Director of Operations / General ManagerFurniture • Appliances • Liquidation Retail
📍 Location: Dubuque, IA
💰 Compensation: $75,000–$135,000 Base + Performance Bonus
🚀 Growth Potential: $150,000+ as additional locations are launched
📦 Relocation Assistance: Available for qualified candidates
🕒 Employment Type: Full-Time
Build the Future of a Fast-Growing Retail Company
This isn't just another General Manager role.
We're looking for a proven retail leader who wants the opportunity to help build a growing company from the inside out.
Stu's Home Improvement Outlet is one of the Midwest's fastest-growing furniture, appliance, and home improvement liquidation retailers. We specialize in truckload purchases of overstock, customer returns, scratch-and-dent merchandise, closeouts, and liquidation inventory—including furniture, appliances, flooring, cabinets, lighting, vanities, and more.
Today, we operate one successful location. Tomorrow, we'll be operating multiple stores—and we're looking for the operational leader who will help make that happen.
If you're someone who enjoys building teams, improving operations, driving sales, and creating scalable systems, this role offers an incredible opportunity to grow into a multi-location leadership position.
⚠️ Please Read Before Applying
Applicants without direct experience in one or more of the following industries will not be considered:
- Furniture Retail
- Appliance Retail
- Mattress Retail
- Liquidation Retail
- Overstock Retail
- Scratch & Dent Retail
- Closeout Retail
- Outlet Retail
We are not considering candidates from grocery, hospitality, restaurants, banking, convenience stores, or general retail backgrounds.
What You'll DoLead Daily Operations
- Oversee all store operations, warehouse, receiving, merchandising, inventory, and customer experience
- Build efficient operational systems that improve profitability and scalability
- Develop KPIs, reporting, budgeting, and forecasting for ownership
- Create SOPs that can be duplicated across future locations
Build a High-Performing Sales Organization
- Recruit, coach, and lead a commission-based sales team
- Increase close rates and average ticket values
- Drive accountability through performance management and coaching
- Lead regular sales meetings and development sessions
Own Inventory & Merchandising
- Manage inventory from truck arrival through receiving, processing, merchandising, and customer delivery
- Forecast purchasing needs and maximize inventory turns
- Maintain exceptional showroom presentation
- Oversee ordering of furniture, appliances, and related merchandise
Help Drive Company Growth
- Partner directly with ownership on expansion strategy
- Assist with opening future locations
- Develop operational playbooks for new stores
- Travel to support store launches as the company grows
What We're Looking ForRequired Experience
✔ Direct management experience in:
- Furniture
- Appliances
- Mattress
- Liquidation
- Overstock
- Scratch & Dent
- Closeout
- Outlet Retail
✔ Experience leading commission-based sales teams
✔ Experience managing truckload inventory and receiving operations
✔ Proven ability to build operational systems and processes
✔ 3+ years as a:
- General Manager
- Director of Operations
- Operations Manager
- Store Manager (large-format retail)
Preferred Experience
Experience with companies such as:
- Nebraska Furniture Mart
- Ashley Furniture
- Slumberland Furniture
- HOM Furniture
- Furniture Row
- American Freight
- Appliance Factory
- Bob's Discount Furniture
- Big Sandy Superstore
- Badcock Home Furniture
- Value City Furniture
or similar furniture, appliance, liquidation, outlet, or overstock retailers.
What Success Looks Like
Within your first year, you'll:
- Increase operational efficiency
- Improve inventory management
- Build a stronger sales culture
- Create scalable operating procedures
- Prepare the business for successful multi-store expansion
- Become a trusted operational partner to ownership
Why Join Stu's Home Improvement Outlet?
✔ Competitive compensation with performance bonuses
✔ Clear path to overseeing multiple locations
✔ Opportunity to build something from the ground up
✔ Work directly with ownership and influence company strategy
✔ Fast-growing business with significant career advancement potential
✔ Make a lasting impact on the future of the organization
Work Environment
- Retail showroom
- Warehouse and receiving operations
- Office environment
- Weekend and evening retail schedule
- Occasional lifting during receiving operations
- Travel to support new store openings
To Apply, Please Include
- Current compensation
- Largest annual sales volume managed
- Number of employees supervised
- Number of salespeople managed
- Single-store or multi-location experience
- Description of your furniture, appliance, outlet, or liquidation retail background
- Examples of operational systems or processes you've created or improved
Only candidates with direct furniture, appliance, outlet, overstock, or liquidation retail leadership experience will be considered.
Salary: $75,000–$135,000 annually + Performance Bonus
Career Growth: Opportunity to exceed $150,000+ as responsibilities expand with company growth.