Branch Manager

Socket.dev; Hammond (IN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Socket.dev is seeking a Branch Manager to lead regional operations, sales, inventory management, safety and culture. You will drive SOP compliance, optimize processes, and partner with transportation, procurement, finance, and marketing to deliver value.

The ideal candidate has strong communication, leadership and analytical skills, a history of managing teams, and experience with ERP and inventory control. Travel up to 50-70% is required.

Qualifications

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in operations or related field.
• 5-7 years of operations experience preferred.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• Experience with ERP systems and inventory control.
• Excellent analytical and time management abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead branch operations ensuring SOP adherence and efficiency.
• Manage safety programs; conduct inspections and reporting.
• Oversee inventory counts and ERP usage for optimization.
• Develop and execute sales plans and customer relationships.
• Lead team development and succession planning.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Operations

Inventory control

Safety compliance

ERP systems

Customer service

Problem solving

Data analysis

Team development

Education

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in operations

Tools

ERP system

Excel

Job description

Job Overview

The Branch Managerdrives excellence and standardization in branch operations, maintains relationships with current customers and fosters new business opportunities and serves as the primary leader of branch personnel. The Branch Managerwill be an integral part of the branch’s success in sales, operations, inventory management, safety and culture. A successful Branch Manager has excellent communication, critical thinking and customer service skills.

Core Functions

• Branch Operations
  • Implement and hold team accountable to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) that improve efficiency, cost-effectiveness, quality control and customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention.
  • Identify potential risks and/or barriers in operations, then work collaboratively with leadership to implement long-term sustainable solutions.
  • Foster collaboration with other internal teams such as transportation, inventory control, marketing and procurement, finance, etc.
• Safety and Compliance
  • Serve as the safety coordinator for the branch and first-point-of-contact for the safety team.
  • Ensure weekly safety lesson is disseminated to all branch personnel.
  • Conduct monthly safety inspection and daily safety walks.
  • Attend monthly safety committee zoom meeting.
  • Record and report any accidents involving injury to employees or damage to building/vehicles/fixtures.
• Inventory Management
  • Work closely with the corporate inventory control team to implement standardized inventory control processes at the branch and raise challenges and barriers.
  • Regularly execute cycle counts and annual inventory as directed by the corporate inventory control team.
  • Serve as a subject matter expert of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to optimize branch’s use of the system.
• Sales Operations
  • Create and manage sales plans and budgets based on forecasts for the branch, then monitor, adjust and report on as necessary.
  • Stay informed about market trends, competitor activities, and customer needs.
  • Support local sales personnel through fostering relationships with current and new customers to drive customer acquisition and retention.
  • Assist in resolving customer issues with a focus on long-term satisfaction and retention.
• Product Knowledge
  • Continually grow technical, product, application and market knowledge of parts essential to the heavy-duty vehicle aftermarket.
  • Proactively seek opportunities to document and share knowledge of parts and markets to support branch personnel in their growth and development.
• Management and Team Development
  • Consistently exhibits HTI’s core values and servant leadership style.
  • Directs employee’s work through technical and managerial expertise.
  • Communicates, advises and reinforces change management efforts with employees.
  • Sets and communicates vision for their team to produce profitable business results and achieve high performance which includes overall and daily goals.Provides clarity on goals as necessary.
  • Supports the team by solving complex problems and making substantial decisions that impacts them.
  • Responsible for handling all employee grievances, incidents, conflict management and emergency situations.
  • Places an emphasis on employee engagement and retention to boost productivity and performance and reduce employee turnover.
  • Oversee the employee life cycle which includes hiring, development, engagement, retention and separation.
  • Responsible for managing and approving employee leaves and time cards, as well as reinforcing timekeeping and attendance requirements with employees.
  • Participate in defining roles within the team to support the Value Creation Plan and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for each role to review on a regular cadence and in annual reviews.
  • Strategize with other leaders on ideal career paths within the function and preparing a succession plan for each role.
  • Understand team member’s career goals and support them in achieving the career path they wish to follow.
  • Participate in the development of a training program for the team for specific roles and behavioral skills training.
  • Encourage and foster a collaborative work environment within the team and between the team and other departments.
  • Lead teams to develop reliable processes and procedures that produce results.

Competencies and Qualifications

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in operations, business or inventory control, OR 5-7 years of operations experience.
• Previous leadership experience is preferred.
• Expert knowledge of heavy-duty truck and trailer equipment and industry.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite products with ability to conduct database tasks in Excel.
• Experience with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system preferred.
• Proven success in meeting and exceeding inventory control KPIs.
• Previous success in continuous process improvement.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to provide personable and professional customer service.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking and time management skills.
• Strong active listening and strategic influencing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships with all levels of internal and external personnel.
• Ability to stay adaptable to changing environments and tasks.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift/carry 100 lbs. on deliveries.
• Travel required: 50-70%
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer as well as driving on the road.