Workshop Manager in Luton

We are looking for an experienced and dedicated workshop controller to help lead and inspire the workshop team at our Kidderminster site to manage the flow of work through the workshop, ensuring quality and compliance of all works carried out. A focus on maximising utilisation and ensuring technicians are working efficiently, safely and to all company and manufacturer guidelines. To guide the workshop team to deliver exceptional customer service, whilst ensuring profitability, and that all company policies and procedures are adhered to at all times.

Job responsibilities:

• Ensure the workshop processes are followed for every job.
• Receive job cards from service reception, pre-time each job and allocate work to technicians, in order to maximise sold hours and monitor progress of job.
• Obtain authorisation for any additional work required, either through service reception or by direct contact with customer.
• Oversee MOT, to ensure quality and compliant workmanship and a first time pass rate.
• Ensure 100% sign off on completed inspections, ensuring our customer’s Operator’s license is safe and legal.
• Ensure that all warranty items are identified for each job and that parts replaced are labelled, appropriate documentation completed and passed for action.
• To supervise, develop and train the workshop team, to achieve the highest possible levels of performance and quality for all jobs.
• To ensure that job packs have been audited and are in a condition to be processed through to administration/invoicing.
• To monitor workshop loading and ensure continuity.
• Measure technician’s activity and performance, to deliver a quality and compliant first time fix.
• Arrange for customer to be informed that vehicle has been completed.
• Ensure that the image and levels of customer service within the department are in line with standards, to ensure company reputation is upheld.
• Schedule all PDIs and used vehicle preparation to ensure that sales department requirements are met.
• Ensure that all special tools and equipment are kept in good order and that repair requirements are notified to the service manager once discovered.
• Ensure the workshop is kept clean and tidy, at all times.
• Ensure all customer complaints are dealt with quickly and effectively, or escalated as per company complaint process if required.
• To be responsible for the supervision of junior staff, ensuring that their designated duties are performed correctly, highlighting any problems, quality issues or shortfall areas and identifying training needs.
• Ensure that all service processes (including quality checks and MOT) and company policies are adhered to.
• Manage and oversee workshop apprentices, from a training and wellbeing perspective.
• Ensure that within their area of operation, all Company and Trade Associations policies, procedures and minimum standards are met, and that all statutory requirements including trading standards, vehicle and consumer legislation, fire, health and safety etc. are adhered to.
• Scheduling and deadline management.
• Handle all internal and external customers and suppliers with courtesy.

This role will be perfect for you if you:

• Industry qualifications achieved to a minimum of Level 3 Vehicle Maintenance and Repair or mechanical engineering (all modules completed).
• Strong passenger car knowledge and experience.
• Process driven.
• Previous experience as a senior technician.
• Strong technical background.
• Good interpersonal, leadership and organisational skills.
• Willingness to learn and adapt.
• Self-motivated, energetic & able to motivate others.
• Leadership & the ability to delegate.
• Ability to work under pressure and to multi-task in a busy environment.
• Ability to prioritise work.
• Great communication, verbal and written and ability to inspire others.
• Supervisory experience.

Day to day, you will be:

• Performing major and minor repairs to heavy goods vehicles, trailers and other vehicles.
• Performing regular inspection and general preventive maintenance services such as tyre rotation and oil changes.
• Maintaining inventory in the workshop and cleanliness from oil spills and dust.
• Working with repair teams to help diagnose and plan repairs for the vehicles.
• Maintaining records of vehicles that have been repaired or handled.
• Providing repair services to clients on the road in case of emergencies.
• Completing relevant documentation and paperwork as required and providing warranty claims or escalating them to higher management.

Qualification: You will need to be level 3 (NVQ or City and Guilds or IMI Qualification) in HGV Vehicle Repair and maintenance. You will need the ability to identify worn and faulty components in accordance with the DVSA Standards and have a current, full UK driving license for the relevant vehicle classes.

Benefits for you:

• An extra day off for your Birthday.
• Overtime opportunities paid at X 1.5 basic hourly rate.
• Saturdays paid at overtime.
• 23 days of annual leave per year PLUS Bank Holidays.
• Four times death in service benefit.
• Internal Mentorship programme.
• Working for WhatVan?’s ‘Van Dealer of the Year 2026’.
• Working for Motor Trader’s ‘Employer of the Year’.
• Working for an official Great Place to Work™️.
• Working for a workplace which champions women.
• Awarded Armed Forces Covenant Silver Award (RLS).
• Working with our award-winning team – several of our team were recognised at the MT WIMT awards and we won silver at the internal communication and engagement awards for our new starter onboarding process.
• Auto-enrolment pension.
• Self-development journal.
• Group Ranked 101 in SW Business Insider’s Top 500 Companies.
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity pay policies and return to work post mat-leave policy.
• Access to our wellness programme and Employee Assistance Programmes, including WeCare from Canada Life (EAP and 24HR Online GP access and second Medical Opinion).
• Mental Health First Aiders.
• Reward and recognition programmes.
• Annual appraisals programme and progression opportunities.
• Manufacturer training and access to our in-house training.
• Long service recognition and annual leave increase after 5 years’ service.
• Branded uniform.
• Charities of the Year programme, Army Sport sponsors and community engagement initiatives.