Service Manager

Are you a hands-on technical leader who thrives on developing people, improving operations, and building a growing business? Burkett is looking for a Service Manager to lead our shop and field service teams, ensuring exceptional equipment quality while expanding our on-site repair, preventive maintenance, and warranty service offerings. This is an exciting opportunity to combine technical expertise, team leadership, and business development to strengthen our service capabilities, deliver outstanding customer experiences, and drive long-term growth.

To learn more about careers at Burkett please visit: Title: Service Manager

Primary Functions: The Service Manager leads Burkett’s entire service operation: the in-shop team that reconditions used commercial restaurant equipment, and our outside service business that takes care of customers’ kitchens on-site. In the shop, this role makes sure every piece of equipment that leaves our building performs to original manufacturer specifications. In the field, this role is a builder, taking a young business that is still in its early stages and growing it into a profitable, dependable part of what Burkett offers through on-site repair, preventive maintenance, and OEM warranty service.

The right person is equal parts hands-on technical leader, people developer, and business builder, and holds the team to clear standards for safety, quality, turnaround, and financial performance.

Reports To: VP of Operations

Directly Supervises: Shop & Field Service Technicians and Service Coordinator

Scheduled Hours: Full time / Monday-Friday / 8:00am-5:00pm*

*With flexibility to support field service and customer needs as the business grows.

FLSA Status: Salary

Key Areas of Responsibility

Build and Grow the Outside Service Business

• Own the growth plan. Set annual revenue, gross margin, and service-call targets with the VP of Operations; track results and report progress monthly.
• Turn customers into service customers. Partner with Sales and Customer Service to introduce Burkett service to our existing equipment and supply customers and to win new accounts.
• Build recurring revenue through preventive maintenance. Define standard PM offerings, pricing, and service agreements, and grow the number of customers under contract.
• Expand OEM warranty work. Pursue and maintain manufacturer service authorizations, keep technician certifications current, and make sure warranty claims are filed accurately and reimbursed on time.
• Run efficient field operations. Establish dispatch and scheduling, response-time standards, labor and trip-charge pricing, and service vehicle parts stocking. Track first-time fix rate and technician utilization.
• Scale the team and systems. Recommend when to add technician capacity, and put the right work-order, invoicing, and customer-history processes in place so the business can grow without losing control.

Run a High-Performing Reconditioning Shop

• Direct the daily work. Assign and prioritize work orders, monitor progress, and keep the shop on target for output and margin per labor hour.
• Plan ahead with the Service Coordinator. Align product mix and parts requirements to scheduled work orders so technicians are never waiting on parts.
• Protect inventory accuracy. Manage used equipment, WIP, and parts inventory.
• Own final quality. Review and approve every unit at completion. If it isn’t right, it doesn’t ship.
• Shape what we buy. Evaluate used equipment buy opportunities and execute purchases that fit customer demand, reconditioning cost, and margin.

Serve as Burkett’s Go-To Technical Resource

• Freight claims: make sure damaged equipment gets an accurate diagnosis along with labor and parts estimates to support claims.
• Customer and sales support: help Customer Service and Sales troubleshoot equipment issues and answer technical questions.
• Continuous improvement: analyze used-equipment warranty claims for root cause and feed lessons learned back into reconditioning standards.

Lead, Develop, and Protect the Team

• Hire, train, and coach shop and field technicians, set clear individual goals, and build a bench of skilled, certified talent.
• Make safety non-negotiable in the shop and on customer sites, ensuring compliance with OSHA and company safety policies, including safe work on gas, electrical, and refrigeration systems.
• Plan and manage to budget. Lead departmental target setting and budgeting, and manage labor, parts, and vehicle costs against plan.

HOW SUCCESS IS MEASURED

• Outside service revenue and gross margin growth vs. plan
• Number of active preventive maintenance agreements and OEM authorizations
• Shop output and margin dollars generated per labor hour
• Quality: used-equipment warranty claim rate and field first-time fix rate
• Safety record, team retention, and technician skill development

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in a technical service, equipment repair, maintenance, or manufacturing environment, including 3+ years leading hourly or technical teams.
• Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting ability, including reading wiring diagrams and schematics; working knowledge of gas, electric, and refrigeration systems or a demonstrated ability to learn them quickly.
• Proven track record of improving operational results such as throughput, quality, turnaround, and cost, using work-order management, standard work, and root cause analysis.
• Experience building and managing a budget; comfort with pricing, margins, and basic P&L thinking.
• Customer-facing confidence: able to quote work, explain repairs in plain language, and resolve service complaints professionally.
• Ability to coach, mentor, and develop employees to meet or exceed goals, with a lead-by-example style that builds morale, resolves conflict, and maintains confidentiality.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to balance multiple, changing priorities.
• Proficiency with ERP and work-order systems (NetSuite a plus) and Microsoft Office.
• Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record.

Preferred

• Commercial foodservice equipment service experience; CFESA certification a plus.
• Experience starting or growing a service line, including field service operations, preventive maintenance contracts, or service sales.
• Experience with OEM service authorizations, factory training, and warranty claim processes.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement training.
• Experience with field service management or dispatch software.

Benefits

To learn more about careers at Burkett please visit: Company offers competitive wages, a complete benefits package which includes options for Health, Dental, Vision, Short & Long Term Disability, Life, Paid Time Off & Holidays after a 30 day waiting period and a 401(k) retirement program after a 90 day waiting period for deferrals (monthly entry) and a 1 year waiting period for company match (quarterly entry).

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer & a Drug Free Workplace.