Assistant Manager – Plumbing & Heating Merchant

UK Plumbing Supplies (trading as UKPS); Northampton; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit share

Career progression

Job summary

Plumbase Northampton is seeking an Assistant Manager to run the busy plumbing and heating merchant alongside the Site Manager. You will own operational decisions, manage day-to-day trade counter and warehouse activities, and drive growth with local marketing and supplier relations.

This full-time, permanent role offers real autonomy to shape site performance, pricing, and product range, with profit share and clear opportunity for career progression within a large merchant network.

Qualifications

• Experience within a plumbing & heating merchant or builders merchant
• Strong understanding of trade counter sales and branch operations
• Commercial awareness across margin, pricing, and stock control
• Confidence working with trade customers and suppliers
• Hands-on approach within a fast-paced merchant environment
• Ability to make decisions and take responsibility for outcomes
• Full UK driving licence

Responsibilities

• Supporting the day-to-day running of a plumbing and heating merchant
• Overseeing trade counter sales, warehouse, and delivery operations
• Working with trade customers to maintain and grow sales
• Supporting business development and increasing customer spend
• Contributing to account management and customer retention
• Managing stock, purchasing, and pricing with a focus on margin
• Supporting decisions around product range and supplier relationships
• Maintaining site standards and operational efficiency
• Stepping in to run the site in the Manager’s absence

Skills

Experience with plumbing & heating/mer

Job description

Plumbase Northampton

Full time

Permanent

Location: Plumbase Northampton

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

At Plumbase Northampton, the Assistant Manager is right at the centre of how the merchant performs. You’ll be working alongside the Site Manager, who runs the business like their own, and you’ll be expected to operate the same way.

This is a hands-on role within a busy plumbing and heating merchant. You’ll be trusted to take ownership, make commercial decisions, and step in to run the site when needed. The expectation is simple: contribute to growth, improve performance, and take responsibility for how the site operates.

What sets this apart is the level of autonomy. Our sites operate with full control over how they grow. That includes business development, account management, procurement, product range, pricing, and local marketing. You’re not waiting on head office approval for every decision. You’re part of the team making them.

We’re part of one of the UK’s largest independent networks of plumbing and heating merchants, with over 310 sites nationwide. That scale gives you backing, but the day-to-day is driven locally by the people running the site and rewarded through our industry leading Profit Share.

Key Responsibilities:

• Supporting the day-to-day running of a plumbing and heating merchant
• Overseeing trade counter sales, warehouse, and delivery operations
• Working with trade customers to maintain and grow sales
• Supporting business development and increasing customer spend
• Contributing to account management and customer retention
• Managing stock, purchasing, and pricing with a focus on margin
• Supporting decisions around product range and supplier relationships
• Maintaining site standards and operational efficiency
• Stepping in to run the site in the Manager’s absence

What We’re Looking For:

This role suits someone who understands how a builders merchant or plumbing and heating merchant operates and is comfortable taking ownership.

You might currently be a:

• Assistant Branch Manager
• Senior Sales Advisor within a plumbing and heating merchant
• Builders Merchant Sales or Trade Counter professional

You’ll bring:

• Experience within a plumbing & heating merchant or builders merchant
• Strong understanding of trade counter sales and branch operations
• Commercial awareness across margin, pricing, and stock control
• Confidence working with trade customers and suppliers
• A hands-on approach within a fast-paced merchant environment
• The ability to make decisions and take responsibility for outcomes
• A full UK driving licence

What You’ll Get:

• Competitive salary + profit share
• Real authority to influence how the site operates and grows
• Direct involvement in commercial decisions across the business
• Clear visibility of the impact you make on performance
• Ongoing support and product training
• The opportunity to build a long-term career within a growing merchant group