General Manager - Lumber/Building Materials

General Manager – Lumber & Building Materials

Lead Operations. Drive Purchasing. Grow the Business.

We are seeking an experienced General Manager with a strong background in lumber purchasing, inventory management, and operations to lead a well-established lumber and building materials operation. This is an opportunity for a hands-on leader who understands market trends, vendor relationships, and the daily demands of running a successful lumberyard.

The ideal candidate has a proven ability to balance strategic purchasing decisions with operational leadership, ensuring the right inventory is available at the right time while maintaining profitability and delivering exceptional customer service.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the daily operations of the lumberyard, including sales, purchasing, inventory, warehouse, and delivery functions.
• Manage all lumber and building material purchasing, including vendor negotiations, pricing, and inventory replenishment.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with mills, wholesalers, distributors, and key suppliers.
• Monitor commodity trends and market conditions to make informed purchasing decisions.
• Optimize inventory levels to maximize turns while minimizing stock shortages and excess inventory.
• Lead, mentor, and develop department managers and employees.
• Collaborate with outside sales and inside sales teams to support customer needs and drive revenue growth.
• Analyze financial reports, margins, purchasing metrics, and operational performance.
• Ensure compliance with safety regulations, company policies, and operational best practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, increase efficiency, and enhance profitability.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of leadership experience within the Lumber & Building Materials (LBM) industry.
• Extensive experience purchasing dimensional lumber, engineered wood products, panels, and other building materials.
• Strong understanding of lumber markets, commodity pricing, and supplier negotiations.
• Experience managing inventory, forecasting demand, and controlling purchasing costs.
• Proven success leading teams in a lumberyard, distribution center, or building materials operation.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets, margins, and P&L performance.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and relationship-building skills.
• Experience with ERP or inventory management systems preferred.

Preferred Experience

• General Manager, Branch Manager, Operations Manager, or Purchasing Manager experience within the LBM industry.
• Knowledge of commodity lumber, treated lumber, specialty products, EWP, panels, roofing, siding, or related building materials.
• Experience working with builders, contractors, dealers, and retail customers.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who understands that purchasing is more than simply buying inventory—it's about anticipating market conditions, maintaining supplier relationships, protecting margins, and ensuring customers have what they need when they need it. If you're a leader who enjoys building teams, making strategic purchasing decisions, and driving operational excellence, we'd like to speak with you.

Compensation: Competitive base salary plus bonus opportunity, along with a comprehensive benefits package.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations.

GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.