Program Manager?
I’m a woman with 10 years of experience in the HVAC industry. I started as a dispatcher and worked my way through estimating and project management to become the Operations Manager for a small residential HVAC company.
Last year I actually offered to buy the business from the owner who is retiring soon but he declined my offer, so that just tells you how invested and emotionally attached to this company I have become. I’m not interested in staying on if he sells it to someone else though... I would rather quit.
Recently, I was approached by a large MEP company. The opportunity has evolved from an Estimator role to Service Project Manager, and now they’re considering me for a Program Manager position focused on building and growing their maintenance contract division. The company has been successful in plumbing for 40 years and recently acquired HVAC and electrical businesses, so this department is still in its start up stages.
The opportunity comes with significantly higher pay and the chance to help build something from the ground up. Promises of a lot of room to grow… However, I’ve spent the last 10 years working remotely with a great deal of autonomy, and the new position would involve a very long commute and a more corporate environment. I’m also concerned about adjusting to office politics, KPIs, and a larger organizational structure.
For those who have made a similar transition, was it worth leaving a comfortable role where you were established and successful for a bigger opportunity with more growth potential but more uncertainty?
I’m still waiting to see the formal offer he is working on but in the meantime I’m wracked with guilt and indecision over this.
Edit to add that I would be going from working approximately 6 hours a day to 12 hours with commute. I also have young children…