General Manager

The Brewer Company / Acuity Foam / Komponents•Oconomowoc, WI

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The General Manager (GM) provides day-to-day leadership and operational oversight for a cabinetry company, ensuring safe, profitable, and high-quality delivery from sales/design through production. This role is accountable for team performance, customer experience, financial results, and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate is an outstanding leader with a proven ability to drive transformative change—improving systems, developing people, and scaling operational excellence while protecting craftsmanship and company culture.

Requirements

5+ years of leadership experience in cabinetry, millwork, woodworking manufacturing, or closely related custom fabrication environment (with responsibility for operations, production, or general management).
Working knowledge of the product lifecycle: estimating/sales, design & engineering (CAD), material procurement, production (cut/edge/assemble/finish), delivery, and installation.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams, set expectations, and drive accountability in a hands-on environment.
Strong understanding of job costing, gross margin drivers, and operational levers that impact profitability (labor, material yield, rework, throughput, schedule adherence).
Experience implementing process improvements and/or leading change initiatives (systems, workflow, quality, safety, or organizational structure).
Ability to read and interpret shop drawings and specifications; strong attention to detail and quality standards.
Proficiency with common business tools (Excel/Google Sheets, email, scheduling/project tracking); ability to learn and optimize ERP/MRP and CAD/CAM-related workflows.
Valid driver’s license and ability to travel locally to job sites as needed.

Nice To Haves

10+ years in cabinetry/millwork with experience scaling a small operation (growth, new facility, second shift, new product lines).
Experience with lean manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S, value stream mapping, or similar continuous improvement frameworks.
Familiarity with CNC programming/workflow integration and/or production planning tools.
Background partnering with designers, builders, and homeowners on custom projects with complex requirements and tight deadlines.
Experience developing compensation plans, incentive programs, or performance-based KPIs in a production environment.
Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, engineering, construction management, or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

Lead the business: Set clear priorities and operating rhythms (daily/weekly/monthly) that align sales, design, and production to deliver on commitments.
Operational execution: Own on-time delivery, quality, safety, and productivity across the shop and field; remove bottlenecks and ensure smooth handoffs between functions.
Production management: Oversee scheduling, capacity planning, shop workflow, and labor allocation; ensure drawings, cut lists, machine programs, and bills of material are accurate and released on time.
Quality & craftsmanship: Establish and enforce quality standards, inspection points, and corrective actions; reduce rework, warranty issues, and jobsite punch lists.
Customer experience: Ensure strong communication and issue resolution; partner with sales/project management to set expectations, manage change orders, and protect margins.
Financial performance: Manage P&L results, job costing discipline, pricing/margin adherence, cash flow awareness, and expense control; deliver regular reporting and forecasts to ownership.
People leadership: Hire, coach, and develop supervisors and team members; build accountability, teamwork, and a culture of safety and continuous improvement.
Transformative change: Lead process improvement initiatives (e.g., standard work, 5S, lean flow, visual management, KPI dashboards) and implement scalable systems for growth.
Systems & data: Improve estimating-to-production data integrity (ERP/MRP, project tracking, inventory control, CAD/CAM, scheduling tools); standardize documentation and version control.
Vendor & material management: Strengthen supplier relationships; improve purchasing, lead times, material availability, and inventory accuracy to support reliable production.
Safety & compliance: Ensure compliance with OSHA and applicable regulations; maintain training, incident investigation, and corrective actions; promote a proactive safety culture.
Facility & equipment: Maintain shop equipment readiness (e.g., CNC, edgebanders, dust collection, finishing systems); plan preventative maintenance and capital improvements.
Strategic support: Contribute to growth strategy, market positioning, and capacity expansion; provide recommendations on product offerings, lead time policy, and service model.