Rental Service Manager

About the role

Cogent's Velocity rental division is seeking a Rental Service Manager to oversee the day-to-day operation and financial performance of the rental service operation. This Service-Manager-tier role specializes in rental services, managing all employees and activities related to the rental shop and field service—including pump rental, temporary bypass systems, diesel-driven equipment, dewatering, and equipment rehabilitation. The Rental Service Manager combines operational management (fleet readiness, utilization, P&L, scheduling) with hands-on leadership of the rental team, ensuring cost, quality, and delivery objectives are met.

Responsibilities

• Oversee operational and financial performance (P&L) of all rental service activities, including revenue, margin, labor utilization, and equipment utilization rates.
• Ensure fleet readiness by maintaining, testing, and making rental equipment available for deployment; coordinate equipment requirements to maximize utilization.
• Provide technical, quality, and service leadership to the rental shop and field teams.
• Recruit, mentor, train, and motivate the rental team in safety, quality, and productivity improvements; coach employees on skills, performance, and development.
• Plan and execute equipment rehabilitation at Kansas City and supporting facilities, including prioritization, timelines, and budget management.
• Manage rental inventory and fleet, including utilization rates, equipment condition, replacement/disposal planning, and routine assessment of rental-equipment needs through feedback from sales, customers, and suppliers.
• Oversee organization, safety, and maintenance of the rental shop, yard, and service vehicles; ensure DOT fleet management and compliance (DVIR, HOS, driver qualification).
• Guide rental service and repair processes, including personnel, material, facility, and tool/equipment needs.
• Establish quality control standards and ensure all cost, quality, and delivery objectives are met.
• Take corrective measures to minimize downtime and interruptions; review repair and operating reports to resolve operational, repair, and maintenance issues.
• Coordinate with customers on rental deployments, including equipment selection, delivery scheduling, and site setup requirements.
• Oversee emergency and after-hours rental response, including on-call crew readiness, rapid deployment for dewatering/bypass emergencies, and 24/7 customer responsiveness.
• Monitor customer feedback and satisfaction; resolve escalations and support the sales team on rental opportunities and customer relationships.
• Collaborate with geographic Senior Service Managers on rental resources and support needs within their territories.

Requirements

• Education: Technical degree, equivalent military experience, or applicable industry-equivalent experience; associate's degree or higher preferred.
• Experience: Minimum 3-5 years in rental equipment operations, field-service management, or related industrial service role; experience with equipment fleet management, customer coordination, and DOT fleet/DOT compliance.
• Licenses: Valid driver's license and clean driving record required; Class A CDL preferred.
• Computer Skills: Proficiency in email, MS Word, MS Excel, Salesforce; ability to learn fleet-management and ERP systems.
• Language: Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English.
• Physical: Ability to work in office, yard, shop, and field environments; lift up to 75 lbs; operate service vehicles and forklifts; regular travel to rental facilities required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, operations management, technology, or a related field.
• Three or more years of rental management experience, including direct P&L responsibility.
• Experience managing multi-location operations.
• Knowledge of diesel-driven pump equipment, HDPE pipe fusion, and temporary bypass systems.
• Experience with rental utilization metrics and fleet financial management.
• Familiarity with OSHA regulations for diesel equipment, rigging, and field operations.
• Heavy-equipment operation experience (telehandlers, skid steers, boom trucks).
• Continuous-improvement experience (Lean/Six Sigma).

Safety Training Requirements

• OSHA 10 (minimum); OSHA 30 (preferred).
• Completed LOTO (Lock Out/Tag Out) training.
• Crane & rigging training.
• Diesel-equipment safety training.
• DOT compliance and driver-safety program management (DVIR, HOS).
• Field-installation safety protocols.
• Customer-site safety-orientation compliance.

Work Environment

• Combination of office, yard, shop, and customer field-site environments across multiple locations.
• Regular travel to customer sites required.
• Exposure to diesel equipment, heavy rigging, outdoor weather conditions, and industrial environments.
• Moderate-to-high stress and pace; high level of planning, prioritizing, and decision-making.
• Work schedule is 8 hours/day, 5 days/week; responding to customer emergency rental needs requires additional work commitments any time throughout the week, including nights and weekends.

Benefits

• Employee Ownership (ESOP).
• 401(k) with Company Match.
• Profit Sharing.
• Medical, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance.
• Generous PTO, Paid Holidays & Volunteer Time Off.
• Career Development & Advancement Opportunities.
• A Culture That Values Innovation, Collaboration, and Respect.

About Us

At Cogent, you’re not just an employee—you’re an owner. Our people make the difference, and our shared values define us as a team, bringing our vision to life. Together, we are committed to helping build healthy and prosperous communities through creatively engineered solutions for our customers. We are a growing Midwest company providing fluid processing solutions serving the Industrial, Municipal, Commercial Building Trades, and Oil and Gas markets through our family of trusted brands.