Lighting Manager

The Kendall Group; Dayton (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Kendall Group, a large employee-owned distributor, is seeking a Lighting Manager to steer the lighting construction sales and project team. You will set priorities, manage staffing, and drive financial performance while ensuring successful project execution.

You will develop employees, oversee key relationships with customers, suppliers, and contractors, and coordinate across sales, operations, and logistics in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 10 years of experience in lighting design, electrical distribution or as a contractor.
• Proven ability to lead and develop a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the lighting construction sales and project team.
• Set department strategy, staffing, budgets, and goals.
• Oversee project execution, schedules, material availability, and supplier relationships.
• Manage customer, vendor, and contractor relationships and resolve escalations.
• Ensure compliance with policies, quality standards, and safety expectations.
• Monitor performance metrics: quotes, profitability, delivery, and backlog.

Skills

Customer Focus

Results Oriented

Accountability

Teamwork

Planning

Negotiation

Talent Development

Managerial Courage

Empathy

Team Morale

Strategic Thinking

Cross-functional Collaboration

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

MS Office

Excel

Job description

About The Kendall Group

The Kendall Group is comprised of eight divisions with 75+ locations in ten states. Combined, we serve the Electrical, Automation, Pipe, Valve, and Fitting products, Steam, Lighting, Industrial Controls, and Instrumentation Industries. The Kendall Group is a 100% employee-owned company. Kendall offers a great opportunity for a rewarding career.

Why The Kendall Group?

Our employee ownership model is the core of who we are. You will not only own part of the company, but you will own your future. At Kendall, you'll have opportunities to learn and grow while being coached and mentored along the way. We're that company where people stay! We're proud to say more than 60% of our associates have more than 5 years of tenure, and more than 40% have greater than 10 years. At Kendall, you will be valued and supported, your ideas will be heard, your voice will matter, and you'll work alongside incredible people who care about your success.

Role Summary:

Reporting to the General Manager, the Lighting Manager leads the lighting construction sales and project team and is accountable for department strategy, staffing, financial performance, and successful project execution. This role develops employees, sets priorities, manages key customer and supplier relationships, resolves escalated issues, coordinates cross-functional resources, and drives operational improvements while ensuring compliance with company policies, quality standards, and safety expectations.

Exciting work you will do:

The essential duties and responsibilities of the Lighting Manager position will consist of, but are not limited to, the following:

• As a leader, model the following behaviors with your team:
  • Provide leadership, direction, growth, and mentoring
  • Adhere to our company values of Success Beyond the Sale, Partnership as a Promise, We Do What We Say, Legacy of Impact, and Purpose-Driven Progress
  • Invest in self-growth through participating in continuous improvement, learning, and development
• Set department priorities, assign work, balance team capacity, and ensure appropriate staffing for the project pipeline
• Establish sales, service, profitability, and operational goals aligned with Kendall Electric's objectives
• Oversee department's financial performance, including budgets, forecasts, revenue, gross margin, expenses, and backlog
• Review and approve significant quotations, pricing exceptions, contract terms, change orders, and other higher-risk commitments
• Champion the full portfolio of lighting construction projects, monitoring schedules, material availability, delivery performance, customer commitments, and closeout
• Resolve escalated customer, contractor, engineer, supplier, or internal operational issues
• Maintain strategic relationships with key customers, vendors, contractors, and manufacturer representatives
• Ensure the team consistently follows company policies, procedures, quality standards, and safety expectations
• Monitor performance measures such as quote activity, conversion rate, project profitability, on-time delivery, customer satisfaction, and aging orders
• Coordinate resources across sales, operations, purchasing, logistics, credit, and technical teams
• Identify process improvements, market opportunities, training needs, and risks affecting the department
• Communicate department results, priorities, staffing needs, and business risks to senior leadership
• Perform other duties and projects assigned

Competencies you possess:

• Customer Focus
• Results, Action Oriented
• Accountability and Responsibility
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Priority Setting
• Planning and organizing
• Negotiating
• Developing Talent
• Managerial Courage
• Awareness of the needs of others
• Building Team Morale
• Strategic Ability

What you'll need:

• Work Experience: 10 years of experience in lighting design, electrical distribution or as a contractor
• Education: High School diploma or GED
• Analytics/Computer Skills: Experience working with MS Office; intermediate Excel usage; Deep understanding of lighting representatives, distributor-led sales strategy, stocking considerations, and market positioning; strong ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks; business acumen, including problem solving skills, critical thinking, and analytical abilities; strong closing skills
• Organization Skills: Highly organized and detail-oriented; ability to multi-task and shift priorities as needed; ability to work in fast-paced, continuously evolving, and at times ambiguous environment
• Cross-functional skills: Ability to work in a team-oriented, collaborative environment; ability to work well cross-functionally; provides excellent internal and external customer service
• Communication Skills: Strong interpersonal communications, analytical and problem solving, organizational and written/verbal communication skills; strong phone presence and listening skills; strong customer orientation; ability to maintain confidentiality
• Physical, Mental and Visual Skills: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disability to perform the essential functions.
  • Ability to see, talk and hear
  • Ability to sit for 8 hours a day
• Physical Environment: Normal office environment

Qualifications we prefer but don't require:

• Work Experience: 2 years previous management or lead experience
• Analytics/Computer Skills: Solar Eclipse software knowledge
• Education: Bachelor's degree in business or related field

The Kendall Group is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, military status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.