Service Group Manager - Pumps & Controls (Water/Wastewater)

Job Description

Job Description

About Covalen

Covalen is a family-owned wholesale distributor and service company based on the southeast side of Indianapolis and serving five states. We supply top-of-the-line products and expert service to the water and wastewater infrastructure industry. Our commitment to integrity, innovation, and customer satisfaction has made us a trusted partner to municipalities, contractors, and industry professionals.

Our Service Group installs, repairs, and maintains pumps, panels, and controls for municipal, commercial, and industrial systems across Indiana and western Ohio, including lift stations, pressure booster stations, wastewater pumps, and process pumps.

Job Summary

Lead, Build, and Grow a Service Division

Covalen is seeking a Service Group Manager – Pumps & Controls to lead and grow our service division. This is a hands-on leadership opportunity for an experienced technician, service leader, or industry professional with strong knowledge of pumps, electrical controls, troubleshooting, and field service.

The Service Group Manager will:

• Lead and develop Service Technicians.
• Oversee scheduling, dispatch, service calls, installations, and start-ups.
• Serve as the division's senior technical resource.
• Manage customer relationships and service escalations.
• Develop service agreements and recurring revenue opportunities.
• Own the Service Group's P&L, revenue growth, margins, and profitability.
• Build processes, standards, and a team capable of scaling with demand.

You will regularly support technicians in the field, troubleshoot difficult electrical, mechanical, pump, and controls problems, oversee start-ups and installations, and step in when additional technical expertise is needed.

The Service Group currently has two technicians and is at break-even, with plans to grow as demand supports it. This role offers the opportunity to build the division into a consistently profitable and growing part of Covalen's business.

Why Join Covalen

• Opportunity to build and lead a growing service division.
• Direct responsibility for service growth and profitability.
• Hands-on technical leadership with the ability to shape the division.
• Opportunity to recruit, train, and develop a service team.
• Company-provided technical training and certifications.
• Take-home company vehicle for work and daily commute use.
• Company-provided cell phone, tools, and uniforms.
• Diverse municipal, commercial, and industrial work.
• Stable, recession-resistant industry supporting critical infrastructure.
• Strong benefits package and retirement contributions.
• Family-owned, team-oriented culture.

What You'll Be Working With

• Industrial pumps and wastewater equipment.
• Lift stations and pressure booster stations.
• Industrial control panels, motor starters, and contactors.
• Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs).
• Single- and three-phase electrical systems.
• Level controls, alarms, relays, transmitters, and automatic sequencing systems.
• Job costing and service department financial reports.
• Service agreements and preventative maintenance programs.
• Weil, Gorman-Rupp, and comparable pump systems.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Serve as the senior technical resource for the Service Group.
• Advise technicians on difficult electrical, mechanical, pump, and controls troubleshooting.
• Diagnose and troubleshoot pump systems, control panels, electrical systems, and related equipment.
• Read and interpret electrical schematics, ladder diagrams, and wiring diagrams to the component level.
• Provide technical guidance for installations and repairs.
• Oversee equipment start-ups, commissioning, and operational testing.
• Work in the field when staffing is short or additional expertise is required.

Service Operations

• Schedule and dispatch service calls, start-ups, and installations throughout the territory.
• Coordinate technician workload, priorities, schedules, and customer commitments.
• Oversee jobs from scheduling through completion and invoicing.
• Monitor technician utilization, billable time, job progress, and service response.
• Ensure work is performed safely, efficiently, and to Covalen standards.
• Maintain organized service shop, tools, equipment, and vehicles.
• Champion safety across field and shop operations.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, train, coach, and develop Service Technicians.
• Establish expectations for quality, productivity, customer service, and safety.
• Recruit and grow the team as business demand increases.
• Identify training and development needs.
• Build scalable processes and standards.
• Create a culture of accountability, technical excellence, and customer satisfaction.

Business Development & Customer Service

• Own customer concerns and service escalations through resolution.
• Maintain strong relationships with municipal, commercial, and industrial customers.
• Keep customers and Covalen account managers informed throughout the service process.
• Generate service leads and identify opportunities with existing and prospective customers.
• Quote service work and submit proposals.
• Develop recurring revenue through service contracts, preventative maintenance, and monitoring agreements.
• Identify opportunities to expand the customer base and service offerings.
• Support the sales team with technical expertise and service opportunities.

Financial & Business Management

• Own the Service Group's P&L and overall financial performance.
• Drive revenue growth and gross margin improvement.
• Monitor technician utilization and labor efficiency.
• Review job costing and understand how field decisions affect profitability.
• Manage unapplied time, labor, material costs, and other service profitability drivers.
• Develop strategies to move the division from break-even to consistent profitability.
• Establish goals and performance metrics for the Service Group.

Installations & Start-Ups

• Oversee start-ups and installations for pump systems sold by Covalen.
• Provide technical oversight for Weil, Gorman-Rupp, and comparable systems.
• Coordinate installation and start-up requirements with customers, contractors, account managers, and technicians.
• Ensure systems are properly installed, tested, commissioned, and turned over to the customer.
• Perform other duties as assigned within the scope of the position.

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of hands-on experience with pumps, controls, electrical systems, or comparable mechanical/industrial service equipment.
• 2+ years leading, supervising, or scheduling a field service crew or shop team.
• Ability to read and troubleshoot electrical and ladder schematics to the component level.
• Experience with industrial motor control panels, starters, contactors, VFDs, and PLCs.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and advanced troubleshooting/problem -solving skills.
• Ability to understand job costing, margins, labor utilization, and profitability.
• Strong customer service, communication, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Strong organization and ability to manage multiple technicians, service calls, and priorities.
• Valid driver's license with an acceptable record and ability to meet Covalen's vehicle insurance requirements.
• No DUIs within the last five years and minimal driving violations.
• Ability to pass a background check.

Preferred

• Municipal water and wastewater experience.
• Lift station and wastewater pump experience.
• Experience with Weil, Gorman-Rupp, or comparable pump manufacturers.
• P&L, job costing, or budget responsibility.
• Experience developing service agreements or preventative maintenance contracts.
• Field service or service department management experience.
• Confined space experience.
• OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 certification.
• Electrical license, trade school certificate, or electrical certification.

Relevant Experience May Include:

Pump service and repair, water/wastewater systems, industrial maintenance, industrial electrical service, industrial automation and controls, motor control systems, HVAC controls, manufacturing maintenance, water/wastewater treatment, MCCs, industrial field service, service department management, and mechanical/electrical equipment service.

Benefits

• Medical insurance.
• Employer-paid dental and vision insurance.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• Employer-paid short- and long-term disability insurance.
• Health Savings Account with discretionary employer contribution.
• 401(k) with employer contribution.
• Paid holidays and time off.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Parental leave.
• Company-provided training and certifications.

Salary & Incentive Compensation

• $85,000–$105,000 annually , based on experience and qualifications.
• Annual incentive opportunity based on the Service Group's net income.
• Take-home company vehicle for work and daily commute use.
• Company-provided cell phone, tools, and uniforms.

Work Schedule & Environment

• Full-time, Monday through Friday.
• In-person position based at Covalen's Indianapolis service shop.
• Regular driving to customer sites throughout Indiana and western Ohio.
• 10–20% overnight travel.
• Rotating on-call schedule for evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Combination of shop, office, and field-based work.
• Exposure to outdoor weather and industrial environments.
• Frequent walking, standing, lifting, and occasional climbing.

You Won't Be Doing It Alone

The Service Group has support throughout Covalen. Our office team provides invoicing and administrative support, technicians from other areas of the company can provide additional hands or technical resources when needed, and our Marketing Director is developing a new website and marketing materials specifically to support Service Group growth.

You will have the opportunity to build the division — but you won't be expected to build it alone.

Ready to Run Your Own Division?

If you're an experienced service professional who enjoys solving difficult technical problems, leading people, working directly with customers, and building a business, we'd love to hear from you.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a service division, build a team, grow recurring revenue, and directly influence the profitability and future of the business.

Join Covalen and help build a service organization that keeps critical water and wastewater infrastructure running!

Covalen is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.