Based in St. Louis, Core & Main is a leader in advancing reliable infrastructure™ with local service, nationwide®. As a specialty distributor with a focus on water, wastewater, storm drainage and fire protection products and related services, Core & Main provides solutions to municipalities, private water companies and professional contractors across municipal, non-residential and residential end markets, nationwide. With over 370 locations across the U.S., the company provides its customers local expertise backed by a national supply chain. Core & Main’s 5,700 associates are committed to helping their communities thrive with safe and reliable infrastructure. Visit coreandmain.com to learn more.
Job Summary
The District Manager provides strategic and operational leadership across an assigned district, guiding branch leaders to deliver strong sales, operational, customer, and financial results while translating enterprise and regional priorities into clear branch-level expectations. This role develops branch leadership capability, builds talent pipelines, reinforces consistent operating rhythms, and drives accountability for performance, safety, customer experience, vendor partnerships, market growth, and P&L outcomes. Through visible field leadership, coaching, structured follow-up, and change leadership, the District Manager ensures corporate initiatives are adopted locally while protecting operational discipline and supporting long-term business growth.
Major Tasks, Responsibilities and Key Accountabilities
Talent Development
- Talent Management: partner with branch leaders to recruit, hire, and onboard talent; ensure leaders maintain an active pipeline for critical roles and follow consistent selection standards
- Training & Capability Building: set expectations for training completion and role readiness; equip branch leaders with coaching routines, tools, and resources to build field capability
- Performance Development: coach branch leaders on goal setting, feedback, and accountability; review performance trends and support leaders in addressing performance gaps and recognition
- Succession & Retention: develop branch leadership bench strength; identify high-potential talent through leaders, create development plans, and reduce risk in key roles across the district
Customer & Vendor Relations
- Own key customer relationships at the district level and support branch leaders with escalation support, retention risk management, and service recovery for high-impact issues
- Set standards for customer experience and ensure branch leaders reinforce responsiveness, jobsite support, and consistent follow-through
- Partner with vendors strategically to improve availability, lead times, and service levels; ensure branches leverage preferred programs and follow vendor processes
- Support negotiated deals and issue escalation as appropriate; help branch leaders route vendor and customer issues through the right support path and close the loop
Field Presence & Community/Industry Engagement
- Maintain visible field leadership through a consistent district cadence (branch visits, leader check-ins, and customer touchpoints) focused on priorities, risks, and execution—not day-to-day supervision
- Coach branch leaders on operating rhythm including huddles, safety routines, standard work, and follow-up disciplines; verify execution through observation and dashboards
- Represent the company locally and support branch leaders’ community presence to strengthen relationships and local credibility
- Engage in industry organizations to stay close to market trends and create opportunities that branch leaders and sales teams can convert into growth
Operational & Financial Oversight (P&L)
- Run the district through a review cadence of operational and financial metrics; identify trends, prioritize actions, and hold branch leaders accountable for plans and results
- Own district P&L performance by setting targets and guardrails; ensure branch leaders manage sales, margin, expenses, and productivity within expectations
- Prioritize resources across branches to address constraints (staffing, equipment, workload, surge support) and keep execution on track during peak periods or major events
- Balance core business and initiatives ensuring branch leaders execute enterprise programs while protecting customer experience and operational discipline
Market Growth & Strategy
- Market Growth: lead district growth plans with branch leaders; prioritize segments and whitespace opportunities and track progress through a consistent operating cadence
- Sales Strategy & Execution: set expectations for activity, pipeline discipline, and deal support; remove barriers and intervene on exceptions for priority accounts
- Market Knowledge: maintain a district view of competitors, pricing dynamics, and customer needs; translate insights into direction for branch leaders and sales teams
- Account Planning: ensure branch leaders have actionable plans for top customers (coverage, service expectations, escalation paths, growth actions) and review progress routinely
- Ownership: hold branch leaders accountable to outcomes; escalate appropriately and provide hands-on support only where impact is high or risk is elevated
Change Leadership & Translating Corporate Strategy Locally
- Translate corporate strategy into district priorities and ensure branch leaders convert priorities into branch-level goals, action plans, and measurable outcomes
- Lead adoption through leaders coach branch leadership teams on expectations, standard work, and change routines; verify progress through dashboards, check-ins, and site observations
- Route issues and escalate appropriately ensure branch leaders use the right channels (regional support, IT/help desk, vendor support) and that recurring issues are documented and prioritized
- Close the loop and communicate on progress, risks, and issue resolution so branches stay aligned and supported; provide upward feedback on what is working/not working in the field
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing or Technology. Advanced degree preferred.
- Ten to fifteen years sales and operations experience in industrial distribution or construction supply with a high-volume, multi-site, multi-state business.
- Five or more years experience leading site level operations and sales leaders
- Proven experience as a valued contributor to the leadership team in strategically supporting a business through rapid growth and/or change.
Career Level Dimensions
Typical Training/Experience
- Typically requires BS/BA in a related discipline.
- Generally, 7+ years of experience in a related field.
- May require certification.
- Advanced degree may offset less experience in some disciplines.
This information indicates the general nature and level of work performed by associates in this role. It is not designed to contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of associates assigned to this role. This description supersedes any previous or undated descriptions for this role. Management retains the right to add or change the duties of the position at any time.
Core & Main is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Employment at Core & Main is based solely on a person’s merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. Core & Main does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, disability, veteran status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, citizenship, or any other basis protected by law.
None of the questions in this application are intended to elicit information regarding any protected characteristics, nor imply any limitation, illegal preferences or discrimination based upon non-job-related information or protected characteristics.
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