Area Manager

Lead our depots. Develop great people. Drive growth.

At Howdens, our Area Managers are key to our success. They're commercial leaders who motivate teams, grow sales, and create a culture where people take ownership and thrive.

As an Area Manager in Northern Ireland, you'll lead a network of depots, partnering with entrepreneurial Depot Managers to drive performance, develop talent, and deliver outstanding results. Reporting to the Regional Managing Director, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the business while helping your teams build strong customer relationships and grow market share across your area.

If you're a driven commercial leader who enjoys building high-performing teams, delivering growth, and coaching your people, we'd love to hear from you.

What we can offer you:

• Competitive base salary and monthly bonus scheme
• Company car and optional fuel card
• Private Medical Insurance for you and your family
• Excellent pension plan with up to 12% company contribution
• Life assurance
• 34 days holiday, rising with service
• Team incentives and outings
• Staff discount on Howdens products
• Buy as you earn share scheme
• Laptop and mobile phone.
• No Sunday or Bank Holiday working
• Virtual GP access and wellbeing support for you and your family
• A strong team culture that genuinely sets us apart

What we are looking for:

• Proven experience leading multi-site teams within a fast-paced, sales environment.
• A strong commercial mindset with a track record of delivering sales and profit growth.
• Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to motivate, coach and develop others.
• A natural relationship builder who can influence and engage people at all levels.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills.
• A customer-first approach and passion for delivering results.
• Resilient, adaptable and comfortable managing multiple priorities.
• Strong planning, organisational and communication skills.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office and business reporting tools.
• A proactive and ambitious approach, with the drive to make things happen.

What you will be doing:

• Leading and developing a network of depots across Ireland.
• Coaching Depot Managers to grow sales, improve profitability and deliver exceptional customer service.
• Building strong teams by attracting, developing and retaining great people.
• Using data and insight to identify opportunities and drive business performance.
• Embedding best practice across your area while maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit that makes Howdens successful.
• Working closely with Learning & Development, HR and support teams to develop future talent.
• Ensuring high standards of health and safety, compliance and operational excellence.
• Leading area meetings, sharing success stories and creating a culture of continuous improvement.
• Supporting the Regional Director and stepping into leadership responsibilities when required.
• Travelling regularly across your area to stay connected to your depots, teams and customers.

What it’s like to work here:

• We take pride in getting things right first time for our customers
• Everyone pulls their weight and supports each other as one team
• We build trust by doing what we say we will, every day

How to apply:
If Howdens sounds like the kind of place where you can build and develop your career as an Area Manager, then we are keen to hear from you.

About Howdens:
Howdens Joinery is a highly successful FTSE 100 business, with more than 900 depots nationwide and more than 11,000 staff. Last year our sales reached circa 2.4bn, and we continue to experience significant growth and success. Despite our scale, Howdens remains a local business with traditional values.
There is a strong entrepreneurial ethos and the opportunity to develop within a fast-paced and commercial environment. That, along with a competitive salary, development opportunities, and exciting rewards, are among the reasons why our people enjoy working for Howdens – and why we have been named one of the 10 Best Big Companies to Work For.
Howdens is founded on the principle of being Worthwhile for ALL concerned. We’re working hard to ensure we provide an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome. We will do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, please email [email protected] with the job title and location, and we will be happy to help you.

About Howdens:
Howdens Joinery is a highly successful FTSE 100 business, with more than 900 depots nationwide and more than 11,000 staff. Last year our sales reached circa 2.3bn, and we continue to experience significant growth and success. Despite our scale, Howdens remains a local business with traditional values.
There is a strong entrepreneurial ethos and the opportunity to develop within a fast-paced and commercial environment. That, along with a competitive salary, development opportunities, and exciting rewards, are among the reasons why our people enjoy working for Howdens – and why we have been named one of the 10 Best Big Companies to Work For.

Howdens is founded on the principle of being Worthwhile for ALL concerned. We’re working hard to ensure we provide an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome. We will do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, please email [email protected] with the job title and location, and we will be happy to help you.

Please note that candidates applying for this role must have a valid right to work in the UK, we do not offer sponsorship of employment for any depot positions at this time. We appreciate your understanding.