Management Trainee Program
The Southern Shingles Management Trainee Program is designed to teach through a mentoring process. The Management Trainee Program lasts 18-36 months, allowing you to experience all aspects of our business and acquire the foundation skills that will be necessary for future advancement within the company.
Once you have been selected for this program, you will be paired with an experienced mentor who will help you learn the business, such as product information, logistics, sales, credit, finance, safety, Human Resources administration and customer service. You will also become familiar with our culture and our values so that you can rise to the position of Branch Manager and beyond.
The information below is a general outline of our program. The suggested assignments and timelines may vary among our various locations and your "learning curve".
Introduction Phase
As a Management Trainee, you will be mentored by a Branch Manager who will:- Introduce you to all branch employees
- Review your training/work schedule
- Discuss initial work expectations so that such expectations are upfront and known from the beginning
- Set up computer clearances through our Information Services (IS) department and get you ready to receive daily sales report
- Ensure that all new-hire and safety training paperwork has been completed
Months 1 & 2
During months 1 and 2, you will be introduced to business procedures and workflow through brief assignments in each department, assisting employees in their jobs. You will also complete Distribution Management Systems, Inc. (DMSI) Agility software training so that you can assist in the following areas:- Inside Sales
- Warehouse: Load trucks, manage SKUs, receive product, interact with customers, etc.
- Delivery: Ride with drivers, assist in deliveries, become familiar with DOT regulations, observe dispatching, etc.
- Product Knowledge: Read about three product lines each week and become familiar with features and benefits of those products; review with Branch Manager
- Weekly review with Branch Manager: Review previous week's work; create next week work schedule and provide recommendations for continued improvement
Months 3 through 12
During months 3 through 12, you will gain a thorough working knowledge of all products and administrative procedures by continuing to:- Work in the warehouse to gain knowledge of material handling procedures and products
- Spend time with vendor reps and attend vendor training classes designed to improve knowledge of products
- Work on branch administrative functions
In addition, you will learn how to handle administrative work in the branch such as:
- Work in the warehouse to gain knowledge of material handling procedures and products
- Spend time with vendor reps and attend vendor training classes designed to improve knowledge of products
- Work on branch administrative functions
- Processing credit applications
- Processing receivables
- Processing payables
- Handling Human Resources issues
- Handling truck fleet maintenance and repair work issues
- Handling branch safety matters
- Working with Branch Manager on monthly financials
- Attending weekly sales and management meetings
- Assisting in the preparation of the branch annual budget
Months 13 & Beyond
After successfully completing your first 9 to 12 months of training, you will:- Move to Outside Sales as an assistant to an experienced outside salesperson (making joint sales calls)
- Move to a Territory Manager position responsible for outside sales in a designated geographical area for the Branch.
- When you and your mentor believe it is time to move into a Branch Manager or senior branch management position, opportunities available inside the company will be discussed with you for consideration.
