Service Manager - Motor Trade

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

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Job summary

ASI Recruitment Ltd is seeking an experienced Service Manager / Aftersales Manager in Horsham, West Sussex. This is a full-time, permanent role offering a competitive £45,000-£55,000 basic salary plus a £10,000-£12,000 annual bonus, with Monday to Friday hours.

The role requires taking overall responsibility for the operational and financial performance of the Aftersales department within an established automotive business.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading an Aftersales or service team.
• Strong understanding of workshop profitability and labour recovery.
• Excellent organisational and problem-solving abilities.
• Customer-focused approach with strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day workshop operations and driving productivity.
• Manage budgets, profitability and KPIs for the Aftersales department.
• Lead, develop and motivate the Aftersales team.
• Balance retail servicing with internal vehicle preparation and repairs.
• Identify opportunities to grow revenue and improve profitability.
• Ensure high levels of customer service and compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Commercial awareness

Organisational skills

Customer focus

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.