We have been retained by a regional distributor of building materials to identify a General Manager to lead one of their retail locations in the Greater St. Louis area.
General Manager is responsible for the complete day-to-day operation of the store location. A general manager is responsible for leading their teams and making sure all customers experience R.P. Lumber's Best Service. A general manager must ensure a culture of safety while mentoring their team and building profitable business at their location. A general manager will ensure their location and equipment are safe, clean, well-kept, and properly maintained. A general manager will ensure an operational culture of accountability across their entire team in which all customers experience prompt and courteous service, sales are maximized, expenses are minimized, and company expectations relating to items such as (but not limited to) margins, inventory levels, labor hours, team member training, back-office functions, and other reporting are properly maintained. A general manager must understand and be able to perform all functions of store operations, including the showroom, the yard, and back office. A general manager is expected to have excellent product knowledge and to lead and mentor their team, helping to ensure stability at their location and build career pathways for their team members. A general manager is expected to be able to multitask, maintain confidentiality, and communicate effectively.
Responsibilities of Position
Customer Service:
- Perform all sales counter functions, point-of-sale (register) functions, and store administrative functions as need requires.
- Lead by example in providing exceptional customer service personally.
- Train and motivate the store sales team to provide exceptional customer service.
- Cultivate very satisfied customers who are treated according to R.P. Lumber Co.'s operating philosophy and profit objectives.
- Respond immediately to any customer complaints and resolve them quickly.
- Keep the retail sales floor properly merchandised by implementing local and company directives such as key assortments, plan-o-grams, seasonal items, promotional displays, pricing updates, and end caps.
- Organize personnel and internal processes to ensure that customer deliveries are properly loaded and are delivered on time, on-grade, and complete.
- Manage and motivate contractor salesmen to aggressively prospect for new sales and customers while remaining highly attentive to the ongoing needs of the existing customer base.
Budgets & Payroll
- Drive store sales and profit to exceed budget.
- Understand the dynamics that impact the financial performance of the store and remain accountable to results that meet or exceed company objectives.
- Control costs and schedule payroll in a manner consistent with R.P. Lumber Co. objectives for labor productivity and customer service.
Inventory Control
- Ensure that all inventory movement (sales, returns, transfers, adjustments) is recorded timely and accurately to help detect and prevent shrinkage.
- Ensure that the store keeps proper amounts of inventory on hand, sufficient to meet customers' needs, but in line with inventory investment goals.
- Ensure that the inventory is maintained in a clean and orderly fashion, consistent with company policy and good business practices.
- Ensure that warehouse and yard personnel accurately receive and properly store merchandise.
Safety & Loss Prevention
- Drive a safety first environment and ensure a safe a secure working environment at all times. General managers are always the safety role model.
- Possess strong working knowledge of store security measures and advise employees on company-approved methods of preventing loss and promoting safety.
- Ensure all equipment is in good condition and safe (ladders, forklifts, trucks).
- Conduct and document regular safety meetings with store associates.
- Ensure that inventory is protected against loss and theft (out of rain, lumber flat stacked, secure high theft items).
Employee Relations
- Recruit, select, and train key people.
- Create a team environment throughout the store.
- Ensure all associates have access to the Company's ESS Resource Center for information and resources to help them in their job.
- Publish work schedule timely and ensure that all hours worked are recorded properly.
- Provide an enjoyable working environment that is conducive to self-motivation, high productivity, and overall morale.
- Ensure an open door environment where associates feel free to report problems and offer ideas to management.
Communication
- Maintain vigilant compliance with company policy and report any unusual occurrences promptly.
- Check email regularly for communications from management and customers and respond timely.
- Lead monthly store meetings with the store team to discuss store performance and goals, upcoming promotions and events, problems, and safety.
- Use the Company's ESS Resource Center for access to important information, forms, policies and procedures and to report problems.
- Report problems, obstacles and ideas on how to improve the store's performance, customer service, and operations to your District Manager and Senior Level Executives in the Company.
Coaching & Training
- Provide an enjoyable working environment that is conducive to self-motivation, high productivity, and overall morale.
- Set goals and provide immediate feedback on employee performance and implement corrective measures. Help the team succeed. Don't ignore problems.
- Supervise and mentor all store and yard employees, develop retail managers and other key employees for future promotion.
- Direct associates to training opportunities through the Company's ESS Resource Center.