New Car & Van Stock Manager in Exeter

Salary: up to £55,000.00 per annum

Location: Exeter

This is an exciting opportunity to join City West Country Ltd in our site in Exeter. We are looking for an experienced Stock Manager to own the group's new-vehicle stock: what is ordered, where it goes, how long it sits and what it costs to hold across the group's franchises (Mercedes-Benz cars and vans, smart, BYD, Maxus and other brands), including stock, demonstrator, pre-registration and sold orders, and agency allocations.

This isn’t just another role. It’s an opportunity to become part of a long-established, family-run business where people matter, relationships count, and pride in what we do runs through every part of the organisation.

Who are City West Country?

We are a privately owned, award‑winning automotive group with over 40 years of industry experience, operating successful dealerships across Exeter, Taunton, Plymouth and Truro. As our business continues to expand, we’re offering the right candidate the chance to thrive in a fast‑paced, forward‑thinking environment

Owned by a father‑and‑son team, we pride ourselves on strong family values. For the past three years, we have also been recognised as an Outstanding Company to Work For by Best Companies!

What can we offer you?

• Company Car Scheme
• Achievable bonus opportunities
• 25 days’ holiday + bank holidays
• Scottish Widows salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Access to our exclusive Benefits Hub – discounts on big brands
• Ongoing training and development
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to work scheme and eye care vouchers
• Life assurance 1 x basic salary
• Long Service Awards to celebrate your milestones

What You’ll Be Doing

As the New Car & Van Stock Manager, you will plan, order and distribute new car and van stock across all sites, balancing sales objectives and manufacturer targets with holding costs while keeping the group within its agreed aged-stock policy and stocking-interest budget. Provide the Head of Fleet, General Managers and directors with clear, timely reporting on stock position, ageing and risk.

Key responsibilities

Ordering and allocation

• Manage monthly ordering and manufacturer allocations for stock, demonstrator, pre-registration and sold vehicles, aligning specifications and build slots with the stocking plan, demand and margin.
• Track sold orders through to delivery, approve orders within agreed limits and refer exceptions to the Head of Fleet.

  Distribution

• Allocate stock across sites to maximise sales potential, managing transfers, swaps and inter-dealer trades with accurate paperwork and system updates.
• Coordinate logistics to control delivery costs and lead times, and ensure transit damage claims are raised and recovered.

  Stocking plans

• Develop quarterly and annual stocking plans by franchise, model and site, aligned with sales budgets and manufacturer objectives.
• Set targets for stock units, value and days’ supply; review monthly with the Head of Fleet and General Managers and adjust to demand.

  Aged stock and stocking cost

• Enforce the aged-stock policy, monitor thresholds and agree timely actions with sales, including pricing, transfers, demonstrator use or pre-registration.
• Control stocking interest against budget, manage funding terms, free-stocking periods and curtailment dates, and claim manufacturer support, bonuses and incentives in full and on time.

  Reporting and control

• Provide weekly and monthly reporting on stock, ageing, days’ supply, stocking interest, order bank and pipeline, including performance against plan and policy for the Head of Fleet and directors.
• Maintain accurate dealer and manufacturer records, complete monthly reconciliations with accounts, and ensure sold vehicles are removed from stock and paid for.
• Monitor credit limits and utilisation, forecast interest costs and stock holdings, recharge physical stocking costs to selling sites and keep commitments within authority limits.
• Identify opportunities to increase gross profit through volume or margin and reduce interest costs by balancing supply and demand.

  People and standards

• Lead and develop stock administrators or coordinators and maintain strong relationships with manufacturers, funders, logistics partners and sales teams.
• Meet franchise brand and process standards and all health and safety requirements.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who shares our values and takes pride in their work.

You’ll bring:

• • At least 3 years managing new-vehicle stock, ordering or allocation in a franchised motor retail group, ideally across more than one brand.
  • Good working knowledge of manufacturer ordering systems, a dealer management system (e.g. Kerridge/Autoline, Pinnacle or similar) and stock funding.
  • Understanding of stocking interest, curtailment, days' supply and aged-stock management, and how each affects departmental profit.
  • Strong Excel skills: pivot tables, lookups and building stock and ageing reports.
  • Accurate and organised, able to manage a high volume of vehicles and deadlines.
  • Confident communicator who can challenge sales teams and managers on aged stock and ordering decisions.
  • Full UK driving licence.

Is This You?

If you’re excited by this great opportunity, we'd love to hear from you! Apply today and join a company that values performance, passion and progression.

We are passionate about creating a diverse and inclusive place to work, with a commitment to equality and fairness at the heart of our values and everyday practices and policies. We aim to recruit, nurture and retain a diverse workforce that reflect the diversity of our customer base.

Want to discuss this role? Call Beth Williams on 01392 825073 or email [email protected]