Plumbing Manager Job Description + Free Template [2025]

Hiring the right plumbing project manager ensures plumbing projects are completed safely, on time, within budget, and to required standards. To find the right person to fill this role, companies must start with a well-defined job description. 

Vague or outdated job listings attract the wrong candidates, and hiring the wrong plumbing project manager can lead to costly delays, mistakes, and team misalignment. 

On the other hand, the right job descriptions set you up for hiring success. 

In this article, you’ll find a customizable job description template to help you hire your next plumbing project manager. 

We’ll also discuss key responsibilities, must-have qualifications, and expert hiring tips, all updated for 2025. 

Let’s get started!

Plumbing Project Manager Job Description Template

This template outlines the key responsibilities, qualifications, certifications, and skills needed when hiring a great plumbing project manager. Make sure to customize it according to your business needs before posting it.

• Job summary 

We’re looking for an experienced Plumbing Project Manager to lead residential and commercial plumbing projects. 

In this role, you'll oversee planning, scheduling, budgeting, and on-site coordination. You’ll collaborate closely with clients, contractors, and field crews.

Ideal candidates bring significant plumbing experience, demonstrate strong leadership skills, and show a proven track record of managing multiple projects simultaneously.

• Key responsibilities

  • Oversee end-to-end project execution. This includes, but is not limited to, planning, budgeting, scheduling, and on-site supervision.

  • Coordinate with clients, contractors, suppliers, and internal teams to make sure everyone is on the same page.

  • Review blueprints to check for errors and whether they comply with plumbing codes and regulations.

  • Manage subcontractors to ensure they meet deadlines and quality standards and follow safety regulations.

  • Track project costs in real time to ensure the project stays profitable.

  • Enforce safety protocols, such as OSHA and company regulations.

  • Conduct meetings on the project’s progress and submit status reports.

• Required qualifications

  • High school diploma or equivalent.

  • Minimum of 5 years of plumbing experience, with at least 2 years in a supervisory role.

  • Strong understanding of local plumbing codes, construction processes, and jobsite best practices.

• Preferred certifications

  • Journeyman or Master Plumber License (as required by state or region).

  • OSHA 30 Certification for safety compliance.

  • PMP (Project Management Professional) or equivalent project management certification.

• Skills 

  • Strong organizational skills, such as managing schedules, budgets, and resources.

  • Familiarity with plumbing systems, blueprints, estimation software, and code requirements.

  • Leadership capabilities to guide field teams, subcontractors, and junior staff.

  • Quick thinking with a proactive approach to resolving project issues.

  • Clear and professional communication skills, both in writing and verbally.

What Does a Plumbing Project Manager Do?

A plumbing project manager is central to successfully delivering plumbing projects, both large and small, such as installations, repairs, and maintenance. 

Here’s what a plumbing project manager typically handles day to day:

• Project execution: Developing detailed work plans, timelines, and schedules before the project begins.

• Team coordination: Assigning daily tasks, managing subcontractors, and ensuring the right teams are on-site at the right times.

• Budget oversight: Monitoring job costs, approving purchases, and controlling expenses.

• Risk and issue management: Identifying potential risks or issues on the site and resolving them before they escalate.

• Progress tracking: Monitoring milestones and client expectations through every project phase.

What Are the Primary Responsibilities of a Plumbing Project Manager?

Success in plumbing projects depends on more than just craftsmanship. Strategic planning, accountability, and consistency are also crucial. 

Here are some of the responsibilities of a plumbing project manager that ensure a successful project:

• Defining project scope and timelines: Outlining deliverables, deadlines, and resource requirements.

• Coordinating multiple teams: Scheduling and overseeing third-party crews, suppliers, and service providers.

• Monitoring progress: Tracking job status, identifying delays, and proactively adjusting schedules to stay on target.

• Controlling project costs and procurement: Managing budgets, approving materials, and ensuring cost-effective purchasing.

• Communicating with stakeholders and clients: Project managers serve as the primary point of contact for clients, internal teams, and external partners.

• Ensuring code compliance: Verifying that all work meets plumbing codes, safety regulations, and internal quality benchmarks.

• Leading site safety initiatives: Enforcing safety best practices to protect personnel and prevent incidents.

• Handling change orders: Assessing changes in project scope and ensuring they’re documented and approved.

• Conducting final inspections and closeouts: Ensuring all punch-list items are completed and documentation is finalized for turnover.

Keep reading as we walk you through the qualifications to look for in a competent plumbing project manager.

What Qualifications Are Required to Become a Plumbing Project Manager?

Below are the most common qualifications employers should look for when hiring:

• Degree in construction or plumbing technology: Many employers require an associate's or bachelor’s degree in construction management, plumbing technology, or a related field.

• Extensive plumbing experience: A good plumbing manager should have at least five to seven years of hands-on experience and a strong knowledge of plumbing systems and regulatory codes.

• Project management training: While it may not be a deal breaker for most employers, completing relevant project management coursework, such as PMP or CAPM, is an excellent asset for candidates.

Now, let’s explore the essential certifications a competent plumbing project manager should have.

What Certifications Are Commonly Required for a Plumbing Project Manager?

Certifications boost the credibility of candidates and can help you choose the right hire. 

Here are some certifications to look for when hiring a plumbing project manager:

• PMP (Project Management Professional)

• OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) 30 Certification

• Master Plumber License 

You should note that different states have specific certification requirements for the plumbing project manager role. So, make sure to check the laws in your region before hiring.

What Skills Are Essential for a Plumbing Project Manager?

The role of a plumbing project manager requires a blend of technical and soft skills, as well as those specific to project management. 

Project management skills

• Scheduling: Creating and adjusting work schedules.

• Budgeting: Controlling costs, allocating funds appropriately, and preventing financial overruns.

• Resource planning: Crew assignments, equipment, and material logistics.

• Documentation: Maintaining accurate project records, from change orders to compliance reports.

Technical skills

• Plumbing system knowledge: A deep understanding of residential and commercial plumbing systems.

• Software proficiency: Familiarity with tools like project scheduling platforms and digital documentation software.

Soft skills

• Problem-solving: Unexpected challenges are inevitable in jobs. A competent plumbing project manager should provide quick and effective solutions on the fly.

• Multitasking: The ability to juggle multiple projects, teams, and deadlines. 

• Negotiation: Effective negotiation helps keep project costs down and relationships intact.

• Communication: Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with field crews, office staff, and clients to ensure everyone stays aligned.

Candidates with the above skill set are more likely to manage plumbing projects that meet or exceed expectations.

What Interview Questions Are Common for a Plumbing Project Manager Role?

Once you've narrowed down candidates based on experience and qualifications, the interview is your chance to assess their personality. 

Here are examples of scenario-based questions you should ask.

Can you describe a plumbing project you delivered on time and under budget?

Why ask it: This question helps evaluate a candidate’s general project management ability.

Good answer: A good candidate will share a clear example that includes scope, timeline, budget strategies, and how they overcame challenges.

How do you manage deadlines across multiple projects?

Why ask it: This helps gauge a candidate’s ability to manage time and prioritize tasks.

Good answer: A competent plumbing project manager should discuss their approach to time management, including using project management software, delegating effectively, and creating buffer time for delays.

What steps do you take when a plumbing job falls behind schedule?

Why ask it: Delays are sometimes unavoidable in plumbing. This question reveals how the candidate responds under pressure.

Good answer: A solid response should include reassessing the project timeline, reassigning crews, communicating with clients, and identifying bottlenecks early to minimize disruption.

How do you handle change orders and scope creep during a project?

Why ask it: This question evaluates how well the candidate can maintain project budgets and timelines while responding to unforeseen project scope or workflow changes.

Good answer: The candidate should mention tracking all changes in writing, using software to log approvals and updates, and clearly communicating the impact on cost and time to upper management.

What project management tools or software are you comfortable using?

Why ask it: This question assesses your candidate's ability to leverage tools that improve operational efficiency and team productivity.

Good answer: While there are generally no right and wrong answers here, ideal responses should include the names of specific platforms, such as ServiceTitan, that help with tasks like scheduling, budgeting, and effective communication, and explain how these tools improved project outcomes.

What Software Tools Do Plumbing Project Managers Commonly Use?

With plumbing projects becoming increasingly more complex, plumbing project managers rely heavily on digital solutions to stay organized. 

Project tracking and workflow management software

Plumbing project managers need end-to-end project visibility, from the initial bid to the final walkthrough. This ensures they can make informed decisions at every project stage. 

This is where project tracking and workflow management software comes into play by mapping every phase, deadline, and deliverable in one place. 

With ServiceTitan’s project tracking software, managers can organize tasks, set milestones, and automate project documentation. They can also monitor live performance dashboards that flag issues before they escalate. 

Everything is centralized, searchable, and accessible, from daily logs to photo attachments and inspection forms. 

This ensures plumbing project managers can stay proactive, keep project teams accountable, and ensure smooth handoffs between teams.

Job costing and financial tracking tools

Another responsibility of the plumbing project manager is protecting profit margins, which requires tight control over job costing. 

A great way to achieve this is to use financial tracking tools to compare projected budgets against actual costs in real time.

ServiceTitan simplifies this process with built-in job costing and WIP (work-in-progress) reporting that flags overages and billing issues early. 

With ServiceTitan, plumbing project managers can see detailed breakdowns by task or phase, enabling better forecasting and smarter financial decisions. 

By connecting the field and office, the platform helps teams invoice accurately and avoid costly surprises.

Scheduling and technician dispatching platforms

Delivering construction projects on time hinges on getting the right people and resources where they’re needed. 

Many plumbing project managers rely on scheduling and dispatching software to coordinate technicians and subcontractors. 

With ServiceTitan’s real-time scheduler and drag-and-drop dispatch board, managers can match team members to projects based on availability, skill set, and job location. The platform’s smart scheduling logic also flags overlaps and prevents double bookings.

This keeps crews productive, reduces idle time, and ensures every job phase stays on track. And as more developments occur, new updates can be pushed to mobile devices in the field.

Inventory and materials management systems

Project delays often stem from missing or mismanaged materials. That’s why plumbing project managers use inventory software to maintain real-time visibility into parts availability and restocking needs. 

With ServiceTitan’s inventory management tools, you can sync with supplier catalogs, warehouse data, and job schedules to ensure every fitting, valve, and pipe is where it needs to be at the right time.

In addition, the platform allows you to track usage by job, monitor reorder processes, and allocate materials in advance. 

Reporting and data analytics tools

Data-driven decision-making improves the chances of delivering plumbing projects on time and within budget. 

With ServiceTitan’s customizable dashboards, plumbing project managers can analyze everything from labor productivity and job costing trends to customer satisfaction scores and invoice turnaround times. 

These real-time insights help spot underperforming crews, optimize resource allocation, and improve profit forecasting.

By turning raw data into actionable insights, project managers can lead proactively and deliver results that meet project objectives, client expectations, and business goals.

Over to You!

Hiring the right plumbing project manager can be the difference between seamless project execution and costly setbacks. In other words, it’s not a decision you should make lightly.

With clearly defined expectations and the right mix of qualifications and certifications, you have a better chance of hiring top-tier candidates who can lead confidently. 

Use the customizable job description in this article as your foundation and tailor it to reflect your company’s unique needs. 

Remember, whether scaling your operations or replacing a key team member, making a smart hire today sets your plumbing business up for long-term success.

ServiceTitan is a comprehensive plumbing business software solution built to help contractors streamline operations, increase efficiency, and drive long-term growth. Trusted by over 100,000 service professionals nationwide, our award-winning, cloud-based platform empowers plumbing businesses to manage everything from dispatching and job costing to customer communication and invoicing—all in one place.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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

Most plumbing project managers start as licensed plumbers or field technicians to gain hands-on experience. With time, they move into supervisory roles before transitioning into project management, often supported by formal training or certifications.

What is the average salary of a plumbing project manager?

In the U.S., plumbing project managers earn between $81,000 and $128,000 annually. However, salaries may vary depending on factors such as years of experience, location, and more.

What are the leadership responsibilities of a plumbing project manager?

They lead project planning, oversee crews, and ensure timely project execution while staying on budget.

What are the common challenges faced by plumbing project managers?

Delays due to material shortages, labor scheduling conflicts, and changes in scope are some of the common challenges that plumbing project managers face.