HVAC Director of Installation

Cline's Heating and Air

Spokane, WA

JOB SUMMARY:

We're looking for a strong, hands-on HVAC Director of Installation to lead and elevate our install department. This is a leadership role focused on running projects, supporting our installers, and protecting the quality and reputation Cline's has built since 1988.

You will own the full install process, from the moment a job is handed off by sales through equipment and parts ordering, jobsite execution, quality control, and final walkthrough. You'll make sure every installer is set up for success with the right materials, the right plan, and the right support to do the job correctly the first time. You'll be responsible for reducing callbacks, controlling shop cleanliness and organization, and ensuring smooth coordination between sales, the warehouse, and the field.

Beyond running projects, you'll be the leader who develops our install team. You'll own hiring and exiting decisions, build and document the written SOPs and processes our install department runs on, and hold every installer accountable to those standards. You'll coach installers into leaders and build a culture where craftsmanship, accountability, and pride in the work are non-negotiable. The ability to assist with quoting new construction and design-build residential projects is a strong plus.

This role is built for a strong leader, strong communicator, and team player who thrives in a high-performance culture and wants to help build something elite inside a fast-moving, locally owned company.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Project Management & Execution:

• Manage all retrofit and new construction install projects from sales handoff through final walkthrough, ensuring delivery on time, on budget, and to Cline's standards.
• Partner closely with the sales team to ensure clean handoffs by verifying scope, equipment selection, jobsite details, and customer expectations before the job hits the field.
• Ensure all equipment, materials, and parts are ordered, staged, and ready before installers arrive on the jobsite.
• Coordinate all permitting for install projects, including pulling permits, tracking approvals, scheduling inspections, and ensuring every job is properly permitted and inspected before close-out.
• Coordinate daily with installers, suppliers, and subcontractors to keep projects moving and remove roadblocks before they impact the schedule.
• Conduct jobsite visits to verify quality, support installers, solve problems in real time, and confirm work meets our standards.
• Track milestones, job changes, and overall progress with clear communication to sales, ownership, and the customer.
• Identify, document, and manage all change orders to protect margins and eliminate liability.
• Maintain organized project documentation including job folders, schedules, equipment lists, and change orders.

Installer Support & Operations:

• Make sure every installer is set up for success with the right job info, right materials, right tools, right plan, and right support.
• Own the cleanliness, organization, and readiness of the shop. The shop should reflect the standard of work we deliver in the field.
• Manage parts and equipment ordering, inventory, and staging so jobs are never delayed by missing components.
• Build and maintain scalable install processes, SOPs, and checklists that make excellence repeatable.
• Optimize labor efficiency, job costing, and crew utilization to drive profitability without sacrificing quality.

Quality Control & Callback Reduction:

• Hold the line on quality. Every install should reflect Cline's reputation.
• Build and enforce quality control checklists and post-install inspection processes.
• Track, analyze, and drive down callbacks through training, accountability, and root-cause problem solving.
• Identify recurring issues in the field and put systems in place to prevent them from happening again.

Install Department Leadership:

• Lead, coach, and develop the install team by setting performance expectations and holding installers to a high standard.
• Own the full hiring lifecycle for the install department: recruit, interview, hire, and onboard high-performing install talent.
• Make and execute exit decisions when team members are not meeting Cline's standards, performance expectations, or culture fit.
• Create, document, and maintain written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and processes for every part of the install operation.
• Train the team on all SOPs and hold every installer accountable to following written processes. No shortcuts, no exceptions.
• Identify rising talent and develop installers into crew leads and future leaders within the company.
• Create a culture of pride, craftsmanship, and accountability where the team wants to win.
• Represent Cline's with professionalism, integrity, and a commitment to setting the standard in HVAC.

Estimating Support (not required but a plus):

• Assist with quoting and take-offs on new construction and design-build residential projects as needed.
• Provide install perspective during pre-construction to flag scope gaps, jobsite risks, and constructability issues early.
• Collaborate with builders, GCs, and the sales team to ensure quoted scopes match what the field can actually deliver.

Reporting & Accountability:

• Provide consistent reporting on install performance, job status, callback trends, and labor efficiency.
• Take full ownership of install department results, including quality, profitability, team development, and customer experience.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 5+ years of HVAC installation, project management, or install leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of HVAC systems, mechanical codes, and residential and light commercial installation practices.
• Proven leadership experience with the ability to coach, develop, and hold a team accountable to a high standard.
• Experience hiring, onboarding, and making exit decisions; comfortable having hard conversations when standards aren't being met.
• Track record of creating and documenting SOPs and written processes, then holding a team accountable to them.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to coordinate across sales, the field, suppliers, GCs, and customers.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to run multiple jobs, schedules, and crews at the same time without losing the details.
• Experience managing parts and equipment ordering, inventory, and staging.
• Working knowledge of HVAC permitting, inspections, and local jurisdictional requirements (Spokane County, City of Spokane, Spokane Valley, Kootenai County, etc.).
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, construction plans, and technical documents.
• Estimating and take-off experience for new construction or design-build residential is a plus.
• High attention to detail with a process-driven mindset and documentation discipline.
• Proficiency in project management and estimating software (e.g., Bluebeam, Microsoft Excel, ServiceTitan, or similar).
• Team player with the maturity to lead, support, and develop others.
• Organized, dependable, solutions-focused, and committed to getting it done right.
• Valid driver's license and clean driving record required.

BENEFITS & CULTURE:

• Competitive $85,000 to $120,000 per year dependent on experience, plus performance bonuses.
• Company-provided vehicle, cell phone, and laptop.
• Dynamic team environment with real opportunities for advancement.
• Paid holidays.
• Paid vacation time.
• Our family of employees participates in weekly workouts, hunting trips, camping trips, BBQs, and other fun activities throughout the year.
• Employee Recognition Program that provides bonuses and/or paid time off when employees deliver exceptional service to the company and our customers.

About the Company

Cline's Heating and Air is a veteran-owned HVAC leader serving Spokane and North Idaho since 1988. Founded by the Cline family on a bedrock of integrity and a promise to "fix what others only replace" we've built deep community roots and a reputation for top-tier workmanship-you've likely seen our technicians at parts and supply houses. In May 2024, the Boston family acquired Cline's, tripling our size within the first year while keeping our vision, mission, and core values intact. Today, we invest in our people with competitive wages, ongoing certification training, and clear career paths so every team member can excel. As we press forward to become the undisputed authority in local HVAC services, we're looking for skilled, dependable professionals who share our commitment to excellence and community. Join us and help shape the next chapter of Cline's Heating and Air.