Branch Manager

Branch Manager

Location: Tidewater Branch – Southern Virginia

Schedule: Monday – Friday | 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Pay: $100,000 annually, plus commission

Reports To: Region Manager Southern Virginia

Since 1892, Shepherd Electric Supply has been the first call when complex, time-critical electrical challenges need to be solved, and reliability truly matters. We move materials accurately and on time, so contractors stay on schedule, projects stay on track, and customers never have to wonder if we will come through.

Our success comes from people who take pride in doing things the right way — safely, accurately, and with care for teammates and customers alike. If you want to do work that matters at a company that notices, this is the place.

The Tidewater branch is Shepherd’s next chapter — our expansion into southern Virginia and a market where our name is not yet on every contractor’s speed dial. As Branch Manager, you are not stepping into an established operation. You are building one. The people, the customers, the numbers, and the culture of this branch will be shaped by how you show up from day one.

This is a player/coach role, and in a new market that matters more than ever. You are not managing from a distance — you are in the branch and out in the field, opening accounts, solving customer problems, hiring and developing the first members of the team, and standing up the systems that make the branch run. You set the standard by doing the work, because in a startup branch there is nowhere to hide and no one else to point to yet.

Tidewater does not need a figurehead. It needs a builder — a leader who can win trust in a market that has never bought from Shepherd, earn customers by name, step in wherever the gap is, and hold a brand-new branch to the standard our established locations are known for. If you want to put your fingerprints on something from the ground up, this is that role.

We Keep Our Promises:

In a new market, every promise you keep is how Shepherd earns its reputation from scratch. You build the schedules, stand up the inventory, and hold your team to commitments — and when something goes sideways, you own the resolution, not the excuse. The first hundred orders set the tone for the next hundred thousand.

We Stay Hungry:

You are opening a market, not running a playbook. You are prospecting relentlessly, learning the southern Virginia customer base, spotting gaps, and looking for every way to serve better than the competition already entrenched here. Hunger is the job.

We Grow Together:

You are hiring and developing the first Tidewater team — their success is your success. You lean on other branches and HQ for what works, and you build the kind of branch the rest of Shepherd will point to as proof the expansion was right.

We Own It:

The branch is yours — the wins and the problems, and in a new location there will be plenty of both. You do not pass the buck, wait for someone else to fix it, or let issues linger. You resolve them, and you build a team that knows they can do the same.

We Go Above & Beyond:

Good enough does not open a market. You anticipate what customers need before they ask, develop your team before they plateau, and push a brand-new branch beyond what anyone expects of a first-year location — because that is who you are.

Organized by what matters, not just what you do.

Building & Developing the Team

• Recruit, hire, and onboard the founding Tidewater team — you are building the bench, not inheriting one
• Coach your team daily — side-by-side, on the floor and in the field, not just in performance reviews
• Set clear expectations, give real-time feedback, and address performance issues directly and fairly
• Create an environment where people are proud to help launch something new — and want to stay and grow with it

Sales & Customer Relationships

• Establish Shepherd’s presence in southern Virginia — prospect, qualify, and close new business in a market that does not yet know us
• Build and grow a personal book of accounts — you are a player, not just a manager
• Deepen relationships with early customers so the first wins become repeat business and referrals
• Coach inside sales staff on quoting, follow-through, and customer service standards from the start
• Ensure every customer interaction — at the counter, on the phone, or in the field — reflects Shepherd’s commitment to reliability

Branch Operations & Performance

• Stand up branch operations — inventory, purchasing, staging, and daily workflow — and own the P&L as the branch ramps
• Hit sales targets, manage gross margin, and control expenses with the discipline a new location demands
• Maintain inventory accuracy and purchasing discipline; avoid dead stock and stockouts while building the initial stocking profile for the market
• Ensure the branch facility is clean, organized, and reflects the Shepherd standard from opening day
• Communicate performance and goals to your team regularly — they should always know where they stand

Expansion, Cross-Branch & HQ Coordination

• Partner closely with regional leadership and HQ through launch — a new branch needs tight, two-way communication
• Collaborate with established branches on transfers, staffing, stocking guidance, and shared customer needs
• Represent Tidewater’s interests while staying aligned with Shepherd’s broader expansion strategy
• Feed what you learn opening southern Virginia back to the organization to support the next new market

After 90 days, you and your manager should both be able to point to these markers:

• The founding team is hired or well underway, and everyone knows what good looks like
• You know your early customers by name — and they know they can count on you personally
• Sales activity is tracked, goals are visible, and the branch is building a real pipeline in southern Virginia
• Inventory is accurate, the stocking profile fits the market, and the facility reflects the Shepherd standard
• Branch systems and daily workflow are running — the operation functions, not just improvises
• You have identified at least one person on your team to develop toward more responsibility
• Regional leadership trusts that Tidewater runs correctly when they are not watching

This role is a strong fit if:

• You want to build something from the ground up — a new branch is a feature, not a risk, to you
• You lead from the front — you do not ask your team to do anything you would not do yourself
• You are energized by both selling and coaching, and you do not see them as competing demands
• You are comfortable with ambiguity and can make progress before every system is in place
• You hold your people accountable with directness and care — not avoidance, not harshness
• You communicate proactively: with customers, with your team, and with regional leadership — not after problems surface
• You take the long view on talent and on the market — you are building for year three, not just quarter one

• High school diploma or equivalent required; college degree preferred
• 3–5 years of management experience in distribution, wholesale, or a related industry preferred
• Experience opening, launching, or building a branch, territory, or market is a strong plus
• Electrical product knowledge is a strong plus; willingness to learn is non-negotiable
• Demonstrated track record in sales — building relationships, growing accounts, closing business
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; comfortable with difficult conversations
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and Outlook; familiarity with distribution software a plus
• Familiarity with the southern Virginia / Tidewater market is a plus
• Onsite presence required; this is not a hybrid role
• Ability to successfully complete pre-employment screening requirements

• Competitive pay with opportunity tied to branch performance
• The chance to launch and own a brand-new branch in a growing market
• Medical, dental, and life insurance
• Prescription drug coverage
• Paid vacation and personal time
• 401(k) with employer match
• 130+ years of industry leadership — and we are still growing
• A culture where reliability is noticed, ownership is rewarded, and people come first
• A company scaling into new markets — with real paths to grow with it

Shepherd Electric Supply is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.

Why should you join Shepherd Electrical Supply?

Apply now and find out what’s next for you.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Vet/Disabled

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