General Manager (Construction Products & Manufacturing)

Smart Hire Solutions; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 78,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation

Paid company holidays

Business expense reimbursement

Car allowance

Cell phone reimbursement

Job summary

Smith-Built Metals in Columbia seeks a hands-on General Manager to lead customers, sales, and day-to-day performance. You will balance client relationships with efficient plant operations and strong people leadership, supported by experienced company leaders and owners.

The role offers autonomy, a solid base salary, and incentives tied to performance, plus comprehensive benefits and expense support. You will own the Columbia location and drive results.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience as a GM or similar role.
• Strong knowledge of construction products and how they come together.
• Experience leading multiple functions or crews and mentoring diverse teams.
• Strong customer-facing and sales instincts with business acumen.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain relationships with repeat customers and develop new sales opportunities.
• Oversee warehouse, light manufacturing, customer load-out, and delivery functions.
• Lead 10–12 employees across office, production, warehouse, load-out and delivery.
• Ensure office runs smoothly with administrative controls, reporting, and cash handling.
• Understand and manage location metrics: revenue, COGS, margins, and profitability.

Skills

Leadership experience

Customer relationships

Operations management

Sales management

Construction knowledge

Team leadership

Job description

Lead the people, customers, and day-to-day performance of an established Columbia operation. Smith-Built Metals is looking for a hands-on general manager who understands how construction products come together, knows how to lead a diverse team, and is just as comfortable helping a customer as improving a process on the production floor.

This is a high-autonomy role for a well-rounded leader who can balance three priorities: customer relationships and sales, efficient plant operations, and strong people leadership. You will have the support of experienced company leaders while taking real ownership of the Columbia location and its results.

Why You Will Want to Join Smith-Built

A leadership role with meaningful autonomy and the trust to run the operation

Supportive, accessible owners who give their leaders the resources they need to succeed

An established customer base and experienced team of approximately 10 to 12 employees

A varied, hands-on role where you can directly improve service, performance, and profitability

Competitive base salary of $78,000-$85,000 (starting salary depending on experience)

PLUS Operating/Performance-based incentives - paid MONTHLY

401(k) with company match, paid vacation, and paid company holidays

Business expense reimbursement, car allowance, and cell phone reimbursement

What You Will Own

Customers and Sales

Build and maintain strong relationships with repeat customers while developing new sales opportunities.

Handle walk-in and phone inquiries, understand customer needs, prepare quotes, and convert opportunities into sales.

Use practical construction and product knowledge to help customers solve problems and order the right materials.

Protect appropriate margins while delivering responsive, dependable service.

Plant and Operational Performance

Oversee warehouse, light manufacturing, customer load-out, and delivery functions.

Keep work moving at the pace customers expect, with a general goal of 24-hour order turnaround.

Monitor workflow, identify bottlenecks, reduce scrap, maintain quality, and improve controllable costs.

Ensure equipment is used and maintained properly and that safety and regulatory expectations are followed.

Maintain appropriate inventory levels and participate in ordering and physical inventory processes.

People and Office Leadership

Lead approximately 10 to 12 employees across the office, production, warehouse, load-out, and delivery functions.

Set expectations, hold people accountable, coach different personalities, and keep the team moving in the same direction.

Oversee hiring, performance, and personnel decisions in partnership with senior leadership and the owners.

Ensure the office runs smoothly and securely, including administrative, reporting, cash-handling, daily closing, and basic control activities.

Collaborate with company leadership, bookkeepers, and salespeople outside the Columbia location.

Business Results

Understand and manage the metrics that drive the location, including revenue, cost of goods sold, productivity, margins, and profitability.

Use data and root-cause thinking to make sound decisions and continuously improve results.

Respond resourcefully to new opportunities and challenges in the Columbia market.

What Will Make You Successful

Proven leadership experience as a general manager, operations manager, sales manager, plant manager, construction project manager, superintendent, or multi-crew supervisor.

A strong working knowledge of construction, building products, metal components, roll forming, light manufacturing, or a closely related environment.

Experience leading more than one function or crew and successfully motivating people with different personalities and skill levels.

Strong customer-facing and sales instincts. You enjoy building relationships, earning trust, and helping customers find workable solutions.

Business and financial awareness, including familiarity with operating metrics, revenue, cost of goods sold, margins, and controllable expenses.

Practical math, geometry, and problem-solving skills, with an understanding of how building components fit together.

The judgment and flexibility to switch between customers, employees, production issues, inventory, and administrative responsibilities throughout the day.

A steady, confident communication style and the ability to de-escalate difficult situations without losing sight of the customer or the business.

A hands-on, accountable approach. You are comfortable stepping onto the plant floor, solving problems, and doing what is needed to keep the operation running.

The Right Fit

The best candidate will not be one-dimensional. A process-focused plant leader who does not enjoy customers will struggle here, as will a salesperson who has never led people or managed operations. We are looking for someone who can build rapport at the counter, earn the respect of the production team, understand how the work gets done, and use sound business judgment to keep the location profitable.

Industry-specific experience is highly valued, but the deeper requirement is relevant construction or manufacturing knowledge combined with successful leadership and customer-facing experience.

About Smith-Built Metals

Smith-Built Metals serves construction professionals and customers who rely on knowledgeable people, responsive service, quality products, and dependable turnaround. Our Columbia location operates as a close-knit team, with company leadership providing support while trusting the General Manager to lead the day-to-day business.

Smith-Built Metals is an equal opportunity employer.