Director of Operations - Pathway to COO

About the role

Join a rapidly expanding residential home services business focused on HVAC, plumbing, and water heater installation, repair, and maintenance. This Director of Operations position is designed to be the operational center of the company, with responsibility for improving profitability, strengthening systems, and guiding General Managers to deliver a high-performing organization.

COO pathway

This opportunity is intentionally structured as a development route toward the Chief Operating Officer role. Performance will be measured against defined leadership standards, operating goals, and financial results, with a practical path to the COO position as the business grows.

Key responsibilities

You will oversee operations across multiple service lines, ensure accountability at the GM level, and build the processes needed for scalable growth.

• Establish operating targets for HVAC, plumbing, and water heater services, and ensure General Managers are meeting expectations.
• Take ownership of the operating P&L, with a focus on increasing revenue, improving margins, and reducing avoidable spend in labor, materials, and overhead.
• Create, standardize, and enforce SOPs for field activity and inventory control.
• Monitor weekly KPIs, review performance patterns, and implement corrective actions when needed.
• Own service quality and customer satisfaction, including escalation handling and the use of customer feedback to improve results.
• Coach General Managers as the main people leaders while partnering with HR on hiring, onboarding, talent development, and performance management.
• Assess and improve field service software and platforms such as ServiceTitan.
• Support expansion into new markets and service categories, and partner with the CEO on strategic growth initiatives.

What the company offers

In addition to a competitive base salary and performance-based bonus, the role includes a company vehicle, health coverage, PTO, paid holidays, and a 401(k) match.

Equal opportunity statement

The employer is committed to equal employment opportunity and does not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Salary

Expected compensation is between $165,000 and $185,000.

Requirements

The ideal candidate brings senior-level operational leadership experience, a strong track record of running profitable teams, and the ability to lead through managers in a fast-growing service environment.

• At least 5 years of experience in a senior or director-level operations position.
• Background in home services, trades, or another field-service business is strongly preferred, especially HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or a similar sector.
• Demonstrated ownership of P&L responsibility and consistent margin improvement.
• Experience building and scaling operational processes in a company at a growth stage.
• Ability to influence and lead managers while earning trust from both field and office teams.
• Strong analytical thinking, with a data-driven approach to problem-solving.
• Exposure to OSHA, EPA, and CSLB licensing requirements is an added advantage.

Additional information

This is a full-time onsite position based in Santa Clarita, California. The company works across HVAC, plumbing, and water heater services and is looking for a leader who can help build a best-in-class operation while supporting long-term expansion.

The employer is an equal opportunity organization and maintains a non-discrimination and anti-harassment policy in line with federal, state, and local laws.