A commercial plumbing sales manager heads the reps who chase bids from general contractors and service accounts from building owners. They decide which jobs are worth pricing, coach reps on job walks and follow-up, and keep a forecast the general manager can plan crews around.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, plumbing and HVAC contractors · BLS, May 2025
Annual pay: 10th percentile $83,210, middle half $104,040 to $181,000, 90th percentile $230,300. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Reports to
General Manager
Department
Operations
Schedule
Weekdays, plus some client evenings · Weekday hours, frequent travel, some evening or weekend meetings, and occasional on-call help for urgent client needs
Also called
Business development manager · Director of sales · Commercial accounts manager
Lead and drive revenue growth for our Commercial Plumbing division by setting strategic sales targets, mentoring sales representatives, and nurturing key client relationships to ensure sustained business success.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Develop and implement effective sales strategies to meet and exceed revenue targets.
Mentor and train sales representatives to enhance performance and professional development.
Identify and pursue new business opportunities within the commercial plumbing market.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless service delivery and customer satisfaction.
Monitor market trends and competitor activities to refine sales tactics and maintain a competitive edge.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Conduct daily sales meetings and one-on-one coaching sessions with team members.
Analyze sales reports and performance metrics to adjust strategies accordingly.
Engage with prospective and existing clients to understand their needs and present tailored solutions.
Oversee and manage the sales pipeline, ensuring timely follow-up and conversion of leads.
Coordinate with the operations team to resolve client issues and enhance service quality.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Monthly revenue growth: Achieve a minimum of 15% increase per quarter.
New client acquisition rate: Secure at least 10 new commercial accounts per month.
Sales conversion rate: Maintain a target conversion rate of >25%.
Client retention rate: Achieve a customer satisfaction rating of >4.8 stars.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field.
Minimum of 5 years of sales experience, with at least 2 years in a managerial role.
Proven track record in meeting or exceeding sales targets.
Excellent communication, leadership, and negotiation skills.
Proficiency in CRM software and sales analytics tools.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience in the plumbing, HVAC, or broader home services industry.
Established network and relationships within the commercial construction sector.
Previous exposure to large-scale commercial projects and client management.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across various departments.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to travel frequently for client meetings and industry events.
Occasional lifting of product samples or marketing materials up to 25 lbs.
Capacity to work both in a standard office environment and on-site at client locations.
Prolonged periods of sitting during meetings and computer-based tasks.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Regular weekday hours with occasional evening or weekend meetings.
Travel required up to 30% of the time for client engagements and regional events.
Fast-paced, target-driven environment with collaborative team settings.
Occasional on-call responsibilities to support urgent client needs.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Base salary range: $80,000 - $100,000 per year, depending on experience.
Performance-based commissions and bonus structure.
Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision insurance.
401(k) plan with company match.
Additional fringe benefits including paid time off, professional development opportunities, and employee wellness programs.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE] • Department: Sales • Reports to: Director of Sales • Location: [INSERT LOCATION HERE], we foster a culture of innovation, teamwork, and continuous growth. We believe in empowering our employees to reach their full potential by providing ample opportunities for professional development, a collaborative work environment, and a commitment to excellence. Join us if you are eager to contribute to a dynamic team where your ideas and expertise will make a real impact.
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 changes for a sales manager in commercial plumbing
Revenue here comes from bids to general contractors and repeat work for building owners. The manager decides where estimating hours go and keeps service accounts coming back.
Choose the bids worth pricing
Estimating hours run out before invitations do. Set rules for which invites get a full price: builders who have paid you well, building types your crews know, and start dates your field team can staff. Track your hit rate by general contractor, and stop pricing for builders who only use your number to check someone else's.
Idaho public bids name the plumbing sub
On Idaho public works, the general contractor must name its plumbing, HVAC and electrical subs in its bid, and may name only a sub it has heard from. A bid that leaves them out is void. Make sure every builder bidding the job has your written price before bid time. If a builder names you and wins, it can replace you only when the two of you can't agree on terms for a reason other than cost. Source: Idaho Code 67-2310: Bidder's listing of subcontractors on public works.
Backflow tests bring owners back each year
In Honolulu, for example, the Board of Water Supply requires each backflow prevention assembly to be tested once a year, holds the customer responsible, and mails a notice before the due date. An account signed for yearly testing puts your company in the building every year, which opens doors to water heater and fixture work. Keep due dates in the CRM by account. Source: Honolulu Board of Water Supply: Backflow prevention assembly testing program.
Pay commission as jobs bill
A commercial job can run for many months, and its value moves after award. Consider paying commission on gross profit as the job bills and collects, not on the awarded number, so reps care about clean scope. Write down what happens when a job loses money or a builder pays late, and walk every rep through it before the first job.
Coach on the job walk
Pre-bid walks and site visits are where reps learn what the drawings leave out: how to reach the mechanical room, what the existing pipe looks like, where the water heater sits. Go along on a few walks each month, then compare the rep's notes with the estimate. Gaps you find there cost far less than gaps found after award.
How much commercial plumbing sales managers make
Sales managers who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $137,120 a year ($65.92 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s below the $148,270 median for sales managers in all industries. About 1,260 of the 637,080 sales managers in that survey work for plumbing and HVAC contractors.
Base pay plus commission or a bonus is the common setup. This template's base lands near the tenth percentile BLS reports in this industry, which means strong candidates will study the commission plan closely.
Plumbing and HVAC contractors
$137,120$137,120 median Middle half $104,040–$181,000 10th–90th $83,210–$230,300
All industries
$148,270$148,270 median Middle half $100,360–$207,340 10th–90th $73,170–$290,540
$0k$50k$100k$150k$200k$250k$300k$350k
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
$83,210
$104,040
$137,120
$181,000
$230,300
All industries
$73,170
$100,360
$148,270
$207,340
$290,540
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
A record of leading reps who sold to builders, owners or facility managers
Reads plans and bid forms closely enough to catch a rep's scope gaps
Setting go or no-go rules for bids and holding to them
Running a CRM pipeline and a monthly forecast the finance team trusts
Negotiating terms with builders' project managers and owners' buyers
Teach these on the job
Your estimating software and cost database
Your builder list and each one's payment history
Public bid rules where you work, such as Idaho's sub listing law
Backflow test schedules and your service agreement terms
Which job types your crews do best and how much they can take on
The manager works from the CRM and the bid log, reviews numbers from plumbing estimating software, and watches the portals where builders post invitations. Name those systems in the ad so a candidate who has run them can say so up front.
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 · Choosing which work to chase
Your reps are chasing every bid that comes in, and the win rate is low. What do you do?
A strong answer: Sets clear criteria for which work fits (customer, size, type, margin), reviews each bid against them, and focuses effort where the company wins and makes money.
Behavioral · Coaching reps
Tell me how you coached a rep whose win rate on commercial bids slumped.
A strong answer: Found the specific cause, coached with practice and ride-alongs, set check-in dates, and shows the result.
The template's targets are samples. Build yours from your bid log, backlog and account list, and settle them with the general manager.
Monthly revenue growth
Set this month's signed contract value and service revenue beside the same month a year ago, because building work rises and falls with the season. Keep bid work and service accounts on separate lines.
New client acquisition rate
Count builders who award you a first job and building owners who sign a first service order or agreement. A new contact at an existing customer doesn't count as a new account.
Sales conversion rate
Divide awarded bids by bids submitted, and break it out by general contractor and job type. Track service proposals on their own, since they close on a shorter cycle.
Client retention rate
The template measures this with a satisfaction rating. Add a yearly check on which builders and service accounts gave you work again, and ask the ones who didn't why.
How is a commercial plumbing sales manager different from a project manager?
The sales manager wins the work: picks bids, sets price strategy with estimating and agrees the scope with the client. The project manager runs the job after award, with submittals, the schedule, buying material and billing. The two meet at handoff. After that, the sales manager keeps in touch with the client for the next job without giving orders to the field.
How much does a commercial plumbing sales manager make?
Sales managers who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $137,120 a year ($65.92 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $104,040 and $181,000 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and bonus terms.
What belongs in a weekly bid meeting?
Walk the bid calendar for the next two weeks and settle go or no-go on new invitations. Check which prices still wait on supplier quotes and which scopes have open questions for the architect. Then review last week's results: wins, losses, where you ranked if the builder shared it, and why. End with the follow-ups owed and who owns each one.
Where do good commercial plumbing sales managers come from?
Estimators and project managers often make the move, since they already know scope and pricing from the inside. Others come from outside sales at a plumbing supply house or a manufacturer's rep firm, where they built ties with contractors and engineers. A plumber who moved into estimating can do well too. Whatever the path, test finalists on a real set of plans and a bid form.
The template mentions frequent travel and lifting samples. What tasks are those?
Driving to job walks, client offices, supplier meetings and regional events. Carrying fixture samples, catalogs or a trade show display within the template's stated limit. Walking active job sites in the hard hat, vest and boots the builder requires. Long meetings and computer work fill the rest of the week. Write the ad around these tasks, and talk with any finalist who asks about an accommodation.
What should the team do after losing a bid?
Call the builder within a week. Ask where your number ranked and whether scope, price or schedule decided it. Log the answer in the CRM with the job type. After a few months, patterns show up: a builder who never awards to you, a job type where your labor runs high, or an item your estimates keep missing. Fix the pattern, not just the bid.
