Dealership Job Descriptions

The below listed job descriptions are provided as a general overview for the various positions.

It should go without much discussion that these are provided as general overviews and no single job description applies to the needs, wants and applications of every dealership. Each dealership may find it necessary and applicable to the dealership’s overall direction to add and/or modify these job descriptions.

General Manager

Job Description

• Select, hire, and train qualified management personnel and compensate them adequately
• Aid the Dealer Principal(s) in the overall management, cost containment and oversight of operations within every dealership department
• Aid the Dealer Principal(s) establish and administer operating policies and standards designed to assure competitive representation for products
• Establish and use management controls needed to insure efficiency
• Counsel all Department Managers regarding the handling of customer and public relations; settle customer complaints that Department Managers are unable to resolve
• Ensure positive employee relations. Hold individual conferences with Department Managers to discuss departmental issues, to help them to improve their management techniques, and to correct difficulties affecting their performance
• Supervise and approve development and preparation of all dealership advertising and promotions
• Participate in business and community activities and assign Department Managers to attend business and civic meetings
• Select product lines and maintain adequate inventory levels within the guidelines of the dealership annual forecast
• Communicate the need for and develop harmonious working relationships between F&I,  Service, Parts and Office Managers and Sales personnel
• Establish compensation plans and incentives for all sales department personnel
• Secure and efficiently utilize adequate lines of credit and investment
• Aid in the selection, and determine use, of adequate land, buildings, and improvements
• Help determine organizational chart of the dealership; designate job responsibilities for all personnel
• Motivate dealership personnel to attain maximum productivity by leadership, compensation, and other appropriate means
• Prepare and monitor budgets for all departments
• Monitor the public’s attitude toward the dealership
• Audit the performance of each department within the dealership
• Assume responsibility for overall performance, profitability, growth, direction, and success of the dealership
• Observe activities of competition: analyze market trends and departmental operations, advising dealership management of developments, changes, and problems as warranted
• Maintain factory contacts
• Establish and administer operating policies and standards designed to assure competitive representation for all dealership products
• Ensure compliance with all Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations
• Ensure all dealership personnel are regularly educated and updated with all compliance mandates, including federal rules, laws, mandates and regulations.

Sales Manager

Job Description

• Aid the Dealer Principal(s) and General Manager in the control of unit inventory.
• Aid the Dealer Principal(s) and General Manager in overseeing marketing & advertising strategies for the dealership
• Responsible for hiring, training and overseeing all sales staff
• Establish long and short term goals for the Sales Department
• Responsible for management of sales plans; proactive and aggressive marketing programs; ongoing training and development; regular coaching and motivation
• Responsible for creating and implementing sales strategies
• Facilitates the operation of an efficient and effective dealership, while continuing to build a strong consumer relationship base.

Skills

• Achievement and goal oriented
• Share the dealership’s commitment to consumer and employee satisfaction
• Previous sales management experience is an asset but not essential
• Marketing, Advertising and Finance experience is an asset
• Sales managers must have well developed staff management skills
• Strong selling and negotiation skills
• Excellent communication skills and customer service skills
• The ability to analyze market performance is key
• Administrative skills
• Capable of efficient planning and organizing
• Must be able to supervise and get along with others
• Maintain a positive atmosphere and image
• Stable under pressure
• Problem solver, creative
• Comfortable with details
• Demonstrated ability to establish and deliver against project timelines
• Have meticulous attention to details
• Ability to manage many projects
• Be creative, energetic and a self-starter
• Strong sense of consumer service
• Excellent interpersonal & communication skills (dealing with cross-functional teams and external vendors

Finance & Insurance (F&I) Manager

Job Description

• Verify sales contracts for accuracy and completeness
• Assist consumers in financing the purchase of units
• Negotiate terms & conditions with Financial Institutions
• Schedule & organize delivery of units
• Promote VSCs (Vehicle Service Contracts), financing, GAP,  tire & wheel, Chemical Appearance Packages and all other dealership ancillary products and services to consumers
• Develop incentives for salespeople to promote and support all ancillary products and services in accordance with dealership policies
• Work with the General Manager and Sales Manager to maximize profits from every sale.
• Prepare monthly reports and distribute to Dealer Principal(s) and General Manager
• Verify all documents for correct titles, taxes and lien information

Skills

• Aptitude for sales
• Able to work flexible hours
• Honesty and integrity
• Pleasant personality
• Detail oriented
• Excellent people skills
• Attention to details
• Demonstrated ability to establish and deliver against project timelines
• Have meticulous attention to details
• Ability to manage many projects
• Be creative, energetic and a self-starter
• Strong sense of consumer service
• Excellent interpersonal & communication skills (dealing with cross-functional teams and external vendors)

Office Manager

Job Description

• Oversee office personnel to ensure that administrative procedures are followed and deadlines are met in a timely, efficient and professional manner
• Business process manager for all administrative initiatives, programs and financial reporting
• Responsible for managing the day to day critical business processes
• Plan and coordinate office service activities including purchasing and receiving
• Implement new office procedures, as necessary, to streamline administrative processes
• Evaluate administrative support systems, methods and vendor services and provide recommendations as appropriate
• Oversee the maintenance of the office facility including inventory supplies and housekeeping
• Assign and oversee Health and Safety and Human Resource administration tasks as necessary, including in aiding the Dealer Principal(s) and General Manager in ensuring all employees are educated and current with federal rules, laws, mandates and regulations related to the everyday affairs of the dealership

Skills

• Demonstrated leadership skills and proven ability to mentor and motivate employees
• Ability to organize and prioritize workload
• Experience as an Office Administrator helpful
• Strong computer skills
• Professional and upbeat demeanor and attitude
• Ability to maintain a high-degree of confidentiality at all times
• Ability to organize and prioritize workload
• Demonstrated ability to establish and deliver against project timelines
• Have meticulous attention to details
• Ability to manage many projects
• Be creative, energetic and a self-starter
• Strong sense of consumer service
• Excellent interpersonal & communication skills (dealing with cross-functional teams and external vendors)

Service Manager

Job Description

• Schedule work in and out of shop
• Hire, supervise and direct all apprentices and service technicians
• Ensure that all parts, tools & time are available for technicians to complete the work
• Responsible for a safe and clean work environment
• Ensure that all technicians, regardless of experience, receive training and upgrading
• May assist in warranty liaison with manufacturers
• Provide estimates and quote repair work
• Track technician productivity
• Responsible for ensuring the profitable operation of the service department at maximum production while controlling costs, building a loyal clientele, maintaining good employee relationships, setting and maintaining sales and profit objectives, and maintaining service records
• Ensure a balance between efficiency, labor rates and expenses
• Direct service writers as to which technicians do which jobs
• Clarify and attempt to correct reasonable consumer dissatisfactions
• Maintain a neat and clean shop

Skills

• Technical RV service knowledge
• Team leader
• Maintain a positive atmosphere and image
• Stable under pressure
• Problem solver
• Comfortable with details
• Pleasant personality
• Creative
• Knowledge and technical expertise
• Administrative skills
• Able to display leadership and manage others
• Results oriented
• Can enforce routine procedures
• Demonstrated ability to establish and deliver against project timelines
• Have meticulous attention to details
• Ability to manage many projects
• Be creative, energetic and a self-starter
• Strong sense of consumer service
• Excellent interpersonal & communication skills (dealing with cross-functional teams and external vendors)

Parts Manager

Job Description

• Responsible for interviewing, hiring, and training parts employees
• Plan, assign, and direct parts personnel
• Appraise performance
• Coach and mentor employees
• Address complaints and resolve problems
• Complete a summary of daily sales
• Manage parts inventory
• Confer with service manager for required shop parts
• Approve parts inventory purchases and stay informed of all of the latest innovations
• Liaison between the dealership and suppliers
• Set stock levels and selection of items for weekly orders
• Responsible for all aspects of inventory control including replenishment, stocking, cycle counting, and physical inventory
• Flexibility to work outside normal work hours/weekends, as required
• Communicate well with management from Sales and Service departments
• Responsible for the profitability of the parts department
• Responsible for marketing parts and accessories

Skills

• Administrative skills and ability
• Management experience is an asset
• Previous retail sales experience is an asset, but not required
• Capable of efficient planning and organizing
• Must be able to supervise and get along with others
• Stable under pressure
• Problem solver
• Comfortable with details
• Pleasant personality
• Creative
• Flexibility to work outside normal work hours/weekends, as required
• Maintain a positive atmosphere and image
• Demonstrated ability to establish and deliver against project timelines
• Have meticulous attention to details
• Ability to manage many projects
• Be creative, energetic and a self-starter
• Strong sense of consumer service
• Excellent interpersonal & communication skills (dealing with cross-functional teams and external vendors)

Parts Sales Staff

Job Description

• Assist in retail consumer purchases
• Knowledge of the location of all parts and some knowledge of uses and installation techniques
• Ensure consumer satisfaction through efficient and timely processing of parts orders within the guidelines of company policies and procedures and by checking parts availability
• Verify prices and enter orders into computer
• Analyze consumer requests for parts; provide parts information and prices from service manuals, reference materials and computer
• Ability to provide substitute parts information for obsolete/upgraded parts based on experience and outstanding orders
• Responsible for following up on back orders by checking with other parts personnel and sources to determine status of orders and provide answers to consumers
• Establish a good relationship with distributors, dealers, service centers and consumers in order to notify them of parts availability and shipment dates determined by tracking orders and/or invoices through the computer system.

Skills

• Good consumer service abilities are required. The ability to read service manuals/schematics is an asset, as are basic computer skills.
• Personable
• Good listener
• Good sales skills
• Problem solver
• Comfortable with details
• Pleasant personality
• Good telephone manner

Service Writer

Job Description

• Meet & confer with all service consumers
• Complete service orders
• Delegate work to technicians from work orders
• Perform estimates for time and parts required
• Complete work order once service is complete
• Collect payment for work done
• Some service writers may specialize in their job and become warranty administrators, where they are the liaison between the consumer and factory while a unit is under warranty. As the liaison they must be sympathetic to the consumer’s issues and needs, and the factories abilities and limitations

Skills

• Good telephone skills
• Industry experience is an asset
• Basic RV technical knowledge is an asset
• Consumer service skills essential.
• Problem solving skills and basic computer skills are an asset.

Sales Person

Job Description

• Follow the dealership’s sales process and/or program. This generally includes the generally accepted industry standards of:
  • “Meet and Greet” the consumer
  • Conduct a proper “Presentation” of units
  • Conduct an effective “Demonstration” of units
  • Conduct a professional “Negotiation” with the consumer to help the consumer decide on the best unit, terms, conditions and pricing in order to secure the sale
  • Assist the management team in “Closing the Sale,” including securing all information needed for licensing, credit application, verification of identification and all other pertinent information requested by the management team
• Help consumers select the unit which best fits their needs and advise on industry approved and recommended towing requirements
• Present and sell other value-added options
• Write deals to present to sales manager
• Maintain regular follow-up with prospective and current clients
• Prepare preliminary used vehicle appraisals
• Salesperson may specialize in any of the RV categories including tent trailer, fifth wheels, trailers, gas and luxury diesel powered motorhomes

Skills

• Integrity, professionalism, honesty, motivation, a positive attitude and a desire to excel
• Previous sales experience is an asset
• Proven sales and consumer service success within the RV industry
• Maintains an ongoing knowledge of the Recreational Vehicles sold at this dealership, as well as a working knowledge of the competitor’s RV units
• Personable
• Good listener
• Good sales skills
• Problem solver
• Comfortable with details
• Pleasant personality
• Creative
• Flexibility to work outside normal work hours/weekends, as required
• Maintain a positive atmosphere and image
• Have meticulous attention to details
• Be creative, energetic and a self-starter
• Strong sense of consumer service
• Excellent interpersonal & communication skills

Receptionist

Job Description

• Good consumer awareness and recognition skills
• Direct all dealership visitors
• Responsible for answering all incoming calls in a professional manner
• Screen and forward telephone inquiries to appropriate staff member or departments
• Provide information to callers on an as needs basis, and in accordance with the dealership’s Policy & Procedures
• Sort and distribute incoming mail, prepare courier packs and outgoing mail
• Manage multiple boardrooms (scheduling, booking equipment, catering)
• Provide support to the administration staff such as data entry, filing and other clerical duties

Skills

• Previous experience with a multi-line switchboard is an asset
• Knowledge of and experience with MS Office
• Proven organizational, multi-tasking and time management abilities
• Strong consumer service skills
• Show initiative and ability to work with minimal supervision
• Intermediate level computer user with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Pleasant & outgoing personality
• Friendly and exhibits excellent communication skills

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