There was a time when HVAC consulting engineering firms had a stand-alone HVAC department with a registered professional engineer as the department head. This individual was the designated leader of the department responsible for hiring and terminating (I don’t think you can fire anyone any more), oversaw the engineers managing the design projects, and usually met once a week to review all the active jobs with these engineers in charge of the projects. The department head was also accountable for maintaining the standard office details and contract specifications, design review of projects, and keeping the technical library and codebooks current.
Annually, the department head was responsible for employee reviews and salary increases, and some department heads would help employees set goals. In-house educational programs, scheduling lunch-and-learn noontime classes, and approval to authorize an employee to attend an equipment manufacturer’s factory requiring overnight stay were three more responsibilities of the HVAC department head.