General Manager
GenMan_1765366311 Posted: 10/12/2025
General Manager
An exceptional leadership opportunity within a respected, growing manufacturing business - with long-term progression and potential equity participation for the right candidate.
Daniel Owen are recruiting for a well-established and expanding bespoke joinery manufacturer located in Derbyshire. Operating across the Midlands and wider UK, the business has built a strong reputation for producing high-quality bespoke joinery, certified fire doors, and heritage restoration work. Their customer base includes leading contractors, architects, heritage specialists, and private clients.
Location: Derbyshire
Position: General Manager
Salary: £65,000 - £70,000 per annum + Car allowance + performance bonus
Contract Type: Permanent
Availability: This role is immediately available
The company is part of a dynamic and ambitious group of specialist construction and manufacturing businesses. Following significant investment and an agenda of operational improvement and growth, the organisation is entering a pivotal phase. To support this next stage, the Group is seeking a high-calibre General Manager with strong commercial capability and operational leadership experience.
The Role
The General Manager will play a central role in running and developing the business. This is a hands-on, commercially focused position that requires deep involvement in day-to-day commercial activity - including quoting, pricing, tendering, surveying, and client relationship management - as well as oversight of operational performance.
You will lead and develop a team of approximately 50 employees across the workshop, office, and on-site installation teams. Working closely with the Group Managing Director and Group Finance Director, you will be accountable for P&L delivery, operational efficiency, cultural development, and driving sustainable, profitable growth.
This role is ideally suited to an individual who thrives in a fast-paced, hands-on manufacturing environment and who enjoys balancing commercial leadership with operational oversight.
Key Responsibilities
1. Commercial Leadership
2. Lead and manage all commercial processes including quoting, pricing strategies, surveying, design coordination, tender submissions, and contract negotiation
3. Develop and maintain strong relationships with key customers, acting as the senior commercial point of contact for the business
4. Review and refine pricing models, margin controls, and commercial reporting to enhance profitability
5. Support the Group in identifying new markets, sectors, and strategic opportunities to grow pipeline and market presence
6. Provide oversight of production planning, scheduling, workflow management, and installation delivery
7. Ensure operational processes are robust, scalable, and aligned with best practice
8. Drive improvements in manufacturing efficiency, quality assurance, customer service, and project delivery
9. Promote and embed a culture of continuous improvement, reducing waste and enhancing output across the business
10. Lead approximately 50 employees across production, office support, commercial teams, and site-based installation staff
11. Promote a high-performance culture built on accountability, pride in craftsmanship, and ownership of results
12. Mentor and support supervisors and managers, ensuring strong communication and effective cross-departmental collaboration
13. Set clear objectives, monitor performance, and implement structured development pathways for staff
14. Own full P&L responsibility for the business, working closely with Group leadership to set budgets and deliver on financial targets
15. Implement strategic initiatives aligned with Group priorities, including systems improvements, commercial innovation, and operational optimisation
16. Analyse performance data and provide robust, evidence-based recommendations to the Group Managing Director
17. Represent the business at Group level, contributing to wider decision-making and future growth strategies
Essential Experience & Skills
18. Significant commercial experience within the bespoke joinery, manufacturing, or specialist construction sector
19. Background in a joinery operation, with proven results in pricing, tendering, and margin improvement
20. Strong leadership experience, ideally managing mixed teams across workshop, office, and site
21. Demonstrable experience implementing systems or improving processes (e.g. CRM, ERP, pricing tools, workflow management systems)
22. Highly organised, detail-oriented, and disciplined in planning and follow-through
Personal Attributes
23. Commercially astute with a data-driven approach to decision-making
24. Hands-on, practical, and approachable, with a willingness to get involved at all levels
25. Clear and confident communicator who builds strong internal and external relationships
26. Calm, structured, and solutions-focused, even under pressure
27. A natural leader who inspires confidence, trust, and accountability across the workforce
How to Apply: