The Opportunity - General Manager (GM) / Head of Operations
Location - California Coast between Santa Barbara and Monterey
Company Overview
Our client is a coastal California–based exterior home services business specializing in deck building, re-siding, and residential painting, with a strong focus on elemental defense against marine-environment damage such as dry rot and termite exposure. Operating on the west coast in between Santa Barbara and Monterey, Our client benefits from a high-ticket, low-competition market and a reputation for complex, evolving project work.
The company generates sub-$10M in annual revenue, employs approximately 30 team members with seasonal fluctuations, and is positioned for meaningful growth. The founder is actively preparing the business for its next phase, including operational scale, potential M&A, and a longer-term private equity recapitalization.
Position Summary
The General Manager will serve as the true “number two” to the founder, taking full ownership of day-to-day operations so the founder can focus on a separate home infrastructure SaaS venture. This role is both hands-on and strategic, responsible for leading field operations, owning business performance, strengthening the sales function, and driving a cultural reset centered on accountability, urgency, and execution.
Reporting directly to the company founder, the GM will play a critical role in shaping the organization’s operational excellence, growth trajectory, and long-term enterprise value.
Primary Responsibilities:
Operational Leadership
● Assume full responsibility for day-to-day operations of the construction business.
● Lead field operations, including project management, logistics, staffing decisions, and training execution.
● Partner closely with the Production Manager, Field Managers, and Crew Leaders to enforce standards and improve execution.
Sales & Revenue Growth
● Build upon the retooled sales function established by the founder.
● Hold a personal sales quota, particularly during the early tenure.
● Develop and scale the sales organization, with the potential to hire a dedicated sales leader within the first year.
Financial & P&L Ownership
● Own job-level and company-level financial performance.
● Assess service-line profitability and ensure projects are priced and executed at the right margin.
● Understand market dynamics to determine which types of work to pursue—and at what price points.
Culture & Change Management
● Act as a change agent to retool company culture toward accountability, urgency, and a “winning mindset.”
● Address workforce fragmentation across culturally diverse teams.
● Implement rigorous training standards to improve retention, quality, and productivity.
Strategic Growth & Expansion
● Evaluate opportunities for geographic expansion and service-line optimization.
● Participate in strategic discussions around mergers, bolt-on acquisitions, and long-term PE readiness.
● Help position the business for a potential recapitalization within a three-year window.
First Six-Month Priorities
- Take over day-to-day operations, fully relieving the founder from operational execution.
- Stabilize and grow the sales function, including quota ownership and pipeline development.
- Reset company culture, establishing accountability, urgency, and consistent performance expectations across the workforce.
Challenges & Opportunities
Challenges
● Fragmented culture across a predominantly Hispanic field workforce and a less-engaged non-Hispanic segment.
● Seasonal business cycles requiring proactive staffing and capacity planning.
● Projects that frequently expand in scope due to uncovering hidden damage.
Opportunities
● Significant growth runway in a lightly competitive coastal market.
● Increasing average ticket sizes ($12K → $17K+).
● Clear path to strategic M&A and private equity alignment.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
● Top-line and bottom-line profitability.
● Sales quota attainment.
● Project timeline adherence.
● Production rates and crew efficiency.
● Customer satisfaction amid evolving project scopes.
Required Skills & Qualifications
● Strong sales aptitude with the ability to personally sell and lead sales teams.
● Financial acumen and comfort owning or learning to own a P&L.
● Proven leadership of field-based, blue-collar, and culturally diverse teams.
● Change management experience in accountability-driven environments.
● Assertive, candid leadership style with a results-first mindset.
● Ability to manage complex projects with evolving scope and cost.
Education
● Business background strongly preferred; MBA viewed as a plus.
Ideal Experience
● Experience assessing service-line profitability and growth opportunities.
● Hands-on leadership of field teams or operations-heavy organizations.
● Exposure to the trades industry is helpful but not required.
● First-time P&L owners are welcomed if financial acumen is strong.
● Track record of building accountability cultures in execution-driven environments.
Work Arrangement & Location
● On-site role
Personal Qualities
● Direct, decisive, and action-oriented (“get stuff done” mindset).
● Comfortable driving urgency and high standards.
● Strong cross-cultural leadership skills.
● Willing to push for results without eroding trust.
● Long-term oriented and invested in building enterprise value.
Compensation & Incentives
● Base Salary: $140,000–$150,000
● Bonus: 25–30% tied to top- and bottom-line performance
● Total Compensation: $200,000+ annually
● Equity: Clear path to equity participation tied to future recapitalization (details TBD)
Professional Development & Support
● Significant autonomy and influence over business direction.
● Access to seasoned business coaches, including a long-term advisor to the founder.
● Opportunity to build and lead a sales organization.
● Exposure to M&A strategy and PE preparation.
Hiring Timeline
Our client is moving with urgency and aims to hire quickly once the right candidate is identified. Full ramp-up is expected within approximately four months, with a goal of installing a sales leader by mid-year.