HVAC Service Manager, Commercial

Overview

The Service Manager – Commercial HVAC leads the day-to-day service operations for the Richmond market, overseeing field technicians, dispatch coordination, customer service, and branch performance. This role is responsible for ensuring work is scheduled and executed safely, efficiently, and profitably while maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction. The Service Manager partners closely with dispatch, sales, and operations leadership to drive technician utilization, support service contract performance, manage escalations, and execute against the branch P&L. This role is intended to be a higher-level service leadership position with strong organizational and business acumen, not just technical depth.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Richmond branch field and office service staff, including hiring, coaching, performance management, work assignments, and disciplinary action as needed.
• Partner with dispatch to ensure technicians are scheduled according to skill level, training needs, customer urgency, and route efficiency.
• Evaluate technician workloads, labor utilization, and daily service execution to improve productivity and reduce non-billable time. This includes monitoring travel, callback trends, overtime, and workflow efficiency. This emphasis on utilization and execution against budget is consistent with the strategy discussion.
• Execute against an established branch P&L by monitoring labor, materials, fleet-related costs, subcontractor spend, warranty activity, and service contract performance. The strategy discussion specifically framed this role as running the P&L operationally rather than being purely technical.
• Perform service order audits and review billing, labor hours, materials, and job completion details to ensure timely cash flow and accurate invoicing.
• Support customer retention by resolving escalated service issues, conducting site visits, and ensuring service quality meets customer and company expectations. The strategy discussion also highlighted care calls, renewals, and customer-facing support as part of the role.
• Partner with sales and account teams on new service opportunities, PM onboarding, renewals, and contract performance. The strategy discussion notes that this role should help assess new work, support development calls, and keep new business grounded operationally.
• Establish and maintain technician training plans to support safety, technical growth, and succession development. The original JD specifically requires a regular training program.
• Evaluate technician work quality and provide field support, coaching, and follow-up to ensure established standards, techniques, and safety requirements are met.
• Review and approve payroll for hourly technicians and non-exempt service staff.
• Ensure service vehicles, tools, and truck stock are managed in accordance with company policy and branch needs.
• Coordinate larger service projects, changeouts, start-ups, and commissioning activity with technicians and subcontractors as needed.
• Maintain compliance with all company safety policies, documentation requirements, and operational procedures.
• Work closely with branch and area leadership to support revenue growth, margin improvement, workforce development, and overall branch performance.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of HVAC service management experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Some post-high school education from college, trade school, or military; no bachelor’s degree preference was expressed in the strategy discussion.
• Strong understanding of commercial HVAC and refrigeration systems, including the ability to read and interpret manuals, schematics, and control circuits.
• Demonstrated experience leading technicians, dispatch coordination, customer escalations, and service workflow in a commercial environment. This aligns with the strategic preference for a higher-level service manager who can run the business operationally.
• Experience executing against a service budget or P&L, including labor control, service contract management, and cost reduction initiatives. This comes directly from the strategy discussion’s emphasis on the P&L over pure technical expertise.
• Strong organizational, communication, and conflict management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and general service software / CMMS navigation.
• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.
• Ability and willingness to work occasional nights, weekends, and after-hours support as business needs require.

• Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a commercial HVAC contractor or self-perform service environment.
• Experience managing dispatch efficiency, technician utilization, and callback reduction.
• Experience partnering with sales on service agreements, renewals, and new business evaluation. This preference is supported by the strategy discussion’s focus on care calls, renewals, and development meetings.