Plumbing Manager Job Description + Free Template [2025]

Your business is growing, and you need extra hands, specifically a new plumbing manager. But your current job postings don’t seem to be attracting the right talent. 

You already know you want a capable plumbing manager who can lead teams, manage schedules, and keep projects on track. 

So, how do you convey that in a clear and detailed job description tailored to stand out in an incredibly competitive job market? 

In addition to a free, ready-to-use plumbing manager job description template, this article outlines the role’s must-have qualifications, key responsibilities, and thoughtful interview questions to help you find top talent for your plumbing business.

As a bonus, we’ll demonstrate how tools like ServiceTitan can help ensure the success of the plumbing manager you eventually hire and their team.

Plumbing Manager Job Description Template

Use our customizable plumbing manager job description template to attract qualified candidates in your next job posting. 

• Job Summary We’re looking for an experienced Plumbing Manager to lead and oversee our plumbing division. In this role, you'll manage a team of technicians, ensure high-quality service delivery, and drive operational efficiency. The ideal candidate is both technically skilled and people-oriented, with strong leadership capabilities and a deep understanding of plumbing systems, codes, and safety regulations. 

• Key Responsibilities

  • Oversee daily operations of the plumbing team, including scheduling, dispatching, and job completion.

  • Ensure all plumbing work complies with local codes, safety regulations, and company standards.

  • Train, mentor, and evaluate technicians to maintain high performance and customer satisfaction.

  • Collaborate with other departments to coordinate service delivery and resolve field issues.

  • Monitor inventory, tools, and equipment to ensure availability and cost control.

  • Review project estimates, approve invoices, and manage departmental budgets.

  • Implement and track KPIs to improve operational efficiency and team productivity.

  • Maintain detailed job records and prepare reports for upper management.

  • Stay current with industry trends, technology, and regulatory changes.

• Required Qualifications

  • High school diploma or equivalent; relevant trade school or technical training preferred.

  • Minimum of five years of plumbing experience, including at least two years in a supervisory role.

  • Valid plumbing license as required by state or local regulations.

  • Strong understanding of residential and commercial plumbing systems.

  • Proven ability to manage teams and handle multiple projects simultaneously.

• Preferred Certifications

  • Master Plumber License

  • OSHA 30-Hour Certification

  • Project Management Certification (e.g., PMP or equivalent)

• Skills and Competencies

  • Excellent leadership and team management skills.

  • Strong communication skills and customer service abilities.

  • Solid problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.

  • Ability to read and interpret blueprints, schematics, and technical documents.

  • Knowledge of safety requirements and compliance standards.

  • Time management and organizational skills.

What Does a Plumbing Manager Do?

A plumbing manager is typically responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of a plumbing team. They ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and up to quality standards. 

Here’s what that looks like on a daily basis:

• Leading, training, and supervising plumbing technicians

• Scheduling jobs, assigning crews, and managing timelines

• Overseeing budgeting, materials, and labor costs

• Conducting quality control and ensuring code compliance

• Communicating progress to clients and upper management

As the link between plumbers in the field and company leadership, the plumbing manager makes sure the quality of project execution aligns with business values and growth plans.

What Are the Primary Responsibilities of a Plumbing Manager?

The role of the plumbing manager goes beyond assigning tasks and managing staff. They’re responsible for ensuring operational excellence across every aspect of plumbing service delivery. 

A plumbing operations manager’s primary responsibilities include:

• Ensuring job site performance: Monitoring ongoing plumbing projects to ensure work is performed safely, efficiently, and up to company standards.

• Scheduling and coordinating projects: Planning daily and weekly job schedules, assigning crews, and managing equipment and resource allocation to avoid downtime or delays.

• Ensuring code and safety compliance: Verifying that all work complies with local plumbing codes and occupational safety regulations.

• Controlling budgets and job costs: Tracking job expenses and managing project budgets to ensure the numbers stay within financial targets.

• Mentoring and training team members: Providing performance feedback and support to junior technicians to ensure their professional growth.

• Conducting quality control checks: Performing site inspections to verify workmanship, troubleshoot issues, and uphold service standards.

• Reporting to upper management: Keeping leadership updated on performance metrics and operational challenges to ensure they have the information they need to make data-driven decisions.

What Qualifications Are Required to Become a Plumbing Manager?

Good plumbing managers need a solid mix of education, hands-on experience, and leadership capabilities to manage teams effectively and consistently deliver high-quality work. 

Some essential qualifications to look for in your next plumbing manager are:

• Education: Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED. Some employers may also prefer candidates with an associate degree in plumbing technology or a related field.

• Licensing and industry experience: Plumbing managers should have at least five years of experience as a licensed plumber, with a strong track record in residential and commercial plumbing projects.

• Supervisory experience: Your plumbing manager should also have prior experience as a foreman or a plumbing supervisor to ensure they have proper team management and project oversight capabilities.

Now, let’s examine what certifications they need.

What Certifications Are Commonly Required for a Plumbing Manager?

Plumbing certifications and licensing are necessary for compliance with both legal and industry regulations. 

Below are some essential certifications for a plumbing manager role:

• Journeyman or Master Plumber license: Most plumbing managers are required to hold a valid Journeyman or Master Plumber License.

• OSHA 30 certification: This safety training ensures plumbing managers understand job site hazards, safety protocols, and how to lead crews in compliance with the plumbing industry safety standards.

• Industry association memberships: While it may not directly reflect capabilities, membership in organizations like the PHCC or IAPMO reflects a commitment to continuous learning.

Licensing requirements for plumbing managers vary from region to region, and some states require additional testing and continuing education. When hiring a plumbing manager, make sure to double-check the laws in your state.

What Skills Are Essential for a Plumbing Manager?

While plumbing managers need hands-on technical expertise, they must also combine know-how with soft skills to guide teams and deliver successful projects. 

Technical skills

Plumbing managers must know the tools, systems, and processes their plumbers use to complete projects. 

Here’s a quick checklist of relevant technical skills:

• Plumbing system design: Planning, installing, and troubleshooting complex plumbing layouts across residential and commercial projects.

• Blueprint reading: They should be detail-oriented and able to interpret technical drawings and schematics to guide installations and prevent costly mistakes.

• Inventory management: Monitoring materials and equipment to avoid project delays and maintain cost control.

• Safety protocols: Applying OSHA and work environment safety standards to protect crew members and reduce liability.

Soft skills

Beyond tools and schematics, a plumbing manager should also have organizational and interpersonal skills that keep teams aligned, motivated, and productive. 

Here’s a quick list of the most important soft skills:

• Communication: Clearly conveying instructions to crew members, clients, and upper management for smoother workflows.

• Conflict resolution: Calmly and effectively handling disputes among plumbing staff members or with customers.

• Time management: Efficiently prioritizing tasks and allocating labor to meet tight deadlines without sacrificing quality.

• Leadership skills: Motivating technicians, setting standards, and cultivating accountability and team morale.

• Decision-making: Quickly assessing field conditions to make informed calls that keep projects on track.

What Interview Questions Are Common for a Plumbing Manager Role?

Once you've shortlisted candidates based on qualifications and experience, the interview stage helps you identify who’s truly the right fit for the role. 

Creating a strategic list of questions can give you insight into the real-world performance of your potential hire. 

Here are some essential questions you should ask:

How do you handle team conflict or underperformance?

Why ask it: This question helps to evaluate how each candidate responds to conflict in their team and their approach to resolving it.

Good answer: While there are many ways to resolve conflict, a good answer should describe a proactive, coaching-based approach based on team accountability and transparency.

Can you walk us through how you would manage a plumbing job from start to finish?

Why ask it: It’s essential to assess how each candidate handles job planning, delegation, and overall project management.

Good answer: A good answer here should cover crucial points such as pre-job preparations, assigning roles, quality checks, and customer follow-up after completing the project.

How do you ensure compliance with safety and building codes?

Why ask it: It allows the candidate to demonstrate familiarity with legal requirements and attention to detail.

Good answer: As a rule of thumb, exceptional candidates should be able to discuss site inspections, safety training, job checklists, and building code resources.

How do you motivate your plumbing team to perform well?

Why ask it: This question examines your candidate’s leadership style, employee engagement strategy, and ability to keep team morale high.

Good answer: Crucial talking points should include team incentives, individual recognition, career development, and team-building activities.

What tools or software have you used to manage field operations?

Why ask it: It reveals the candidate’s tech proficiency and disposition toward using software tools to improve productivity and work efficiency.

Good answer: While there are no wrong answers here, an excellent candidate should be able to name specific tools and describe how such tools have improved their work output so far.

Let’s now examine some of the best software tools a plumbing manager should know.

What Software Tools Does a Plumbing Manager Commonly Use?

Today’s plumbing managers rely on robust software tools to run operations efficiently, make informed decisions, and elevate team performance and customer satisfaction. 

Below, we walk through some must-have tools and highlight how platforms like ServiceTitan can improve your operational workflow.

Scheduling and dispatching tools

Efficient scheduling ensures the right technician arrives at the right job location on time and is fully prepared for whatever tasks they need to carry out. This means using a smart dispatching system that factors in job type, location, skill set, and availability to automate scheduling decisions and reduce manual errors.

With ServiceTitan’s Smart Dispatch engine, your plumbing manager can ensure efficient technician assignment to jobs based on real-time data.

The Smart Dispatch engine factors in drive time, job difficulty, and past performance to ensure the right technician goes to each job, improving productivity and customer satisfaction.

Mobile apps for field technicians

When technicians have access to job details and customer information in the field, they can quickly make informed decisions. 

A simple way to achieve this is by providing your techs with mobile apps that let them view work orders, update job statuses, and manage tasks from anywhere.

With the ServiceTitan Mobile App, techs can update job statuses, present estimates, collect digital signatures, and process payments—all from the field. This helps improve their work efficiency while minimizing paperwork and creating a more professional experience for customers from start to finish.

Pricing and invoicing software

Accurate pricing builds trust between you and your customers while preventing billing disputes. 

It’s also important to create a standardized and transparent billing process for your business. In many cases, this means a pricebook.

With ServiceTitan’s Pricebook, plumbing managers have full control over pricing structures. This means their technicians don’t have to guess their way through pricing, and customers don't encounter any surprises.

By helping you align service pricing with labor, materials, and overhead costs, ServiceTitan ensures that every job is profitable and transparent.

Communication and CRM platforms

Effective communication is a crucial part of operational workflow and customer service delivery. Your business needs clear, centralized communication to ensure that teams stay coordinated and customers remain happy.

Modern CRM platforms can help manage customer relationships from the first call to post-service follow-ups.

With ServiceTitan’s communication suite, you can issue automatic appointment reminders, technician arrival alerts, and follow-up messages, ensuring your customers are always in the loop. 

Your plumbing manager can easily track all interactions and job histories from one central hub, which means better work efficiency.

Reporting and performance analytics tools

Successful plumbing managers don’t guess. Instead, they track relevant data and make informed decisions. 

Managers can use performance analytics to identify work trends, flag inefficiencies, and recognize top-performing team members.

ServiceTitan offers access to various reporting tools that provide actionable insights into team performance, job profitability, and customer trends. 

Based on these analytics, plumbing managers can forecast demand, allocate resources efficiently, and identify opportunities for growth or improvement, helping drive better business decisions.

Over to You!

Hiring the right plumbing manager is a delicate decision, as it can significantly impact your company’s efficiency, customer satisfaction, and bottom line. 

With a clear, detailed, and up-to-date job description, you can attract qualified candidates with the right mix of technical expertise, leadership ability, and business acumen.

ServiceTitan is an all-in-one software platform built to help plumbing companies run more efficiently, grow revenue, and confidently scale their operations. From scheduling and dispatching to invoicing and customer communication, our cloud-based solution is designed to meet the unique needs of plumbing businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the typical career path to becoming a plumbing manager?

Most plumbing managers start as apprentices, become licensed plumbers, and gain several years of field experience before moving up to leadership roles, typically after proving their expertise in technical work and team management.

What is the average salary of a plumbing manager?

The average salary of a plumbing manager in the U.S. ranges from $39,000 to $121,500 annually. Location, company size, and years of experience can significantly influence earnings.

What are the leadership responsibilities of a plumbing manager?

A plumbing manager leads teams, assigns tasks, and ensures jobs are completed on time and up to industry standards. They also guide and train junior staff while serving as a link between field teams and upper management.

What are the common challenges faced by plumbing managers?

Plumbing managers often face scheduling conflicts, quality control issues, labor shortages, and fluctuating material costs. They may also have to deal with unhappy customers or low team morale.