General Manager

Job Summary: Assumes responsibility and is accountable for customer retention and the profitability of each department in the dealership on behalf of the dealer. Fulfills responsibility using sound business management practices. Plans, motivates and coordinates the activities of the management team.

Reports to:
Chief Executive Officer

Job Summary: Assumes responsibility and is accountable for customer retention and the profitability of each department in the dealership on behalf of the dealer. Fulfills responsibility using sound business management practices. Plans, motivates and coordinates the activities of the management team.

Primary Responsibilities

• Design strategy and set goals for growth
• Maintain budgets and optimize expenses.
• Set policies and processes for the dealership
• Ensure employees work productively and develop professionally.
• Evaluate and improve operations and financial performance.
• Prepare regular reports for upper management.
• Plans dealership operations for the coming year and submits to the dealer for approval.
• Meets with the Sales Manager/ After Sales Manager monthly to review departmental forecasts for consistency with the annual forecast.
• Monitors the daily operating control (DOC), recommending improved courses of action where necessary.
• Provides dealer with accurate weekly reports on the financial condition of the dealership.
• Ensures that the monthly financial statement is complete, accurate and submitted on time to the factory.
• Develops and maintains a good working relationship with lending institutions and manufacturer personnel.
• Oversee daily operations, remedy customer complaints promptly, and ensure customer satisfaction metrics are met
• Recruit, hire, and train service managers, office managers, and sales/finance department managers to meet profit levels
• Assist with the creation of affordable advertising campaigns and programs to increase sale and brand visibility for the car dealership
• Attend manager meetings and establish good working relationships with owners, managers, and dealership staff to establish sales processes and recommend daily unit sales
• Implement growth strategies that align with automotive group objectives by carefully assessing profit and loss while maintaining vehicle inventory that meets the needs of the local market
• Holds regularly scheduled managers meetings to ensure that every department is operating efficiently and profitably.
• Coordinates with the business office to ensure that records and analyses are maintained accurately.
• Develops merchandising strategies and assists in creating effective, cost-efficient advertising programs.
• Resolves any customer complaints that department managers are unable to rectify.

People Management

• Hires, trains and motivates all departmental managers
• Directs and monitors all dealership management or supervisory personnel functions and completes formal performance evaluations of all department managers at regularly scheduled intervals
• Reviews all requests for training, approves those which are appropriate and consistent with the dealership's goals for professional/technical ability and advancement, and monitors their effectiveness.
• Communicates management policies and procedures to all employees and ensures that they are understood and followed.
• Evaluate and verify the performance of the employees making use of the appropriate reports, verification systems and surveys.
• Train, motivate and advise after-sales department employees and ensure that they are productive.
• Hold periodic meetings of department personnel.
• Prepare the activity schedule for employees and enforce compliance.
• Endeavour to promote harmony and a team spirit within the dealership departments.
• Plan and organize the technical training, and refers employees to
• appropriate training schools, as necessary.
• Verify the relevant daily productivity reports, as well as the documents used
• to prepare the payroll as required
• Build and maintain smooth relations with professional training schools, to
• facilitate personnel recruitment activities.
• Responsible for workplace health and safety.
• Performs other tasks, based on management requirements and instructions

General Job Requirements

• Manage, coach and develop the team to reach their full potential and performance.
• Plan, forecast and deliver sales targets.
• Ensure repairs are carried out to the highest safety standards.
• Grow workshop utilisation and efficiency.
• Working closely with other department managers to drive the overall centre performance

Skills and Education

• Bachelor's in Business Administration, Automotive Technology, Engineering
• A minimum of five (5) years’ experience in a similar position
• Proven experience in Automotive Sales
• Notable Customer Relationship Skills and excellent verbal and written communication
• Proficient in full Microsoft office suite and excellent proficiency in excel 
• Revenue forecasting
• Business and Market analysis 
• Strategic business planning