General Manager

About the Role

The General Manager / President provides overall leadership and strategic direction for a small manufacturing firm, driving organizational growth, profitability, and operational excellence. This role is accountable for P&L management, sales leadership, engineering and manufacturing oversight, safety compliance, and continuous improvement initiatives such as Lean and Six Sigma. The General Manager ensures alignment of all departments with company objectives and fosters a culture of innovation, accountability, and customer focus.

Responsibilities

• Formulate and execute company policies and long-term strategies to achieve revenue growth, market expansion, and profitability goals.
• Lead business planning initiatives, including sales strategies, financial performance targets, and new product development.
• Drive top-line growth through proactive sales leadership, customer engagement, and market development.
• Collaborate with sales teams to identify new opportunities, strengthen customer relationships, and expand into emerging markets.
• Review operations and plans to meet requirements for sales planning and to ascertain manufacturing or outsourcing requirements to develop new markets.
• Oversee engineering, manufacturing, and operations to ensure efficiency, quality, and safety standards are met.
• Champion Lean Six Sigma and continuous improvement initiatives to optimize processes, reduce costs, and enhance productivity.
• Resolve operational, manufacturing, and facility problems to ensure minimum costs and prevent operational delays while meeting future growth.
• Manage full P&L responsibility, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Analyze activities, costs, operations, and forecast data to determine department or division progress toward stated goals and objectives.
• Review and approve preparation of accounting analysis for budgetary planning and implementation, production efficiency, financial reporting, budgetary planning, and submittal for capital expenditures.
• Direct and coordinate activities of department leaders in sales, engineering, quality, materials, and manufacturing.
• Provide coaching, performance management, and succession planning to build a high-performing leadership team.
• Partner with corporate Shared Services (HR, Payroll, Accounting, IT, Safety, etc.) to leverage best practices, ensure compliance, and align activities with organizational standards.
• Collaborate with Shared Services to optimize processes, enhance employee experience, and maintain consistency in policies and procedures across the organization.
• Ensure compliance with all safety regulations and promote a culture of workplace safety across all operations.
• Support engineering and sales teams in developing innovative solutions that meet customer requirements and drive market growth.
• Oversee design improvements for cost reduction, safety, and quality enhancements.
• Report directly to the Board of Directors and/or Company Ownership, providing regular updates on organizational performance, strategic initiatives, and financial results.
• Review achievements against established goals and objectives, presenting recommendations for adjustments based on current business conditions and market trends.
• Engage in high-level discussions with ownership to align on vision, growth strategies, and long-term planning.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 8–10 years of progressive leadership in manufacturing, including P&L responsibility.
• Proven track record in sales leadership and business growth.
• Strong background in operations, engineering, and process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma preferred) in a manufacturing environment.
• Strategic thinking, business acumen, and financial expertise.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and leadership skills.
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and driving cultural change.
• Problem-solving, analysis, and project management experience.
• Excellent time management and organization skills with the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong proficiency with MS Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint) and ERP systems (Propeht21 experience a plus).
• Passionate, adaptable, customer-focused, and teamwork-oriented.
• Strong sense of urgency and accountability.
• Ability to travel (up to 50% of the time), including travel to Canada and Mexico.

Physical and Mental Requirements

• May occasionally require exposure to manufacturing areas that require the use of personal protective equipment such as steel-toed shoes, safety glasses with side shields, and mandatory hearing protection.
• Primarily exposed to ambient room temperatures, lighting, and traditional office equipment.
• May need to sit or stand as needed; position may require walking primarily on a level surface for periodic periods throughout the day.
• May reach above shoulder heights or below the waist or lift as required to file documents or store materials throughout the workday; proper lifting techniques required.
• Ability to bend, climb, push, and pull, including maneuvering at heights and in tight or small places.
• Ability to routinely lift, carry, and transport work-related materials that frequently weigh up to 60 pounds and occasionally in excess of 70 pounds.
• Moderate to heavy use of hands in grasping, repetitive hand movement, and finger coordination for record-keeping and keyboard use.
• Speech and hearing to communicate effectively in group settings, one-on-one, and by telephone.
• High level of concentration, confidentiality, and organization.
• Ability to multi-task.