General Manager, Commercial Interiors in Santa Maria

Job DescriptionJob Description

General Manager, Commercial Interiors

Location: California Central Coast, on site

Compensation: $12,000 to $14,000 per month, depending on experience

Status: Full time, exempt

Reports to: Ownership

About the opportunity

An established commercial interiors and architectural millwork firm is seeking a General Manager to take ownership of daily operations. The company delivers custom casework, millwork, and interior finish packages for commercial general contractors on hospitality, education, healthcare, and institutional projects.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who is comfortable moving between an estimate, a shop floor, and a jobsite in the same day. Ownership remains actively involved in the business and leads bidding and business development. The General Manager reports to ownership and is accountable for how the work gets delivered: margin, schedule, quality, and the day to day health of the operation.

What you will own

Estimating and pricing support

Ownership handles bidding and brings in the work, particularly in the first phase of this role. Your part is to make sure the numbers behind those proposals are sound.

Be involved with takeoffs and pricing so that ownership can turn in accurate, competitive proposalsAssemble material, labor, freight, and installation costs into a clean estimate that ownership can review and submitReview plans, specifications, and finish schedules and flag scope gaps, unusual conditions, or risk before a number goes outCompare actual job costs back against the estimate so pricing gets sharper over timeTake on a larger share of the estimating function over time if that is a direction you want to growMaterial sourcing and vendor management

Source panel products, hardware, solid surface, laminates, and specialty materials at the right cost and lead timeNegotiate pricing and terms with suppliers and hold them accountable to delivery commitmentsManage inventory levels and buyout timing to protect both schedule and cash flowQualify and manage installation subcontractors and specialty tradesProject management

Own projects from award through closeout, including submittals, shop drawings, RFIs, and change ordersCoordinate with general contractors, architects, and owner representatives on schedule, sequencing, and field conditionsManage the change order process so that scope changes are documented and priced before work proceedsOversee installation crews and field quality, punch list resolution, and final acceptanceDay to day operations

Direct shop production, scheduling, and workflow to keep capacity aligned with the backlogLead, hire, and develop shop and field personnel, and set the standard for safety and workmanshipManage job costing, work in progress reporting, billing, and collections in coordination with bookkeepingMonitor gross margin by job and identify the causes of variance before a project closesMaintain compliance obligations, including licensing, insurance certificates, prevailing wage where applicable, and lien and bond notice deadlinesCustomer relationships

Serve as the day to day point of contact for general contractors, architects, and owner representatives once a project is awardedProtect the relationships ownership has built by delivering on schedule and resolving issues before they escalateGive ownership clear feedback on which project types and clients are producing the best margin so the pipeline can be steered accordinglyWhat we are looking for

Seven or more years in commercial millwork, casework, commercial interiors, or a related subcontracting trade, with at least three in a management roleProject management experience with a general contractor, paired with specialty knowledge of the finish trades, is an equally strong fit for this roleWorking familiarity with commercial takeoffs and pricing, enough to support ownership on estimates. You do not need to be a lead estimatorWorking knowledge of commercial construction documents, submittal and RFI processes, and subcontract termsExperience managing shop production and field installation crewsFinancial literacy: job costing, work in progress, margin analysis, and cash flowStrong vendor and customer relationship skills, with the credibility to hold both sides to their commitmentsProficiency with estim