Building Materials Sales & Operations Manager

Location: San Jose, CA
Schedule: Full-time (in-person; includes weekends/holidays as needed)
Compensation: $65,000 – $120,000 per year (DOE) \+ benefits

About Payless Ace Hardware, Rockery & Nursery

Since 1973, Payless Ace Hardware, Rockery & Nursery has been Silicon Valley’s trusted neighborhood source for building materials, hardscape & landscape supplies, tools, and nursery plants. We serve both contractors and homeowners with knowledgeable counter service, on-time delivery, and a community-first mindset.

Why This Role

We’re hiring a hands-on leader to guide our building materials counter team and oversee day-to-day store and yard operations. This position will step into the seat of a long-standing leader (former owner) and will be pivotal in driving sales growth, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction. If you love the building materials industry and enjoy leading people, dispatching, and keeping a busy yard humming, this is your next move.

What You’ll Do (Ownership Areas)

Sales & Business Development

• Lead the front counter building materials team; quote, upsell, and close orders for concrete, masonry, pavers, block, rebar, aggregates, drainage, and landscape rock.

• Build and expand B2B contractor accounts; develop prospect lists, outbound call cadence, and follow-up pipelines to convert leads into repeat customers.

• Create pricing strategies and margin management policies; monitor market trends and competitive pricing.

Operations, Yard & Dispatch

• Oversee daily store and yard operations: opening/closing, cash handling, customer flow, and inventory availability.

• Plan and dispatch trucks, drivers, equipment, and routes for on-time deliveries; balance will-call, scheduled drops, and hot-shot needs.

• Supervise yard workers and drivers; enforce loading accuracy, safe equipment operation (forklifts, loaders), and yard organization.

• Coordinate with mechanics to anticipate fleet/equipment maintenance and downtime coverage.

Inventory, Purchasing & Vendor Relations

• Own purchasing, replenishment, and special orders across concrete, masonry, hardscape, and landscape categories.

• Negotiate with vendors and quarries; manage lead times, MOQs, and freight to hit turns and shrink targets.

• Maintain accurate pricing files, SKU masters, and promos in POS/ERP.

Safety, Compliance & Facilities

• Champion a safety-first culture; ensure OSHA/Cal-OSHA, environmental and yard safety compliance.

• Maintain the facility, fixtures, vehicles, and equipment; schedule preventive maintenance and repairs.

Leadership & Performance

• Recruit, train, and mentor counter associates, yard staff, and drivers; set clear SOPs and performance standards.

• Run weekly huddles, monthly 1:1s, and continuous coaching focused on service, speed, and accuracy.

• Partner with ownership on KPIs, reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives.

The KPIs You’ll Own

• Revenue & Gross Margin by category

• Order accuracy / pick accuracy and delivery on-time rate

• Inventory turns, shrink, and stockouts

• Safety metrics (incidents, near misses, training compliance)

• Customer satisfaction / repeat business and account growth

What You Bring

• 5+ years in a management role (retail/building materials/landscape supply, distribution, or similar).

• Proven experience in building materials sales, purchasing, inventory control, and dispatch/last-mile logistics.

• Strong working knowledge of concrete, masonry, pavers, rebar, aggregates, and landscape rock; ability to recommend product alternatives.

• Tech-comfortable: POS/ERP, routing/dispatch tools, and MS365 (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint); able to work from laptop/tablet/phone.

• Excellent communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution skills; leads by example on the sales floor and in the yard.

• Valid driver’s license with acceptable record.

Nice to Have

• Hardware or building materials store/yard leadership experience.

• Aggregates or hardscape industry background.

• Ability to read basic plans/takeoffs for quoting (preferred).

• Bilingual Spanish/English highly valued for our customer base.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field; MBA a plus.

Physical & Work Environment

• Work indoors/outdoors in heat, dust, rain, and noisy conditions; frequent standing/walking/bending.

• Lift up to 50 lbs regularly; supervise operations in store and yard.

• Ability to work extended hours when business needs arise (weekends/holidays).

Pay & Benefits

• Salary: $65,000 – $120,000 per year (DOE)

• Medical & dental insurance

• 401(k) retirement plan

• Paid time off

• Employee discount

• Supportive, community-oriented workplace with growth path into multi-site leadership or GM for strong performers

What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)

• Organized dispatch playbook with on-time delivery rate consistently above goal.

• Tighter pricing/margin controls and clear promo calendar.

• Reduced stockouts and shrink; cleaner, safer, more efficient yard flow.

• Expanded contractor account list with measurable repeat business.

• Engaged, well-trained team that operates with safety, speed, and accuracy.

How to Apply

Send your resume (or a brief work history) and a few lines about recent wins in contractor sales, dispatch, and yard leadership. We’re excited to meet you.

Keywords (ATS/SEO): Building Materials Manager; Hardscape & Landscape Supply; Concrete; Masonry; Pavers; Aggregates; Contractor Sales; B2B Accounts; Dispatch; Routing; Last-Mile Delivery; Fleet Management; Yard Operations; Inventory Management; Purchasing; Vendor Negotiation; POS/ERP; OSHA/Cal-OSHA; San Jose; Silicon Valley; Hardware Store Management; Spanish Bilingual.