Aftersales Controller- Changan Wakefield

DM Keith Ltd; Ossett; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Staff vehicle

Training & development

Career progression

Autonomy in Aftersales

Impact opportunities

Job summary

DM Keith Ltd. in Wakefield is seeking an Aftersales Controller to lead an evolving, multi‑franchiseAftersales operation. You will coordinate a small workshop team, manage customer requirements, parts, and used vehicle preparation while driving profitability and growth for the local Wakefield operation.

The role focuses on ownership, autonomy and developing the Aftersales business within the DM Keith group, supported by a wider Aftersales team.

Qualifications

• Experience in a dealership Aftersales environment.
• Ability to take ownership of an Aftersales operation.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Customer-focused while maintaining profitability.

Responsibilities

• Plan and control daily workshop workload across three technicians.
• Allocate work effectively and monitor productivity and utilisation.
• Manage WIP, parts, and customer requirements.
• Drive local workshop bookings and promote retail customer growth.
• Coordinate used vehicle preparation of 20–30 units per month.
• Monitor parts usage, stock, and departmental profitability.

Skills

Aftersales management

Workshop coordination

Customer communication

Commercial awareness

Job description

• Salary Commensurate with experience- to be discussed at interview stage
• City Ossett
• Province West Yorkshire
• Country United Kingdom
• Postal Code WF5 9QG

Job Description

D. M. Keith is looking for an ambitious and commerciallyminded Aftersales Controller to join our Changan Wakefield operation.

This is a great opportunity for someone who has developedstrong experience within a dealership Aftersales environment and is now lookingfor the opportunity to take responsibility for the day-to-day running anddevelopment of an entire Aftersales operation.

This isn't a traditional Service Advisor role, and we arenot necessarily looking for an experienced Service Manager. Instead, we'relooking for someone with the capability, drive and ambition to take ownershipof a smaller operation and help us grow it.

About the business

D. M. Keith is a long-established, family-owned automotivegroup with a strong reputation across the industry.

This role offers something particularly valuable for anambitious Aftersales professional: the opportunity to take ownership of acomplete Aftersales operation and develop your management capability within anestablished automotive group.

You will have the support of the wider D. M. KeithAftersales team, while having the autonomy to make a real difference atWakefield.

As the retail proposition develops and the business grows,there will also be opportunities for the successful candidate to progress theircareer within the wider D. M. Keith Group.

About the role

Our Wakefield site currently operates with threetechnicians and has a diverse Aftersales operation comprising:

• Multi-franchiseused vehicle preparation, typically 20–30 vehicles per month
• Agrowing retail non-franchise workshop proposition , designed toattract local customers with competitive servicing, maintenance and repairoffers

As Aftersales Controller, you will play a key role in makingthe operation efficient, profitable and customer-focused, while helping usdevelop and grow the retail side of the business.

You will be responsible for coordinating the workshop andensuring our technicians are effectively utilised, while also managing customerrequirements, parts, used vehicle preparation and the day-to-day commercialperformance of the department.

Your key responsibilities will include:

Workshop Control

• Planand control the daily workshop workload
• Allocatework effectively across the three technicians
• Monitortechnician productivity, efficiency and utilisationideo?sn?
• ManageWIP and ensure jobs progress through the workshop efficiently
• Identifyopportunities to maximise available workshop capacity
• Maintainhigh standards of quality and customer service
• Managecustomer bookings and vehicle requirements
• Provideprofessional and knowledgeable advice to customers
• Identifyand present additional maintenance and repair opportunities
• Ensurecustomers receive regular updates throughout the repair process
• Dealconfidently with customer concerns and complaints

Retail Customer Growth

• Driveworkshop bookings from local customers
• Supportlocal marketing and customer retention activity
• Identifyopportunities to increase customer-pay labour and parts sales
• Monitorlost opportunities and work to convert them into future business

Used Vehicle Preparation

• Coordinatethe preparation of 20–30 used vehicles each month
• Prioritisework according to vehicle requirements and business needs
• Manageparts availability and workshop capacity
• Monitorpreparation turnaround times
• Ensurevehicles are completed to the required quality standard
• Managethe day-to-day Aftersales requirements of our Changan customers
• Ensuremanufacturer processes and standards are followed
• Supportwarranty, servicing and maintenance activity
• Maintainstrong customer satisfaction and retention

Parts & Commercial Control

• Ensurethe correct parts are ordered and available when required
• Monitorparts usage and stock
• Understandlabour sales, parts sales and departmental profitability
• Monitorkey Aftersales KPIs and take action where required
• Provideregular performance information to the wider Aftersales management team

About you

We are particularly interested in hearing from experienced:

• WorkshopControllers
• Aftersalesprofessionals ready to take their first step into broader operationalresponsibility

Previous Service Manager experience is not essential.

What is important is that you have the capability andambition to take ownership of an operation and make it successful.

You will need to be:

• Highlyorganised and able to manage competing priorities
• Commerciallyaware and motivated by performance
• Confidentmanaging and coordinating technicians
• Comfortablediscussing technical work with customers
• Customer-focusedwithout losing sight of profitability
• Proactivein identifying opportunities to generate additional business
• Confidentusing Aftersales KPIs and performance information
• Ableto work independently and make decisions
• Ambitiousto develop your career within Aftersales

Most importantly, we are looking for someone who doesn'tsimply want to administer the workshop.

We want someone who wants to improve it, grow it and make itsuccessful.

What we offer:

• Performance-relatedbonus opportunity
• Staffvehicle benefits
• Manufacturerand D. M. Keith training and development
• Careerprogression opportunities
• Supportfrom an experienced wider Aftersales team
• Theopportunity to take genuine ownership of an Aftersales operation
• Arole where your ideas and contribution can make a visible difference

Ready for your next step?

If you're currently a Senior Service Advisor or WorkshopController and feel you're ready to take responsibility for more, thiscould be the opportunity you've been waiting for.

We don't necessarily need someone who has already been a Service Manager.

We are looking for someone who has the capability tobecome one.

If you have the experience, commercial mindset and ambitionto help us build the next stage of our Wakefield Aftersales operation, we'dlove to hear from you.