Bodyshop Manager in Bury St Edmunds

We’re looking for a Bodyshop Manager to join our team, and play a key role at Activate Accident Repair Mildenhall. Activate Group is a growing UK business approaching 1,000+ team members nationwide. This is an exciting opportunity to build a long-term career with a company that values its people and offers genuine development and progression opportunities.

Role overview: Oversee all aspects of the Bodyshop and ensuring customer service level agreements (SLAs) and site key performance indicators (KPIs) are met while maximising profitability.

Benefits:

• 33 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• Bonus Scheme
• Car Allowance
• Private Healthcare (BUPA)
• Annual pay review
• Personal health cash plan – claim back the cost of things like dentist and optical check-ups
• Enhanced maternity / paternity / adoption / shared parental pay
• Life assurance: three times basic salary
• Free breakfasts and fruit
• Birthday surprise for everybody!

Key responsibilities:

• Plan resources and equipment levels around budgets and financial plans.
• Establish and maintain control of consistent workflow within the Bodyshop through effective capacity planning.
• Adhere to operational workshop loading system in line with company policy/procedures, ensuring all targets and deadlines are met or addressed.
• Manage daily production co-ordination.
• Regularly and consistently review site KPI performance to identify areas of potential shortfall against plan, delivery of average repair cost target, CSI targets and customer service scores.
• Manage customer complaints from initial contact through to conclusion, carrying out root cause analysis on each complaint, identifying and implementing any actions required.
• Promote good communication throughout all areas of responsibility, developing and fostering a pro-active attitude through regular, open and honest communication that supports the achievement of Company objectives.
• Conduct regular performance reviews with all team members, monitor targets and identify training needs.
• Lead all recruitment activities in partnership with the People team.
• Promote employee engagement and retention, making use of Company schemes such as Employee of the Month and values nominations.
• Lead support for all site apprentices to review their progress.
• Ensure adherence to all Health and Safety regulations on site and monitor audit performance, taking action where required.
• If required, lead and manage the site to achieve BSI Kitemark.
• Support other Group sites when required.

Skills and experience:

• Technical knowledge and experience of the Accident Repair and Bodyshop industry.
• Previous experience within a management position with the ability to lead and coach the team.
• Ability to organise office administration, control systems and financial resources.
• Relevant and up-to-date knowledge of vehicle design and manufacture, consumer and vehicle legislation, industry and best practice.
• Knowledge and understanding of the provisions of E.P.A. and C.O.S.H.H.
• Knowledge and understanding of BSI Standards and accreditation.
• Strong numeracy and literacy skills.
• Excellent communication skills.

What We Offer: Supportive and professional working environment, opportunity to grow with a dynamic and ambitious company, career development and progression opportunities.

What you can expect from us: At Activate Group, we want everyone to have the tools and support they need to do their best work. We’re an innovative business that continuously reviews and improves our systems, processes and ways of working, making sure they support our teams to do their jobs effectively. Every role at Activate Group is aligned to our wider business vision and purpose – making someone’s bad day better. You’ll understand how your role contributes to the bigger picture and how your work helps deliver excellent outcomes for customers and partners. We believe work should be enjoyable. We make time to celebrate success, recognise achievements and bring people together at team events and company-wide celebrations. We’ll also support your ongoing development through regular feedback and career planning.

A bit about us: Activate Group is a fast-growing business approaching 1,000 team members nationwide. We work with some of the UK’s largest fleets and insurance companies, supporting drivers that have been involved in road incidents through our contact centres in Halifax, Peterborough and Huddersfield. We manage every step of the repair journey - repairing vehicles at our own Activate Accident Repair (AAR) body shops, as well as through a UK-wide network of trusted independent repair partners. We also work with the UK’s largest vehicle manufacturers, supporting their approved repair programmes, and deliver innovative technology solutions to fleets, vehicle repair centres and dealerships.

Our purpose & values: Our purpose underpins everything we do: Make someone’s bad day better. Our values define how we work with our team members, customers and suppliers: Make it happen – Be accountable. Take the initiative, work fast, and do a great job. Strive for better – Be bold. Challenge the norm - make small improvements often. Win together – Be a team player. Win together, learn together, respect each other.