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- Tasks: Oversee used car operations, ensuring smooth processes and resolving issues quickly.
- Company: Dynamic automotive company focused on excellence in customer experience.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth opportunities, and a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Be the driving force behind operational success and customer satisfaction in the automotive industry.
- Qualifications: Experience in used car operations and strong problem-solving skills required.
- Other info: Join a team that values innovation and continuous improvement.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
This is a hands-on Operations Manager role responsible for keeping used car operations running smoothly, profitably, and without friction. The focus is on protecting margin, controlling preparation costs, and ensuring issues are resolved quickly and do not repeat.
You will take full ownership of stock flow, vehicle preparation, problem cars, and escalated customer issues. Acting as the central point between buying, sales, preparation, contractors, and aftersales, you will reduce operational problems so they do not disrupt sales performance or customer experience.
Key Responsibilities- Stock and Margin Control: You will manage the full vehicle lifecycle from purchase to sale, ensuring stock moves efficiently and accurately. This includes monitoring stock ageing, taking ownership of delayed or problem vehicles, and challenging unnecessary preparation spend to protect margin.
- Vehicle Preparation and Contractors: Control all preparation and mechanical work, managing third-party contractors to agreed cost, quality, and turnaround standards. You will identify repeat faults, rework issues, and underperforming suppliers, sourcing alternatives where needed.
- Problem Vehicles and Quality Issues: Take ownership of vehicles with repeated faults or post-sale failures, deciding the most commercially sensible resolution and feeding recurring issues back into buying and preparation standards.
- Customer Complaints and Aftersales: You will handle escalated customer complaints and complex aftersales issues, acting as the decision-maker on remedies in line with consumer law and company policy. Outcomes must be fair, consistent, and commercially sound.
- Warranty and Cost Control: You will monitor warranty claims and aftersales costs, challenge declined claims where appropriate, identify trends, and recommend operational changes to reduce future issues.
- Process and Reporting: Maintain clear operational processes and accurate systems, producing regular reports on stock ageing, preparation backlogs, problem vehicles, complaints, and aftersales costs, using data to drive continuous improvement.
- Proven experience in used car operations, service management, or automotive operations
- Strong understanding of vehicle preparation, mechanical processes, and cost control
- Experience managing third-party contractors and supplier performance
- Confident handling customer complaints and difficult conversations
- Commercially minded, organised, and comfortable taking full accountability
- Calm under pressure and solutions-focused
- Strong communicator with the confidence to challenge
- Pragmatic, decisive, and commercially aware
Operations Manager in Guildford employer: SSC
Contact Detail:
SSC Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Manager in Guildford
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the automotive industry, especially those who work in operations. Attend events or join online forums where you can connect with potential employers and learn about job openings.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its operations. Understand their challenges and think of solutions you could bring to the table. This shows you're not just interested in the role but also invested in their success.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your problem-solving skills! Be ready to discuss how you've handled difficult situations in the past, especially related to customer complaints or operational issues. Use real examples to demonstrate your experience.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and take the initiative to reach out directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Manager in Guildford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the Operations Manager role. Highlight your experience in used car operations and any relevant skills that match the job description. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of how you've tackled similar challenges in the past, especially around stock control and customer complaints.
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills: In your application, don’t shy away from discussing how you've resolved operational issues in previous roles. We love candidates who can think on their feet and come up with practical solutions, so let us know how you’ve done this before!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at SSC
✨Know Your Numbers
Before the interview, brush up on key metrics related to stock control and margin management. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully managed costs in previous roles, as this will show your understanding of the financial side of operations.
✨Showcase Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare specific examples of how you've resolved operational issues or customer complaints in the past. Highlight your ability to think on your feet and provide solutions that are both fair and commercially sound.
✨Understand the Vehicle Lifecycle
Familiarise yourself with the entire vehicle lifecycle from purchase to sale. Be prepared to discuss how you would manage stock flow and vehicle preparation, as well as how to handle problem vehicles effectively.
✨Communicate Clearly
Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and confidently. As an Operations Manager, you'll need to communicate with various stakeholders, so demonstrating strong communication skills during the interview is crucial.
