against the drawings. Ask the foreman what is slowing them down. Write up findings the same day and give each one to a named person.
