Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic sales team and drive performance in a relaxed, customer-focused environment.
- Company: Gravel Hill Car Sales, a family-oriented used car dealership with a stellar reputation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, uncapped commission, staff discounts, and ongoing training opportunities.
- Other info: Enjoy a supportive culture with excellent career growth potential.
- Why this job: Join us to redefine car sales with a zero-pressure approach and exceptional customer service.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in automotive sales and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Gravel Hill Car Sales are a well-established used car dealership specialising in high-quality, competitively priced vehicles. We pride ourselves on having a unique family feel to our operation. With an extremely strong reputation for customer service and repeat business, we focus on delivering a transparent, relaxed and professional car-buying experience.
The Sales Manager is responsible for driving sales performance, supporting and developing a team of Sales Executives, and ensuring an outstanding customer experience. This is a hands-on role requiring both leadership and personal sales contribution. Our USP is a zero-pressure sales environment focused on retaining an exceptional customer review base - candidates must be able to adhere to the above non-negotiables.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead, motivate, and manage a team of Sales Executives to achieve and exceed sales targets.
- Support the team in structuring deals and handling complex customer enquiries.
- Monitor daily, weekly and monthly key performance indicators (KPIs), taking proactive action to address shortfalls in sales volume, margin, or F&I performance.
- Conduct regular 1:1s, coaching sessions, and performance reviews.
- Manage the sales process from enquiry through to vehicle handover & follow-ups.
- Achieve and exceed agreed monthly and quarterly vehicle sales targets through effective leadership, performance management, and structured sales processes.
- Maximise revenue opportunities through the sale of additional products.
- Drive dealership profitability by limiting discounts, maximising gross profit per unit, and maintaining strong stock turn.
- Ensure compliance with FCA regulations and dealership policies.
Customer Experience:
- Maintain high standards and ensure a customer-focused sales environment that supports repeat business, strong CSI/Review scores, and long-term retention.
- Handle escalated customer issues professionally and efficiently.
Vehicle Preparation & Merchandising:
- Work together with the preparation team & service centre to deliver fast turnaround & maximise vehicle profitability.
- Ensure all vehicles are presented and merchandised to the highest standards, both on the forecourt and online, with accurate descriptions, high-quality imagery, videos and aligned to our dynamic pricing strategies to attract and convert customers.
Key Requirements:
- Beliefs: Believes the automotive retail landscape is fundamentally changing, driven by evolving consumer expectations, digital disruption, and increased demand for transparency and convenience. Recognises that the traditional, negotiation-heavy sales model is often seen as stressful, time-consuming, and frictional for customers—and is committed to moving away from this approach. Values a customer-first mindset, hospitality-led customer experience where delivering a modern, enjoyable experience is just as important as achieving commercial outcomes.
- Experience: Proven experience in a used car or automotive retail environment, with a strong track record of delivering against sales and profitability targets within a low-pressure sales, customer experience driven environment. Demonstrable experience leading, coaching, and developing high-performing sales teams; including setting clear objectives, driving accountability against KPIs, conducting regular 1:1s and performance reviews, and providing hands-on support with deal structuring, objection handling, and margin protection techniques to consistently improve individual and team performance. Proven experience driving the sale of value-added products, with a strong track record of improving penetration across finance, warranty, and service plans; including embedding F&I seamlessly into the sales journey, coaching teams to present products confidently and compliantly, and using data and KPI tracking to consistently increase conversion rates while maintaining a customer-first approach.
- Skills: Excellent commercial and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret KPIs and drive performance across sales volume, margin, and F&I. Customer experience focus, with the ability to create a seamless, low-friction buying journey both in-store and digitally. Strong organisational, problem-solving and process management skills, ensuring consistent execution of the sales journey from enquiry to handover. Digital literacy, including experience with CRM systems, online merchandising platforms, and performance tracking tools. High attention to detail, particularly around compliance (FCA), vehicle presentation, and accuracy of online listings. Full UK driving licence. Proactive and driven, with a strong sense of ownership over customer enquiries, ensuring no opportunity is missed and every lead is followed through to conclusion. Highly responsive, with a natural urgency around customer follow-up, maintaining consistent communication to build trust and keep momentum in the sales journey. Customer-centric, with a genuine desire to create a positive, low-pressure experience that prioritises the customer’s needs over a hard sell. Results-oriented, with a strong focus on achieving targets while maintaining quality and compliance. Hands-on and supportive, willing to lead from the front and assist the team in closing deals and overcoming challenges. Adaptable and forward-thinking, open to new ways of working and embracing change in a fast-evolving retail environment. Detail-oriented and organised, ensuring nothing is missed across customer communication, deal progression, or vehicle presentation.
Working Hours:
- 8:30am – 6:00pm (weekdays)
- 8:30am - 5:00pm (Saturdays)
- Day off during the week
- Competitive basic salary with uncapped commission
- 23 days + bank holidays
- Staff discounts on vehicles and servicing
- Ongoing training and career development opportunities
Sales Manager in Portsmouth employer: Gravel Hill Motor Group
Contact Detail:
Gravel Hill Motor Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Sales Manager in Portsmouth
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company inside out! Research Gravel Hill Car Sales, their values, and their unique selling points. This way, when you walk into that interview, you can show them you're not just another candidate but someone who genuinely cares about their mission.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your pitch! You want to be able to confidently explain how your experience aligns with their zero-pressure sales environment. Think about specific examples where you've led a team or improved customer satisfaction – these stories will make you stand out.
✨Tip Number 3
Network like a pro! Connect with current or former employees on LinkedIn. They can give you insider tips on the interview process and what it’s really like to work there. Plus, it shows you’re proactive and genuinely interested in the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up! After your interview, send a quick thank-you email. Mention something specific from your conversation to remind them of your chat. It’s a simple way to keep yourself top of mind and show your enthusiasm for the position.
We think you need these skills to ace Sales Manager in Portsmouth
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Customer Experience: When writing your application, let us know how much you value a customer-first approach. Share examples of how you've created a relaxed and enjoyable buying experience in your previous roles. We love candidates who understand the importance of transparency and hospitality!
Highlight Your Leadership Skills: As a Sales Manager, you'll be leading a team, so make sure to showcase your experience in coaching and developing others. Talk about how you've motivated teams to hit targets and how you handle performance reviews. We want to see your hands-on approach!
Be Data-Driven: We’re all about using KPIs to drive performance, so don’t shy away from mentioning your analytical skills. Include any specific metrics you've improved in past roles, especially around sales volume and profitability. Show us how you can turn numbers into results!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about our unique family feel and what we stand for at Gravel Hill Car Sales!
How to prepare for a job interview at Gravel Hill Motor Group
✨Know Your Numbers
Before the interview, brush up on your understanding of key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to sales. Be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive sales performance in previous roles. This shows you’re not just a people person but also someone who can analyse and act on numbers.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare examples that highlight your leadership skills, especially in coaching and developing sales teams. Think about specific situations where you motivated your team to exceed targets or handled complex customer enquiries. This will demonstrate your hands-on approach and ability to lead from the front.
✨Emphasise Customer Experience
Since Gravel Hill Car Sales prides itself on a no-pressure sales environment, be ready to share your philosophy on customer service. Discuss how you’ve created seamless buying experiences in the past and how you plan to maintain high standards of customer satisfaction in this role.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical situations, like handling an escalated customer issue or structuring a complex deal. Prepare by thinking through your problem-solving strategies and how you would ensure compliance with FCA regulations while keeping the customer’s needs at the forefront.