Chief Operating Officer

About Burkholder's Heating & Air Conditioning

Burkholder's Heating & Air Conditioning is a distinguished family-run HVAC business that has served the Lehigh Valley community for over 65 years. Our reputation is founded on delivering exceptional service, high-quality craftsmanship, and fostering enduring relationships with customers, employees, and the local community. Our core principles include professionalism, integrity, honesty, and fairness, which guide all our interactions and business practices. We strive to cultivate a work environment where employees feel valued, empowered to contribute significantly, and are supported in their personal and professional growth. Through collaboration, accountability, and a joint dedication to excellence, we continue to strengthen the foundation of our longstanding success.

Opportunity Overview

We are seeking a seasoned Chief Operating Officer to drive strategic leadership and oversee operations across our organization. Reporting directly to the President/CEO and collaborating with the leadership team, the COO will be responsible for steering operational excellence, refining procedures, nurturing leadership within teams, and establishing the necessary frameworks to sustain growth. The ideal leader is visible, engaged, collaborative, and balances visionary strategy with effective execution while promoting a customer-focused culture marked by accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership and strategic oversight for service, installation, commercial projects, warehouse, purchasing, dispatch, and vital operational departments.
• Unite teams under common objectives to enhance operational performance, customer satisfaction, and long-term growth.
• Identify process improvements, enhance efficiencies, and develop scalable systems aligned with growth ambitions.
• Collaborate with ownership and leadership to modernize the organization while maintaining its core values, culture, and reputation.
• Mentor and develop department heads to boost accountability, leadership skills, and performance standards.
• Implement effective operating procedures, communication channels, and performance metrics to ensure alignment and successful execution.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement by cultivating talent, spotting future leaders, and supporting succession strategies.
• Use operational and financial data to assess performance, pinpoint growth opportunities, and guide prudent decision-making.
• Lead business planning including budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation aligned with company goals.
• Drive upgrades in processes, technology, and systems that raise transparency, efficiency, and operational effectiveness.
• Champion professionalism, teamwork, safety, accountability, and quality throughout the organization.

Required Qualifications

• 10 to 15+ years of progressive leadership experience within HVAC, mechanical services, construction, field service, manufacturing, distribution, or related sectors.
• Proven success managing multiple departments and coaching managers within a growing enterprise.
• Strong business and financial understanding including budgeting, forecasting, KPIs, labor productivity, job costing, and operational metrics.
• Bachelor's degree in business, operations management, engineering, construction management, or related fields preferred; equivalent senior operational leadership experience considered.
• Demonstrated ability to implement structure, processes, and accountability in expanding organizations.
• Experience collaborating closely with owners, executives, or governing boards.
• Prior leadership of organizations or units with over 50 employees and revenues between $10 million and $50 million preferred.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build rapport across leadership, staff, and field personnel.
• Valid driver’s license and capacity for local travel to various company and customer sites as required.
• Willingness and ability to work onsite in Emmaus, Pennsylvania.

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership background specifically within HVAC, mechanical contracting, skilled trades, construction, or field services is highly desirable.
• Experience in residential and commercial service operations, maintenance agreements, installation, project management, dispatch, procurement, inventory, warehouse management, or field labor coordination.
• Familiarity with family-owned or privately held business environments.
• Expertise in deploying or improving field-service technologies, operational platforms, or business intelligence systems.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive executive salary package with a base salary up to 200000 USD, based on qualifications, experience, and demonstrated performance.
• Opportunities for performance-related bonuses or incentives.
• Comprehensive health insurance coverage.
• Retirement plan featuring company contributions.
• Paid holidays and leave benefits.
• Provision of a company vehicle or vehicle allowance.
• Business-related tools such as company cell phone and resources.
• Potential relocation support offered to suitable candidates.
• Additional executive benefits to be finalized during the hiring process.

Application Details

Applications will be accepted until August 21, 2026.