General Manager

Vertu Motors; Newcastle upon Tyne; Remote; GBP 108,000 - 132,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension 10%

Share scheme

Leadership training

25 days holiday

Private medical insurance

Parental leave enhancement

Vertu Rewards

Job summary

Vertu Ford Newcastle, part of Vertu Motors, is seeking a General Manager to drive overall dealership performance and customer satisfaction. You will lead from the front, inspire high‑performing teams, and deliver exceptional results across sales, service and aftersales.

You will be accountable for financial performance, cost control, compliance, and building strong manufacturer relationships, ensuring a customer‑centred, high‑integrity operation.

Qualifications

• Proven track record as a General Manager in the automotive sector.
• Experience delivering strong financial results and high customer satisfaction.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and develop senior teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop cross‑department teams to achieve sales, service and profitability targets.
• Drive financial performance, cost control and operational excellence.
• Maintain strong relationships with manufacturers and ensure compliance with policies and legislation.
• Create a safe, professional environment prioritising colleague and customer wellbeing.

Skills

Leadership

Automotive GM experience

Sales leadership

Integrity

Job description

Vertu Ford Newcastle

Competitive basic salary | OTE: £120,000 | Company Car + Exceptional Benefits

As one of the largest motor retailers in the UK, Vertu Motors’ continued success is built on strong performance, growth, and leadership. Our mission — “to deliver an outstanding customer motoring experience through honesty and trust” — sits at the heart of everything we do and is central to the role of a General Manager.

Since opening in 2023, our Ford dealership has gone from strength to strength, establishing itself as a high-performing and successful operation ahead of plan. We are proud to consistently deliver service results at or above the national average, while achieving top-quartile performance for customer satisfaction.

Our thriving dealership employs 45 colleagues across the business and continues to grow, with significant capacity available for future expansion. We operate across both retail and commercial sectors and are recognised for holding the largest Light Commercial Vehicle market share in our region.

We are looking for an exceptional leader who can deliver outstanding performance across all departments while ensuring the highest standards of customer satisfaction. You will be values-driven, ambitious, and passionate about both people and results, with a proven ability to lead from the front and inspire high-performing teams.

Our competitive advantage lies in the quality of our people. We are seeking someone with determination, energy, and integrity — a leader who can take ownership of a dealership and drive it to the next level.

As General Manager, you will be accountable for the overall performance of the dealership, including:

• Leading and developing high-performing teams across all departments
• Driving financial performance, cost control, and operational excellence
• Building and maintaining strong manufacturer relationships
• Ensuring full compliance with company policies, processes, and legislation
• Creating a safe, professional environment where colleague and customer wellbeing is prioritised

You will lead by example, fostering a culture where delivering the right products and services — suited to customer needs and built on trust — drives long-term loyalty and success.

Your Experience

• A strong track record as a General Manager within the automotive sector
• Proven success across new and used vehicle sales performance
• The ability to deliver both financial results and exceptional customer outcomes
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire teams
• A values-led approach, with integrity at the core of your decision-making

Compliance & Values

As a values-driven business, it is essential that our management team consistently demonstrate behaviours that deliver positive outcomes for our customers. You will be expected to act in good faith at all times, setting the standard within your dealership and operating in a customer-centric environment where integrity is key.

You will play a key role in driving a culture of responsible business practices, ensuring we deliver the right products and services to meet our customers’ needs, protect them from harm, and encourage long-term loyalty. Building trust and acting with integrity at all times is fundamental to this role.

To protect our customers and our reputation, successful candidates will be required to undertake a DBS check, along with regular fit and proper person assessments. We will also request references from previous employers as part of our pre-employment checks.

What You’ll Receive

We believe in rewarding performance and supporting your personal and professional wellbeing:

• 10% Employer Pension Contribution
• Membership of our annual Partnership Share Scheme on top of your on-target earnings
• Ongoing leadership development with Dale Carnegie training and world‑class mentors
• 25 days’ holiday (rising with service) plus bank holidays
• Private Medical Insurance & Bi-annual health check
• Enhanced Maternity & Paternity pay
• Vertu Rewards platform access for discounts and wellbeing offers

If you’re ready to bring your leadership, experience, and enthusiasm to a dealership full of opportunity, and help drive the success of Vertu Ford Newcastle!