General Manager

Cox Automotive; Colchester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Cox Automotive is seeking a General Manager to lead the Colchester Auction Centre, the largest physical auction operation in the South East. You will oversee over 80 colleagues, drive customer relationships, and ensure exceptional service, profitability, and growth.

The role requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and a hands-on approach to improve operations and financial performance at a high-profile site in Colchester.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in large-scale automotive/auction or defleet environments.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain relationships with key customers, buyers, vendors and stakeholders.
• Identify new business opportunities to grow the operation.
• Ensure customer expectations and contractual commitments are exceeded.
• Develop and deliver site business plans aligned with short- and long-term objectives.

Job description

General Manager Manheim Auctions Colchester Lead One of the UK's Most Significant Automotive Auction Operations Are you an inspiring leader with the commercial acumen, operational expertise, and strategic mindset to drive performance in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment? Manheim Auctions is seeking an exceptional General Manager to lead our flagship Colchester Auction Centre, the largest physical auction operation in the South East. This is a unique opportunity to take ownership of a high-profile business, leading a team of more than 80 colleagues, shaping customer relationships, and driving operational and financial success., As General Manager, you will have full accountability for the performance, growth, and development of the Colchester operation. Reporting to the Senior Director, MAS, you'll provide visible leadership across the site, ensuring exceptional service delivery, commercial success, operational excellence, and a culture where people thrive. You'll balance strategic thinking with hands-on leadership, taking responsibility for business performance while identifying opportunities for innovation, continuous improvement, and growth.

What You'll Be Doing: Driving Commercial Success

• Build and strengthen relationships with key customers, buyers, vendors, and stakeholders.
• Identify new business opportunities and contribute to the continued growth of the operation.
• Ensure customer expectations, service levels, and contractual commitments are consistently exceeded.
• Develop and deliver site business plans that support both short and long-term objectives.

Leading a High-Performing Team

• Inspire, develop, and lead a diverse workforce of up to 100 colleagues.
• Create a culture built on accountability, engagement, recognition, and performance.
• Support talent development, succession planning, and leadership capability across the business.
• Champion company values and foster an environment where people can perform at their best.

Delivering Operational Excellence

• Drive productivity, efficiency, quality, and safety across all areas of the auction centre.
• Ensure robust operational controls, inspection standards, and loss management processes are in place.
• Use performance data and insights to identify opportunities for improvement and implement effective solutions.
• Lead transformational projects that enhance customer experience and operational performance.

Owning Financial Performance

• Take full responsibility for delivering site financial targets.
• Maximise efficiencies while effectively managing costs and resources.
• Drive sustainable profitability through strong commercial decision-making and operational discipline.

You’ll bring

• Significant senior leadership experience within a large-scale automotive, auction or defleet environment.
• A strong track record of leading sizeable teams and delivering measurable business results.
• Experience managing customer relationships and driving commercial growth.
• A passion for operational excellence, continuous improvement, and change management.
• Strong financial and business acumen with experience managing budgets and performance targets.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
• A visible, engaging leadership style that inspires confidence and drives accountability.

This is more than a site leadership role. It is an opportunity to shape the future of one of the most important auction operations within the UK business.

You’ll join a market-leading organisation with a strong reputation, ambitious growth plans, and a culture that values collaboration, innovation, customer excellence, and developing outstanding talent.

Cox Automotive is the world's largest automotive service organisation. We provide dependable solutions that improve performance and profitability throughout the vehicle lifecycle to manufacturers, fleets, and retailers. Our businesses are organised around our customers' core needs across vehicle solutions, mobility, remarketing, funding, and retail.

The Benefits Testimonials

• Aneliese Platts Senior Designer "The people that work here are what sets Cox Automotive apart. We genuinely work as a team, and I feel the same level of support everywhere in the business. Working here is like a family away from home, but most importantly we have fun whilst doing it!"
• Ann Fairbanks Executive PA & Business Support "I wouldn't be where I am today without Cox Automotive. The company has real culture of learning, pushing the boundaries and making YOU better. It's all built on strong values that are more than just words, they're acted on every single day."
• Gemma Hepple National Operations Manager "In my nine years here, Cox Automotive has allowed me to learn, grow and hone my skills. There's a real commitment to inclusion and diversity and today I am proud to be in what was historically perceived to be a 'man's' role."