Commercial Piping Trade Manager

Atlantic Constructors•Richmond, VA

About The Position

The Commercial Piping Trade Manager leads and oversees daily commercial piping field operations for new construction projects. The role provides hands-on leadership, guidance, supervision, and direction to piping field personnel, including Foremen, Pipe Fitters, Mechanics, Apprentices, and Helpers. The manager is accountable for safe, efficient installation of piping systems in accordance with contract documents, project schedules, budgets, specifications, applicable codes, manufacturer requirements, and ACI standards. The position serves as a technical resource and teacher/coach for the piping team, emphasizing quality workmanship, productivity, manpower planning, safety, and customer satisfaction. It establishes consistent piping installation practices across projects and ensures field personnel have the knowledge, training, tools, equipment, and materials needed to complete assigned work successfully. The position has supervisory responsibility and may require travel between job sites, varying schedules, and extended hours. Final compensation depends on applicable experience, education, licensure, skills, and other relevant factors.

Requirements

10+ years of commercial or industrial piping trade experience, including significant hands-on Pipe Fitting experience.
Extensive knowledge of commercial and industrial piping systems and installation practices.
Expert-level understanding of piping layout, fabrication, installation, supports, joining methods, testing, flushing, and system turnover.
Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, isometric drawings, and piping details.
Experience coordinating piping work with other trades.
Demonstrated ability to train, coach, and develop field personnel.
Strong organizational and communication skills.
High regard for safety, quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
Ability to multitask, work with minimal supervision, follow written and oral instructions, demonstrate attention to detail, and solve field problems effectively.
Willingness to take on challenges and work through adversity.
Ability to adhere to company policies and procedures.
Clean driving record.
Availability and means to report to multiple job sites as assigned, including varying schedules that may require extended hours, and compliance with client-specific safety requirements.
Ability to travel regularly between multiple construction job sites.
Ability to work in active construction environments and varying weather conditions.
Ability to walk construction sites, climb stairs and ladders, and access mechanical rooms and elevated work areas.
Ability to stand, walk, bend, stoop, and maneuver around construction equipment and piping installations.
Ability to inspect field installations and demonstrate proper installation techniques when necessary.
Ability to correctly identify all colors of color-coded cable/wires, with close and distance vision, depth perception, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Nice To Haves

5+ years of piping field supervision, Foreman, General Foreman, or Trade Management experience is preferred.
Equivalent combinations of vocational training, apprenticeship experience, and field leadership experience will be considered.
Bilingual English and Spanish is heavily preferred.
OSHA 30 and First Aid/CPR.
Prior military experience.
Experience with hydronic, chilled water, steam, compressed air, natural gas, process, or industrial piping systems.
Experience with grooved, threaded, flanged, press-connect, and welded piping systems.
Experience with BIM/VDC coordination and construction drawings.
Experience with commissioning, flushing, testing, and system turnover.
Experience leading piping crews across multiple concurrent projects.

Responsibilities

Oversee commercial and industrial piping field manpower to ensure construction work meets design, budget, schedule, contract drawings, specifications, codes, and instructions.
Provide day-to-day leadership and direction to piping Foremen, Pipe Fitters, Mechanics, Apprentices, and Helpers across multiple projects.
Review project schedules and four-week look-aheads to ensure piping manpower is available, trained, and allocated effectively.
Conduct preparatory crew meetings covering installation methods, materials, joining procedures, hangers, tools, production goals, testing, and safety.
Oversee installation of commercial and industrial piping systems, including hydronic, chilled water, heating water, steam and condensate, compressed air, natural gas, process, condenser water, and specialty piping systems.
Ensure proper execution of welded, grooved, threaded, brazed, soldered, flanged, press-connect, and mechanical coupling installation methods.
Ensure crews interpret and follow construction drawings, specifications, isometric drawings, equipment schedules, details, and manufacturer requirements.
Oversee piping layout, fabrication, installation, supports, equipment connections, valves, and mechanical room installations while minimizing conflicts and rework.
Ensure systems are tested, flushed, cleaned, vented, drained, and prepared for commissioning and turnover.
Conduct field visits and QA/QC inspections to verify installations meet project requirements, ACI standards, and quality expectations.
Identify deficiencies, installation constraints, and field conflicts; communicate, document, and ensure completion of corrective actions.
Establish, maintain, and improve ACI piping installation standards, procedures, and best practices.
Train, coach, and mentor piping personnel to improve safety, quality, productivity, and trade skills.
Monitor productivity and hold personnel accountable for workmanship, production, attendance, safety, and company standards.
Coordinate with Construction Managers, Project Managers, Superintendents, Engineering, VDC/BIM, and other Trade Managers to resolve manpower, material, scheduling, design, and coordination issues.
Ensure personnel have the tools, equipment, materials, certifications, and training required for assigned work.
Participate in interviewing, hiring, training, performance management, and employee development.
Ensure company, client, project, and safety policies and procedures are followed, and that safety concerns and incidents are addressed and reported.
Maintain piping personnel records and documentation and communicate relevant field conditions and performance information to leadership.
Perform other duties as assigned to support project and departmental operations.