Aftersales Area Manager - Automobile (East) in Cambridge

At Honda we embrace inclusion in our various policies, so whilst our contracts state that the hours are as required to fulfil the role with a minimum of 35 hours per week, we offer flexibility for when you work. The regular office hours are 08:00 – 16:00 Monday to Thursday with a half hour lunch break & 08:00 – 13:00 on a Friday. However, we offer flexibility of when you work with our daily flex‑time start of between 07:00 and 11:00 providing that there is no business requirement. Whilst there is no contractual right to work from home, the flexibility we offer is that you can request to work from home 2 days per week, again providing there is no business requirement to attend the office.

Reporting to the Automobile Aftersales Section Manager, the Aftersales Area Manager is a field‑based role responsible for the achievement of customer satisfaction, customer retention and part sales objectives. The role holder will work closely with respective retailers to implement Aftersales operational best practice, leading to business and profit growth for the Honda Automotive (HME‑UK) Retailer Network.

Understanding the retailer opportunity and current performance is of utmost importance in developing clear dealer development plans which should exceed both our customers’ needs and deliver the business area objectives. The role holder is responsible for the delivery of all defined Aftersales business targets, through the implementation of the Aftersales operational programmes and standards, these targets include; Parts, Customer Satisfaction, and Retention products.

This area will cover: Stratford, Northampton, Solihull, Ipswich, Cambridge, Colchester, Bury‑St. Edmunds, Gloucester, Soham, Kings Lynn, Swindon, Norwich, Narborough, Peterborough, Reading, Lowestoft.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the key after sales interface between Honda and the retailers, building strong, supportive relationships in order to drive commercial results.
• Agree targets and development plans with retailers, monitor progress and provide guidance to ensure delivery in line with national / area targets.
• Identify and meet training needs, either directly or through Retailer Development, to maximise commercial performance and promote brand image.
• Work with Retail Development and Sales colleagues to assess candidate prospects for potential retailers, providing local after sales expertise to maximise commercial performance and minimise risk within the retailer network.
• Analysis and Achievement of parts, retention products, eVHC (Electronic health check) and PM (Periodic Maintenance) visit targets, with the implementation of countermeasures where required.
• Implementation of Honda eVHC into selected retailers, to maximise dealer upsell opportunities and implement best practices.
• Agree and implement measurable improvement plans with the Senior Dealership Management Team, using TQM (Total Quality Management) processes.
• Implementation and management of Aftersales Development Programme from start to conclusion – AM360.
• Ensure full Retailer adherence to all Aftersales Franchise Standards and Business Terms.

Analysis and Reporting:

• Carry out detailed retailer performance analysis and reporting to keep senior managers informed and to contribute appropriate recommendations that will improve business results.
• Use composite data and local market information to build a strong understanding of current performance, pre‑empting and minimising negative impacts on Honda’s After Sales performance.
• Requirement to submit bi‑weekly forecasts versus set objectives and flexibility to respond to ad‑hoc reporting requests.
• Analysis and Achievement of aftersales CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) Overall Satisfaction scores, with the implementation of countermeasures where required.

Internal Relationships:

• Build and maintain relationships with colleagues around the business in order to be aware of relevant issues and opportunities.
• May act as a point of escalation for customer problems in order to resolve issues and improve the customer experience.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Experience in an automotive aftersales environment.
• High level of commercial interest is required, as role requires hands‑on support of commercial business.
• Good knowledge of MS Office skills (especially Excel and PowerPoint).
• Good English skills are required (written & spoken) for international communications.
• Good communication and negotiation skills.
• Good time management skills and a flexible approach to work prioritisation and scheduling.
• Well organised and analytical skills to think effectively in a cross‑functional manner.
• A wide understanding of the Honda organisation and knowledge of the external market.
• Experience in Dealer service/workshop environment.

Honda is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in the workplace for all employees, temporary workers, contractors, applicants and visitors. Honda also encourages respect for the individual differences and talents of others while making full use of one's own abilities, based on Honda's philosophy of respect for the individual. At Honda, we value and celebrate diversity and are committed to being a fair, non‑discriminatory company that promotes and welcomes the uniqueness and differences of people around the world. We recognise that a diverse workforce allows for different ideas and perspectives, and we encourage everyone to share them. We strive to foster a culture of belonging that is consistent with Honda's core values and lived out in the way we work and respect each other. For us at Honda, diversifying our workforce means increasing its overall strength by providing people with equal opportunities – regardless of personal characteristics or previous careers. This commitment flows directly from the Honda philosophy and the belief that we are all working towards a common goal. Honda recruits, hires, trains and promotes the most qualified/experienced individuals at all levels without regard to race, origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or any other protected characteristic.