Operations Manager - Plumbing

Together We Build – Partnership, Innovation, Excellence, and Safety At Kelso Industries, 4,000+ employees across 40+ companies work together to deliver exceptional HVAC, mechanical, plumbing, refrigeration, and electrical solutions nationwide. Join us to grow your career, make an impact, and be part of a team where innovation, excellence, and safety come first. Recruiter Notice: We respectfully ask external recruiters and staffing agencies not to submit candidates. We only accept direct applications. OPERATIONS MANAGER Company: Markade Plumbing Location: Phoenix, Arizona POSITION SUMMARY The Operations Manager will lead the day-to-day operations of Markade Plumbing, with overall responsibility for project execution, field operations, financial performance, workforce planning, safety, quality, and customer satisfaction. This is a hands-on leadership role for an experienced commercial plumbing professional who can run the operation, develop the team, strengthen processes, and ensure projects are completed safely, profitably, and according to customer commitments. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES Operations Leadership Lead the day-to-day operations of Markade Plumbing. Direct project management, field operations, manpower planning, purchasing, and operational support. Establish operational priorities, performance expectations, and accountability across the organization. Lead and develop Project Managers, superintendents, foremen, and operational support staff. Maintain visibility into project performance, staffing needs, customer commitments, and operational risks. Identify and implement process improvements that support consistent execution and profitable growth. Coordinate with President on business priorities, resources, and organizational initiatives. Project and Field Execution Oversee commercial plumbing projects from preconstruction handoff through execution, closeout, and warranty. Ensure projects are properly planned, staffed, scheduled, and executed according to contractual requirements. Conduct regular project reviews covering schedule, labor, productivity, procurement, cost, billing, change orders, quality, and risk. Hold Project Managers and field leaders accountable for accurate forecasts, schedules, documentation, and project results. Provide direct leadership and intervention on underperforming or high-risk projects. Ensure effective coordination between estimating, preconstruction, project management, purchasing, and field operations. Maintain a regular presence on project sites and stay closely connected to field leadership. Financial Performance Maintain accountability for the financial and operational performance of Markade Plumbing. Develop operating budgets, revenue forecasts, manpower plans, and annual performance goals. Monitor project profitability, gross margin, labor productivity, backlog, cash flow, and other key performance indicators. Ensure accurate forecasting, billing, cost reporting, change-order management, and project closeout. Review financial results with Project Managers and hold leaders accountable for project performance. Evaluate operational capacity, staffing requirements, and risk when reviewing potential projects. Develop and execute recovery plans for projects that are not meeting expectations. People and Workforce Leadership Lead, coach, and develop project management and field leadership teams. Establish clear expectations and measurable performance standards. Develop short- and long-term manpower plans based on backlog and project schedules. Ensure field leadership and skilled labor are effectively assigned across projects. Partner with Human Resources and Talent Acquisition to anticipate and address hiring needs. Support employee development, succession planning, performance management, and retention. Build a culture of teamwork, urgency, ownership, and accountability. Safety, Quality, and Customer Relationships Champion a safety-first culture throughout the organization. Hold operational leaders accountable for safe, organized, and professional project sites. Ensure work meets project specifications, quality standards, applicable codes, and contractual requirements. Maintain strong relationships with general contractors, owners, vendors, subcontractors, and other business partners. Serve as the senior point of escalation for significant customer, project, or operational concerns. Protect Markade Plumbing’s reputation through reliable execution, responsiveness, and professionalism. Support business development and repeat-work opportunities through strong customer relationships and operational performance. QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or a related discipline preferred. Fifteen or more years of commercial plumbing construction experience, including at least seven years leading construction operations, project teams, and field personnel. Relevant plumbing license, trade certification, or advanced construction training preferred. Proficiency with Microsoft Office and construction project-management, scheduling, and financial-reporting systems. Strong commercial plumbing and field-operations knowledge. Experience overseeing multiple projects simultaneously. Proven responsibility for budgets, forecasting, profitability, and operational performance. Strong understanding of labor productivity, scheduling, billing, and change orders. Experience leading Project Managers, superintendents, foremen, and skilled-trades teams. Ability to identify project risks and turn around underperforming projects. Strong leadership, communication, decision-making, and customer-service skills. Phoenix-area commercial construction experience and industry relationships preferred. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Ability to travel regularly to project sites and other company locations. Ability to work additi