Manager - Small Manufacturing and Automotive Aftermarket Business in Stevenage

We are a specialist manufacturer supplying safety-related products to the automotive aftermarket. We are a true SME—practical, fast-moving, and built on a hands-on workshop environment where doing things properly matters more than layers of process.

This is a role for someone who wants to own and grow a business, not just run it. We are looking for a commercially driven leader to take day-to-day responsibility for the company, with a clear mandate to drive revenue, improve margins, and build for the future. This is not a caretaker role. We need someone who is hungry to grow the business, improve operations, and steadily raise standards.

The Role (60% General Manager / 40% Commercial Manager)

• General Manager (60%)
  • Run the business day-to-day, leading a small team in a hands-on workshop environment.
  • Manage operations, stock, and supplier relationships to ensure efficiency and reliability.
  • Drive operational improvements on the shop floor—better organisation, workflow, and standards.
  • Use simple KPIs (revenue, gross margin, cash flow, stock levels, customer service) to guide decisions and improve performance.
  • Take ownership of outcomes, not just activity.
• Commercial Manager (40%)
  • Drive revenue growth with a sharp focus on pricing discipline and margin improvement.
  • Develop and grow digital channels including our website, eBay, Amazon, and trade accounts.
  • Proactively develop existing accounts, ensure every enquiry is responded to and followed up promptly, and identify new sales opportunities.
  • Make sound commercial decisions within tight budgets, using financial data to inform actions.

Who You Are

• A small-business practitioner, not a corporate manager—you are comfortable being close to operations and the shop floor.
• Commercially sharp—you understand pricing, margins, cash flow, and trade-offs instinctively.
• Hands-on and decisive—you move from problem to action, even without perfect information.
• Solution-first and adaptable—you find creative ways to work within tight budgets and change approach when something isn’t working.
• Tech-comfortable—you don’t need to code, but you are curious about systems, automation, and AI to reduce admin and improve sales follow-up, stock control, and reporting.
• A leader who builds others—you can delegate effectively, build confidence, and help a small team grow.

Background & Experience

• Experience running or helping to run a small business or division.
• Automotive aftermarket, manufacturing, engineering, or similar SME background preferred (seatbelt or safety experience is not required).
• Commercial or sales experience is helpful but not essential.
• Must understand how financial reports inform day-to-day decisions.

What We Offer

• Base salary: £40,000–£45,000.
• Performance-related bonus linked to business results.
• Longer-term upside (profit share or equity) for the right person, based on delivery and retention.

We are looking for someone who wants to build, improve, and scale a small manufacturing business. If you are commercially driven, hands-on, and ready to take real ownership, we want to hear from you.