A plumbing chief executive officer decides which services a residential plumbing company sells, where it opens shops, and how it grows enough licensed plumbers to do the work. The CEO manages the senior leaders and deals with the bank, the insurers and the owner or investors.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, plumbing and HVAC contractors · BLS, May 2025
Lead the strategic direction and overall growth of the plumbing organization. Oversee major decisions to ensure operational excellence and market competitiveness. Serve as the visionary and primary decision-maker in driving profitability, customer satisfaction, and industry innovation. Represent the company externally while steering internal collaborations for sustainable success.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Develop and implement a comprehensive strategic plan to drive long-term growth.
Oversee financial performance, budgeting, and capital allocation to maximize profitability.
Lead and mentor senior management, ensuring alignment with company objectives.
Establish policies and procedures that enhance operational efficiency and compliance.
Represent the company at industry events, stakeholder meetings, and public forums.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Review and assess daily financial reports and operational performance dashboards.
Conduct strategic meetings with executive teams to discuss progress and address challenges.
Engage with key clients and partners to build long-term relationships and secure business opportunities.
Monitor industry trends and regulatory changes to inform decision-making and strategic adjustments.
Provide leadership in crisis management and complex problem resolution.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Revenue Growth: Achieve a minimum of 10% year-over-year increase.
Customer Satisfaction Rating: Maintain an average rating of >4.8 stars.
Operational Efficiency: Improve capacity efficiency by at least 15% annually.
Net Profit Margin: Attain a minimum net profit margin of 20%.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.
Minimum of 10 years of senior leadership experience, preferably as an executive.
Demonstrated expertise in strategic planning and financial management.
Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Proficient in data analysis and performance metric evaluation.
6. Preferred Experience
Prior experience within the plumbing, construction, or home services industry.
Proven track record of scaling operations and driving business growth in a competitive market.
Background in managing cross-functional teams in a service-based environment.
Experience in leveraging technology to improve operational efficiency.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to work within a typical office environment with occasional site visits.
Capable of extended periods of sitting, standing, and attending lengthy meetings.
Occasional travel required to company sites and industry events.
Comfortable operating in environments associated with the plumbing industry.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
On-call availability for strategic decision-making during business-critical situations.
Occasional travel to industry conferences, client sites, and corporate meetings.
Collaborative work environment with a focus on team-oriented problem-solving.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Competitive base salary ranging from $180,000 to $250,000 USD annually.
Performance-based bonuses and incentives aligned with strategic milestones.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
401(k) plan with company match and additional retirement benefits.
Generous paid time off, professional development opportunities, and fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE], we foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and accountability.
Our team-oriented environment is built on trust, transparency, and mutual respect.
We provide ample opportunities for personal and professional growth through mentorship and ongoing training.
Join us in shaping a future where excellence in plumbing services meets strategic leadership and operational brilliance.
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
Most of a plumbing CEO's big decisions trace back to three facts of the trade: the license can hang on one person, one bad joint can flood a house, and many customers call in an emergency.
Losing the master plumber can stop the company
Minnesota requires every plumbing contractor to name a master plumber as its responsible individual, and one person can fill that role for only one contractor. When that plumber leaves, the company has 15 business days to tell the state and 60 days to name a new one, or the license ends. Rules differ elsewhere, but the planning question carries over: who on your team could step into that role next? Source: Minnesota Statutes 326B.46: Plumbing contractor licenses, bond and insurance.
Emergencies are the front door
A lot of residential plumbing starts with a burst pipe or a sewer backing up, often at night or on a holiday. Whether to answer around the clock is the CEO's call, along with how to staff the phones for it and how to price after-hours work so plumbers keep taking those calls. That choice shapes the brand, the payroll and how fast the company can grow.
Licensed plumbers take years to make
BLS says most plumbers learn the trade through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship, and most states, plus some local governments, require a license. Master status takes more years of work and another exam. So a plan that needs more licensed plumbers in three years has to start hiring apprentices now. The CEO sets that budget and decides how to keep plumbers once they're licensed. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters.
Water damage drives insurance costs
Plumbing mistakes rarely stay small. A joint that fails inside a wall can ruin floors, cabinets and ceilings, and those claims follow the company into every insurance renewal. The CEO decides what coverage to carry and how much to spend on training and on checking finished work before the plumber leaves.
Sewer work is a bigger bet
Adding sewer line replacement means an excavator or trenchless equipment, dump fees, permits and crews trained to dig safely. It can lift the average job, but it ties up cash and raises the risk on every job. The CEO weighs building that crew against buying a company that already has one or sending those jobs to a partner.
How much plumbing chief executive officers make
The closest BLS group for plumbing chief executive officers 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.
Usually a base salary and an annual bonus tied to profit goals. Outside hires may ask for equity or a sale bonus as part of the deal.
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. 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
Can explain profit, cash and debt to a banker or an insurer in plain terms
Has managed senior people, such as a COO, general manager or controller
Plans plumber hiring and apprenticeships years ahead, not season to season
Builds a brand homeowners call first in an emergency
Weighs big bets, like a sewer crew or a second shop, against the cash on hand
Keeps the senior team on a handful of goals and checks them monthly
Teach these on the job
Plumbing service lines: drains, sewer, water heaters and repipes
Plumbing license rules where your shops work
Your field service and call center reports
Your warranty terms and claims history
Your supply house and manufacturer terms
Each week the CEO checks cash, booked work, revenue by service line and call center results. Those numbers come from accounting software and a field service system such as ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro or FieldEdge. In the interview, say whether those reports can be trusted yet or whether fixing them is part of the job.
The template's goals are a sample. Rebuild them from what the company actually did over the past two years, then check progress with the owner or investors every quarter.
Revenue Growth
Compare revenue month by month against last year, split into service, drain and sewer, water heaters and repipes. A hard freeze or a wet spring can swell one year, so judge growth over a full twelve months.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Your monthly star average across Google, Yelp and similar sites, next to complaint calls and warranty callbacks. Split it by shop and service line, since a strong drain team can hide a weak install crew.
Operational Efficiency
Booked hours divided by paid hours for service and install plumbers, from field service records and timecards. Compare months with similar staffing to see whether capacity really improved.
Net Profit Margin
Take net profit from the monthly income statement and divide it by revenue, with owner pay set at what you'd pay a hired leader. Without that step, the margin can look better than the business really is.
The CEO decides what kind of plumbing company this will be in five years. That means choosing service lines, such as adding sewer replacement or water treatment, deciding whether a second shop makes sense, setting prices and budgets, and building a bench of licensed plumbers. The CEO also keeps the bank and the insurers confident in the plan.
How much does a plumbing chief executive officer 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.
How is a plumbing CEO different from the COO and the general manager?
Think in time frames. The CEO works on the next few years: what to sell, where to grow and how to fund it. The COO works on the next few months: the processes, staffing and systems every shop runs on. The general manager works on today and this week at one shop.
When should a plumbing company bring in a hired CEO?
Usually when the owner has become the bottleneck: still on the license, still approving every big quote, still the one meeting the bank, with no time left to plan the next shop or a sale. A hired CEO takes over the plan, the money and the senior team. Before posting, decide which calls the owner will stop making; strong candidates will ask.
How do you judge a plumbing CEO's first year?
Look past revenue. Is the senior team stronger than a year ago? Are apprentices moving toward their licenses on schedule? Are cash and margin healthy in each service line, not just in total? A good first year often means fewer surprises, even if growth is modest.
What should a plumbing CEO job ad include?
Lead with the plumbing facts candidates ask about first: who holds the license, whether you answer calls around the clock, and how the work splits between service, drains, sewer and repipes. Then give the revenue range, the number of shops, plumbers and trucks, who the CEO reports to, how involved the owner will stay, and how the bonus or equity works.
