General Manager in Sunderland

Location: Sunderland (Nordstrom Timber)

J T Dove Limited are the leading independent builders merchants covering North East England, The Scottish Borders, Cumbria and Teesside. Operating from our network of 21 branches we offer a comprehensive stock range of timber and building supplies, heating and plumbing materials, as well as kitchens and bathrooms. We go above and beyond for our customers, building lasting relationships by putting the customer first and ensuring we deliver what you need on time and in full.

Operating for over 150 years, our unique structure as an Employee Benefit Trust ensures all colleagues share in the success of the business and preserves local, long term employment for all.

About the Role:

This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive individual to join us in the position of General Manager to lead the team at our Sunderland branch. This is an opportunity to be a part of the management team, have scope and autonomy, and take on the challenge and ambitious future plans for the branch.

Managing the branch, you will be responsible for the day to day running of the site, driving sales and maximising profitability. You’ll share our passion to constantly improve our customer experience, ensuring we put health and safety at the forefront of everything we do. You will also need to be adaptable and resilient, responding to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Our people are at the heart of the business therefore we’re looking for a motivated, engaging leader who is passionate about supporting and developing colleagues, promoting a culture of high performance and operational excellence whilst bringing your own ideas to life. You will need to demonstrate previous experience working at management level, ideally within a builders merchants or similar environment.

In return you will have a fantastic opportunity to enhance your career with an employer of choice. You’ll also have the scope and autonomy you would expect from an established independent merchant.

The main duties for this role include:

• Responsibility for all elements of branch performance, to include customer service, sales, margin, stock levels, safety, colleague engagement & profit
• Build & maintain strong working relationships with internal colleagues to ensure effective co-ordination of all branch activities in support of business objectives
• Implement & monitor all necessary policies and procedures to ensure a safe and healthy working environment across the site
• Evaluate overall Branch performance by gathering, analysing and interpreting data and metrics (and then) building & execution of plans for improvement
• Develop and control the branch operational budget to promote profitability and ensure the Branch has all the resources required to meet its objectives within agreed financial parameters
• Ensure that all Branch colleagues are motivated and suitably trained to carry out their responsibilities to the required standard

The ideal candidate will have:

• Knowledge of the builders merchant sector along with core products and services
• Significant operational management experience
• Excellent inter-personal and communication skills
• Excellent organizational and leadership abilities
• Excellent decision making skills
• Full UK driving licence

What we can offer you:

• A competitive salary and benefits package including company car
• Enhanced annual leave which increases with length of service
• Company pension scheme with a generous employer contribution
• Market leading profit share
• Life assurance of 4 times your annual salary
• Enhanced family friendly leave
• Employee Discount
• The opportunity to learn new skills and develop your career

For further details please contact Head Office on 0191 229 5020 to speak to a member of the hiring team.

How to apply:

Please submit a CV and cover letter, outlining your suitability for the role. The closing date for applications is 12.00pm on Wednesday 22nd April 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the advert may close before the listed deadline once enough applications are received.