General Manager - Southern Yellow Pine… at Hampton Lumber · Portland

Company Summary

Hampton Lumber is a thriving family-owned company aspiring to be North America's preferred source for responsibly-sourced wood solutions. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, we operate nine sawmills in Western Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. We also manage timberland and operate a wholesale and import/export division.

Our mission is to grow, manufacture, and market renewable wood products and deliver innovative solutions for a more sustainable built environment. At Hampton Lumber, we accomplish this through our own operations as well as those of our affiliates—Trapa Forest Products, Idaho Timber, and RedBuilt. Our tagline, "Find a better way every day," encapsulates our commitment to innovation and improvement across all operations.

We are guided by our core values:

• Safety – Prioritize safety across all operations.
• Integrity & Authenticity – Operate honestly and ethically while preserving our distinctive family-owned brand.
• Responsible Stewardship – Endeavor to balance and maintain economic, social, and environmental values in everything we do.
• Tenacity – Embrace challenges with grit, determination, and a can-do spirit.
• Continuous Improvement – Strive to enhance our processes, products, and people.
• Customer Satisfaction – Be nimble, responsive, and solutions-oriented.
• Community Engagement – Be a responsive, supportive, and respected member of the community.

With over 80 years in the sawmill business, we are proud to have cultivated the knowledge and experience needed to grow and prosper, even in challenging times.  We always look to the future and invest in our people, new technologies, and continuous improvement processes and techniques.

Overview

The General Manager – Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) Sales is responsible for leading and growing Hampton Lumber’s SYP sales and trading operations supporting the company’s new mill in Fairfax, South Carolina (Allendale County).

This role will play a critical part in establishing and scaling Hampton’s southern trading presence, including helping to select an office location, define the structure of the sales team, and shape the go-to-market approach for the SYP business.

This leader is accountable for building a high-performing sales team and driving revenue growth, margin performance, inventory management, and customer relationships within the SYP segment. The role requires a strong combination of market expertise, hands-on trading leadership, and operational discipline to align mill production, customer demand, and pricing strategy.

Benefits Highlights

• Substantial company-paid assistance for Medical and Dental insurance premiums; mental health coverage; cost effective co-pays and deductibles
• 401(k) with 5% annual company contribution and generous company matching contributions vested over three years
• Paid time off, including eight paid holidays
• Opportunity to earn bonuses
• Employee wellness program that includes free counseling sessions, financial and legal guidance, and more
• Opportunities for paid training to support career advancement and personal development

Responsibilities

Business & Market Development

• Build and execute the strategic growth plan for SYP sales in alignment with company objectives.
• Establish Hampton Lumber as a leading and trusted SYP supplier across target markets and channels.
• Lead the development of the Southeast sales footprint, including recommendations on office location, team structure, and market coverage.
• Identify and develop new customer relationships (dealers, distributors, mass merchants, industrial accounts) in collaboration with the existing sales team in Portland, Oregon.
• Monitor SYP market dynamics, pricing trends, supply/demand shifts, and competitor activity to inform strategy.
• Drive volume and margin growth while maintaining disciplined risk management.

Sales & Trading Leadership

• Oversee day-to-day trading activities, including pricing, negotiation, and product allocation.
• Develop and implement pricing strategies aligned with market conditions and production realities.
• Ensure strong alignment between trading activity, mill production, and inventory management.
• Provide leadership and coaching to traders and sales staff while establishing clear performance expectations, metrics, and accountability to build a strong, results-driven culture.

Operations & Execution

• Partner closely with manufacturing, logistics, and operations teams to support initial ramp-up and ongoing production at the Fairfax, SC mill
• Ensure alignment of sales commitments with production capabilities to optimize product mix and profitability.
• Establish and oversee efficient transportation and logistics coordination for timely and cost-effective delivery.
• Implement systems, processes, and reporting to support operational discipline and visibility, particularly during startup and growth phases.

Customer & Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers and strategic partners.
• Act as a senior point of contact for major accounts, resolving issues and strengthening long-term partnerships.
• Develop and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction and responsiveness.

Team Leadership & Development

• Recruit and develop a high-performing SYP sales team that can scale as Hampton’s SYP business grows.
• Coach team members in trading strategy, relationship management, and market development.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, real-time feedback, and continuous improvement.
• Support leadership development and succession planning within the team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, or related field preferred; equivalent experience will be considered.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive sales and wholesale experience, including leadership of multi-site or large-scale operations.
• Strong knowledge of SYP markets, customers, and distribution channels.
• Demonstrated success driving revenue growth and margin performance
• Strong financial acumen and understanding of pricing, margin, and inventory dynamics
• Five or more years of experience in leadership roles, with a proven track record of managing and developing high-performing teams
• Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills
• Proficiency in sales systems, reporting tools, and data-driven decision-making
• Proficiency in business systems, data analytics, and sales performance tools.

Core Competencies

• Market & Business Acumen: Demonstrates deep understanding of SYP markets, pricing dynamics, and customer segments, leveraging data, market insights, and financial acumen to drive informed decision-making.
• Strategic Execution: Translates strategy into clear actions, priorities, and measurable outcomes while balancing short-term trading decisions with long-term market development.
• Leadership & Team Development: Builds, develops, and holds a high-performing team accountable while creating clarity in roles, expectations, and performance metrics.
• Customer Focus: Champions customer needs while balancing company goals for profitability and sustainability.
• Operational Discipline: Establishes structure, systems, and processes to support consistent performance while aligning sales activity with production, logistics, and inventory realities.
• Collaborative Influence: Works cross-functionally with mills, logistics, and leadership to drive alignment while communicating clearly and building trust across stakeholders.
• Entrepreneurial Drive: Takes ownership for building and growing the SYP business while effectively operating in an evolving environment where structure is still being defined.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset: Actively seeks opportunities to refine systems, process and people for ongoing growth and effectiveness.

More About Us

Hampton Lumber is a fourth-generation, family-owned company headquartered in Portland, Oregon, that has grown to become one of the nation’s largest privately held forest products companies. With over 80 years in the sawmill business, Hampton operates sawmills in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia and markets wood products all over the world. We also manage a wholesale and lumber export division, and numerous reload and re-manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S. All of Hampton’s forestlands are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), an independent, non-profit organization that promotes sustainable forest management. SFI certified forests play an important role in water conservation, wildlife habitat, and climate solutions.

Community is important to us, and we encourage and support our employees’ desire to be active in the community through volunteering and special projects. We passionately support youth education, career and technical education, the arts, diversity and inclusion, affordable housing, and anti-poverty programs. We are also proud sponsors of the Portland Timbers and the Portland Thorns soccer clubs. Go Timbers! Go Thorns!

Learn more at hamptonlumber.com, or follow us on Facebook: @HamptonLumber. You can also learn about our company and our priorities by visiting our blog.

EEO Statement

Hampton Lumber is an equal opportunity employer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other status protected by law.

Disability accommodation available: If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact the Human Resources Office for the location that you are applying.

Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity, please see these government posters: EEO is the Law and its accompanying temporary supplement.