A commercial plumbing operations manager puts crews on jobs every morning and gets their pipe, fixtures and equipment there on time. They run the morning briefings with field supervisors and move people when a general contractor's schedule changes.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, plumbing and HVAC contractors · BLS, May 2025
Lead the scheduling and allocation of plumbing crews across commercial projects while ensuring optimal resource utilization and cost-efficiency. Serve as the central point of coordination between project management, field teams, and client services to drive operational excellence. Oversee logistics, material procurement, and resource planning to improve service delivery and reduce downtime. Ensure compliance with safety standards and regulatory requirements in all operational activities.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Develop and implement operational procedures to streamline crew allocation and schedule optimization.
Oversee the day-to-day logistics and resource management for all commercial plumbing projects.
Coordinate with project managers and field supervisors to address issues promptly and adjust schedules as needed.
Monitor performance metrics to ensure projects meet quality, timeline, and budget expectations.
Maintain clear communication with clients and internal stakeholders regarding project status and updates.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Allocate plumbing crews to projects based on skills, availability, and proximity to job sites.
Optimize daily schedules by reviewing project timelines and adjusting assignments to maximize efficiency.
Oversee logistics, including the management of equipment, materials, and transportation requirements.
Conduct daily briefings with field supervisors to discuss project status, safety updates, and schedule modifications.
Address any operational issues in real-time to minimize disruptions and maintain high service standards.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Crew Utilization Rate: Achieve a minimum of 90% efficiency in crew allocation.
Schedule Adherence: Maintain less than a 5% deviation from planned project timelines.
On-Time Project Completion: Ensure at least 95% of projects are completed within the set deadline.
Resource Optimization: Reduce material waste and costs by 10% annually.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Construction Management, or related field.
Minimum of 5 years’ experience managing operations in the home services or commercial construction industry.
Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage and motivate diverse teams.
Proficient in scheduling software and resource management tools.
Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience in the commercial plumbing or related construction sectors.
Proven track record of optimizing crew schedules and reducing operational costs.
Hands-on experience with logistics planning and field operations management.
Familiarity with safety regulations and compliance in construction environments.
Prior experience collaborating with sales and customer service teams.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to frequently visit job sites and work in varying weather conditions.
Occasional lifting of materials up to 25 lbs.
Standing, walking, and climbing at multiple sites throughout the day.
Capacity to work in an environment with occasional exposure to noise and dust.
Physical stamina to manage on-site operational responsibilities.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours are Monday to Friday, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Occasional extended hours required during peak project periods.
Expected to travel frequently between multiple project locations.
On-call responsibilities during emergencies or critical project events.
Collaborative office environment with regular field visits.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Salary range of $75,000 to $95,000 per year, based on experience.
Potential for performance-based bonuses and incentives.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance packages.
401k retirement plan with company match.
Additional fringe benefits may include paid time off, professional development, and wellness programs.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE], we foster a collaborative and growth-oriented environment where every team member is empowered to reach their full potential.
We value innovation, continuous improvement, and a commitment to customer satisfaction.
This is a place where hard work is recognized and achievements are celebrated.
Our culture encourages professional development, open communication, and community involvement.
Join us to be a part of a dynamic team that is committed to excellence in the commercial plumbing 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].
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What a commercial plumbing operations manager juggles
Crews here don't run service calls. They work on other people's schedules, inside buildings that change every week.
Inspections need notice ahead of time
On Idaho jobs inspected by the state licensing division, the permit holder must give at least 12 hours' notice before it will be ready, not counting Sundays and holidays. A reinspection needed after a failed final inspection carries a charge. Build that notice into the crew plan so drywall and ceiling crews aren't left waiting on plumbing. Source: Idaho Code 54-2626, notification for inspection.
Certificates travel with the plumbers
Idaho requires journeymen to keep their certificate of competency on them or in the immediate area of the work site during working hours, and apprentices need proof of registration on hand too. When the operations manager moves a plumber to a new job, the card should go too. Keep a list of who holds which certificate. Source: Idaho Code 54-2618, certificates carried at the work site.
Forklift drivers need training first
Moving water heaters, pipe bundles and fixtures on site often takes a forklift. OSHA's construction rule applies the general industry training rule for powered industrial truck operators, which combines formal instruction, practical training on the machine and an evaluation of each operator's performance in the workplace. Keep a list of who has finished it and send only those people to run the machine. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 1926.602, material handling equipment.
Crews follow the general contractor's schedule
Your crews go where the GC's lookahead schedule says the building is ready. Collect those lookaheads from every superintendent each week, load crews against them, and raise conflicts early. When two jobs want the same foreman in the same week, the operations manager settles it with the project managers.
Material has to land on the right floor
Job sites have little storage, and copper walks off. Time deliveries to arrive just before the work, stage them by floor or area, and lock up fittings. Track order dates for long-lead items like large water heaters and specialty fixtures against the schedule, or a crew ends up standing around.
How much commercial plumbing operations managers make
The closest BLS group for commercial plumbing operations managers is general and operations managers. General and operations managers who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $105,740 a year ($50.84 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $105,770 median for general and operations managers in all industries. About 40,250 of the 3,503,020 general and operations managers in that survey work for plumbing and HVAC contractors.
Pay is usually a salary, sometimes with a bonus. The template's salary band falls under the BLS median shown here, but that figure blends general managers with operations managers. Compare the band with what nearby contractors offer.
Plumbing and HVAC contractors
$105,740$105,740 median Middle half $79,040–$158,540 10th–90th $57,570–$214,590
All industries
$105,770$105,770 median Middle half $72,320–$167,280 10th–90th $50,090–$253,390
$0k$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
Plumbing and HVAC contractors
$57,570
$79,040
$105,740
$158,540
$214,590
All industries
$50,090
$72,320
$105,770
$167,280
$253,390
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 scheduled crews across several commercial construction jobs at once
Reads drawings and schedules well enough to size crews by phase
Knows the order of plumbing work from underground to trim
Talks straight with supervisors and GC superintendents
Keeps a current record of who is trained and certified for what
Teach these on the job
Your crew scheduling and project software
Your suppliers, delivery rules and rental vendors
Inspection booking in each local jurisdiction
Your daily briefing format
Your truck and trailer assignments
Most of the day runs on a crew board, whether that's a whiteboard, a spreadsheet or workforce planning software, plus Procore or a similar system for GC schedules and daily reports. Supplier portals and rental accounts handle deliveries and lift bookings.
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 · Allocating crews by skill
Two jobs need a crew with medical gas certification next week, and you only have one. What do you do?
A strong answer: Checks which job can shift, talks with both project managers and contractors, considers a certified subcontractor, and never sends an uncertified crew.
Behavioral · Reducing downtime
Tell me about a change that cut the hours your plumbers lost waiting, such as fittings kitted by floor or lifts booked ahead.
A strong answer: Names the cause, the change, such as kitting material by floor, planning rentals or weekly coordination with contractors, and how much waiting time dropped.
The template's numbers are examples. Track your real figures for a quarter, then pick targets from your own jobs and crews.
Crew Utilization Rate
Divide hours crews spent on productive job work by hours paid, using timecards coded to jobs. Separate waiting, shop time and travel so you can see what to fix.
Schedule Adherence
Compare planned start and finish dates for each phase with actual dates from daily reports. Mark which slips came from your crews and which from the general contractor.
On-Time Project Completion
For each closed job, check the date plumbing passed final inspection against the contract finish date. Sort late jobs by crew lead and phase to see where time slipped.
Resource Optimization
Track material returned, scrapped or bought twice for the same job, plus rental days on equipment that sat unused. Compare the total with material spend each quarter.
The template mentions stamina, climbing and lifting. How should the ad say it?
Those lines ship as written, but the ad can describe the tasks behind them: visiting several job sites daily, going up stairs and ladders to see work on upper floors, carrying materials up to 25 pounds, and working near dust and noise from other trades. Some sites are outdoors in any weather. A task list lets applicants picture the role and request accommodations if they need them.
How much does a commercial plumbing operations manager make?
General and operations managers who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $105,740 a year ($50.84 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $79,040 and $158,540 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and bonus terms.
What should a morning briefing with field supervisors cover?
Keep it short and the same each day: who is on which job, who is out, deliveries and lifts coming, inspections booked, and any hazard on a shared site. Then hear each supervisor's problem for the day. Write down the changes so the dispatcher, project managers and warehouse all work from one plan.
What happens when material doesn't show up?
Have a backup before it happens: a second supply house, a plan for will-call pickups and a list of work crews can do without the missing part. Move the crew to that work or another site instead of letting them stand idle on the clock. Then log the miss against the supplier so the warehouse manager can act on it.
What does the operations manager need from project managers each week?
Updated lookahead schedules, change orders that add hours, inspections coming up and any shutdowns the owner has approved. With those, the operations manager can plan crews weeks ahead instead of reacting every morning. One shared weekly meeting works better than a string of separate calls.
