Service Manager - Motor Trade

ASI Recruitment Ltd; Okewood Hill; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Job summary

ASI Recruitment Ltd is recruiting for a Service Manager / Aftersales Manager in Horsham, West Sussex. The role is full-time and office-based, with responsibility for the Aftersales department in an established automotive business.

You will lead a skilled team, drive profitability, manage budgets and deliver exceptional customer service, while planning workshop resources and improving performance. A strong technical background and experience with premium brands are ideal.

Qualifications

• Leadership and people management experience in a workshop
• Strong commercial awareness and budgeting skills
• Customer-centric approach with focus on service quality
• Ability to improve profitability and labour recovery
• Good technical understanding of servicing, diagnostics and repairs
• Experience with premium and prestige vehicles desirable

Responsibilities

• Manage departmental performance, budgets, profitability and KPIs.
• Oversee and manage daily workshop operations.
• Drive labour sales, technician efficiency and workshop productivity.
• Plan and allocate workshop jobs to maximise capacity and minimise downtime.
• Balance retail servicing and repairs with internal vehicle preparation.
• Lead, motivate and develop the Aftersales team.
• Maintain high standards of customer service and operational compliance.
• Identify opportunities to grow the retail servicing customer base.
• Review processes and implement improvements to drive business performance.

Skills

Leadership

Commercial awareness

Customer focus

Workshop profitability

Technical knowledge

Premium brands experience

Job description

Don't just run a department. Build its future.

Service Manager / Aftersales Manager

Horsham, West Sussex | Full-Time, Permanent

£45,000-£55,000 Basic + £10,000-£12,000 Annual Bonus

Monday to Friday, 8:00am-5:30pm

An exciting opportunity to make your mark in automotive Aftersales!

Are you an experienced Service Manager, Aftersales Manager or Workshop Controller looking for your next career move?

We're seeking a commercially minded, hands-on-in-approach Service Manager / Aftersales Manager to take full responsibility for the operational and financial performance of an established and growing Aftersales department within an independent automotive business.

With a fully equipped workshop, a skilled team of technicians and an expanding retail servicing operation, this is an excellent opportunity to take ownership, drive profitability and make a real impact on the future growth of the business.

The Role

You'll be responsible for the smooth day-to-day running of the workshop, maximising productivity, developing retail Aftersales revenue and ensuring exceptional customer service.

• Managing departmental performance, budgets, profitability and KPIs.
• Overseeing and managing daily workshop operations
• Driving labour sales, technician efficiency and workshop productivity.
• Planning and allocating workshop jobs to maximise capacity and minimise downtime.
• Balancing retail servicing and repairs with internal vehicle preparation.
• Leading, motivating and developing the Aftersales team.
• Maintaining high standards of customer service, quality and operational compliance.
• Identifying opportunities to grow the retail servicing customer base and improve profitability.
• Reviewing processes and implementing improvements to drive business performance.

This is a fully office-based management position, not a hands-on mechanical role. A strong technical understanding of modern vehicles and workshop operations is essential.

About You

You’ll be an experienced automotive professional with strong leadership skills, commercial awareness and the ability to take ownership of a busy workshop.

Ideally, you'll have:

• Previous experience as a Service Manager, Aftersales Manager, Workshop Controller or in a similar senior role.
• A strong understanding of workshop profitability, labour recovery and technician productivity.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to anticipate and resolve operational challenges.
• Experience managing and motivating a technical team.
• A good technical understanding of servicing, diagnostics and vehicle repairs.
• Experience working with premium and prestige vehicles.
• Strong communication skills and a customer-focused approach.

Experience within both franchised main dealerships and independent automotive businesses would be highly advantageous, as would familiarity with Jaguar Land Rover and premium German vehicle brands.

What's on Offer?

• £45,000-£55,000 basic salary, depending on experience.
• £10,000-£12,000 annual bonus opportunity.
• Monday-to-Friday working hours.
• A senior management position with genuine autonomy.
• A modern, fully equipped workshop and experienced technical team.
• The opportunity to grow an expanding retail Aftersales operation.
• Long-term career prospects within a growing automotive business.