A lead roofer, also called a master roofer, runs a crew on the roof and takes the work that needs the most skill: chimneys, skylights, valleys and tricky tie-ins. They train the crew as they go, and every roof they lead is theirs to answer for, from the flashing to the tie-off.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Serve as the primary roofing expert responsible for advanced installation, repair, and maintenance projects while leading a team towards excellence and ensuring strict compliance with building codes and safety regulations. Provide mentorship and training to team members, elevating performance outcomes and ensuring best practices are consistently followed.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Oversee complex roofing projects utilizing advanced techniques to ensure high-quality installation and repair outcomes.
Train and mentor roofing team members, fostering a knowledgeable and safety-focused work environment.
Inspect work sites for compliance with local and industry coding standards and safety regulations.
Coordinate with project managers and stakeholders to plan and execute roofing projects within timeline and budget.
Maintain detailed documentation of project progress, team performance, and material usage.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Conduct daily on-site inspections to monitor quality controls and safety practices.
Lead team briefings to review job responsibilities, project goals, and safety protocols.
Collaborate with other trade professionals and subcontractors to ensure coordinated project execution.
Provide hands-on coaching in advanced roofing techniques and troubleshooting on challenging projects.
Engage with clients to address inquiries and explain project plans, ensuring customer satisfaction.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Project Quality Rating: ≥ 95% as measured by final project inspections.
Team Training Completion: 100% of team members up-to-date on advanced roofing techniques and code compliance.
Safety Compliance: 0 safety incidents per project cycle.
Customer Satisfaction Rating: > 4.8 stars on post-project surveys.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent; technical certifications in roofing or construction preferred.
Minimum of 5 years of hands-on roofing experience with advanced installation techniques.
Proven leadership and team training skills with a keen eye for quality and safety.
Deep understanding of current building codes and roofing industry standards.
Strong problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills.
6. Preferred Experience
Previous experience in a supervisory or lead role within the roofing industry.
Familiarity with modern roofing materials, tools, and technology.
Experience working on both residential and commercial roofing projects.
A record of successfully managing multiple projects simultaneously under tight deadlines.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift and carry materials weighing up to 50 lbs.
Comfortable working at elevated heights and in various weather conditions.
Stamina to perform repetitive physical tasks over extended periods.
Capacity to work in confined spaces and on sloped or uneven surfaces.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Full-time position with standard daytime hours; project deadlines may require occasional overtime.
Frequent travel to various job sites as assigned.
Exposure to outdoor elements including heat, cold, and rain.
On-call availability during critical project phases may be required.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Competitive salary range of $65,000 - $85,000 USD per annum dependent on experience.
Eligibility for performance-based bonuses and incentives.
Comprehensive benefits package including Health, Dental, and Vision insurance.
401(k) plan with company matching and other fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE], we foster a collaborative and innovative work environment that encourages personal and professional growth.
Our culture is built on integrity, dedication, and a passion for excellence, where every team member is valued and empowered to make an impact.
We are committed to providing the resources and support needed for our employees to succeed and deliver outstanding customer experiences.
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 lead is the best roofer on the crew, and the crew works the way the lead does. Anchors, the hardest flashing and the day's tear-off plan sit with them.
The hard details are theirs
A lead takes the parts of the roof where leaks start: chimney flashing and crickets, skylights, headwall and sidewall flashing, and the change from a steep roof to a low-slope porch. If you sell metal, tile or slate, the lead is usually the one who knows them. BLS notes that some roofing materials are used so rarely that gaining experience with all of them can take years. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Roofers.
Anchors and rescue are on the lead
A harness only works if the anchor holds. OSHA says an anchor for fall arrest must support 5,000 pounds per worker attached, or be part of a complete system with a safety factor of at least two, used under a qualified person's supervision. The gear must be inspected before each use. The employer must plan for prompt rescue after a fall, or make sure workers can rescue themselves. The lead should know exactly how the crew would get a hanging roofer down. Source: OSHA: Fall protection systems criteria and practices (29 CFR 1926.502).
Who works which part of the roof
The lead chooses where each person works. An apprentice may get the open field on the back slope while the lead cuts the front valley, then move up to valleys once their nailing is consistent. That rotation is the crew's training plan, so write down who has done what and who is ready for the next step.
Other trades on the same roof
A re-roof can pull in other trades: a solar company removing and resetting panels, a gutter crew, an HVAC tech moving a vent, or a skylight swap. The lead plans the order with the office so nothing sits open, and makes sure the roofing crew flashes every new opening instead of leaving it to someone else.
How much roof comes off today
Each morning the lead decides how much old roof to strip, based on the forecast and the crew's pace. The rule is simple: never open more than the crew can dry in with underlayment before the weather turns or the day ends. A half-tarped roof in a storm is how a re-roof turns into a ceiling repair.
How much lead roofers make
Roofers who work for roofing contractors earned a median of $26.86 an hour ($55,860 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $55,440 median for roofers in all industries. About 122,140 of the 135,490 roofers in that survey work for roofing contractors.
The template pays a salary, but under federal rules a non-manager doing hands-on construction work is owed overtime at any pay level. A lead whose day is mostly nailing and flashing may fall in that group. Have an employment lawyer check a no-overtime salary, or pay hourly with a crew bonus.
Roofing contractors
$55,860$55,860 median Middle half $46,340–$65,210 10th–90th $37,540–$81,290
All industries
$55,440$55,440 median Middle half $46,260–$65,390 10th–90th $37,460–$81,720
$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k$90k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Roofing contractors
$37,540
$46,340
$55,860
$65,210
$81,290
All industries
$37,460
$46,260
$55,440
$65,390
$81,720
BLS reports residential and commercial roofing 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
Years of steep-slope installs, with chimney and skylight flashing to show for it
Teaches by showing, then watching the roofer do it
Sets anchors and checks every harness before the crew climbs
Spots a soft deck, a high nail line or a bad valley at a glance
Calm with homeowners worried about their roof and their claim
Teach these on the job
Your skills list and sign-off forms
Your job paperwork, photo routine and final walk
A rescue plan and gear for a roofer hanging in a harness
New product lines and the maker's installation training
Leading the morning safety talk
Lead roofers carry the full installer kit plus tools for layout and checking, such as a pitch gauge and a moisture meter to find wet decking. They also look after the crew's anchors, lifelines and rescue kit, and many run the job's photos and checklists from a phone.
Lead roofer interview questions
They have their own page: 6 questions that test this job, what strong and weak answers sound like, and a work exercise to run with your finalists.
Start from the template's targets and reset them once your own roofs give you a season of numbers. A lead's numbers belong to the whole crew, so measure every roof the crew finishes.
Project Quality Rating
Share of the lead's roofs that pass your final inspection checklist the first time, and any permit inspection too. Score each roof the day it's finished, with photos.
Team Training Completion
A monthly count of each crew member's sign-offs against their skills list. Include code changes and new product steps the lead has taught, such as a new shingle line's nailing pattern.
Safety Compliance
Injuries, near misses and fall-gear findings on each of the lead's jobs, from foreman spot checks and your incident log. Review them job by job, not just at quarter's end.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Each month, compare what homeowners rate and write about the lead's jobs with the rest of the company. Note comments on the crew's manners, noise and cleanup.
A lead roofer is in charge of one roof from the first tarp to the final walk. They check the deck and the delivery, set anchors, and give the morning briefing. During the job they take the hardest details, coach the crew, and answer the homeowner's questions. At the end they walk the roof and the yard with the homeowner and sign off the job.
How much does a lead roofer make?
Roofers who work for roofing contractors earned a median of $26.86 an hour ($55,860 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $46,340 and $65,210 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Is a master roofer the same as a lead roofer?
Often, yes. Both are usually titles your company gives, not ranks set by a license. Some shops save master for a roofer who has learned several roof types, like shingles, metal and tile, and use lead for whoever runs a crew. Write down what the title means at your company, so applicants know what you expect and what it takes to earn it.
How do I know a roofer is ready to lead a crew?
Look for the roofer others already ask for help on valleys and chimneys, who ties off without reminders, and who stays calm when a homeowner walks out with questions. The template's minimum is five years of roofing with advanced installs. Try them as lead on simple roofs first, with a review after a month, before giving them steep or specialty jobs.
Does a lead roofer need to know building code?
Yes. The template wants a deep understanding of current building codes. In practice that means the code your state or city has adopted, with its local changes, plus the shingle maker's instructions. Ask your building department which edition it enforces, and make sure the lead knows its reroofing and flashing rules and what your inspector checks.
How should a lead roofer's bonus work?
The template offers performance bonuses without saying how they work. Tie them to things the lead controls: roofs that pass inspection the first time, few callbacks, clean fall-gear checks and crew skills signed off. A bonus for speed alone pushes crews to cut corners on flashing and tie-off, so pair any speed goal with a quality check.
