Chief Operating Officer

PERSOL; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

An automotive dealership group is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) for its operations in Malaysia. The COO will drive operational excellence and profitability, ensuring compliance with OEM standards and enhancing customer experience. The ideal candidate brings 15-20 years of senior leadership experience in automotive retail, strong financial acumen, and a strategic mindset for growth. The role requires fluency in Mandarin and focuses on scaling operations across various functions.

Qualifications

• 15 to 20 years of senior leadership experience in automotive retail or distribution.
• Experience in Southeast Asia or Malaysia market strongly preferred.
• Fluent in Mandarin to liaise with China counterparts.

Responsibilities

• Lead the establishment and performance of dealership operations in Malaysia.
• Oversee daily operations across sales, aftersales, and support functions.
• Ensure aftersales operations are profitable and customer-centric.

Skills

OEM standards understanding

Financial management

Leadership skills

Operational efficiency

Change management

Customer experience focus

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or related field

MBA preferred

Job description

A Singapore-headquartered automotive dealership group with operations in Singapore. In Malaysia, the company runs a successful car dealership business (approximately 100 employees strong) encompassing vehicle sales, after-sales service, and support functions.

POSITION TITLE: Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Role Summary

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is responsible for leading, managing, and scaling the end-to-end operations of the dealership group in Malaysia. The role ensures operational excellence, profitability, regulatory and OEM compliance, and superior customer experience while supporting market entry, stabilization, and long‑term growth.

The COO acts as the execution leader of the organization, translating strategy into disciplined operational performance across sales, aftersales, parts, and support functions, and partners with the CEO and Board in shaping enterprise strategy, long‑term operating models, and scalable growth platforms.

Responsibilities

Strategic Execution & Market Expansion

• Lead the establishment, expansion, and performance of authorized dealership operations in Malaysia.
• Execute the company’s growth strategy in alignment with Board and shareholder objectives.
• Develop and implement market entry, rollout, and scaling plans.
• Identify and evaluate opportunities for new outlets, partnerships, brands, and aftersales growth.
• Support OEM negotiations related to network expansion, operational performance, and market development initiatives.

Operational Leadership

• Oversee daily operations across Sales, Aftersales, Parts, Customer Experience, Logistics, PDI, and Support Functions.
• Establish and enforce standardized operating procedures (SOPs) aligned with OEM, regulatory, and group standards.
• Drive operational efficiency, capacity utilization, productivity improvement, and cost optimization across all functions.
• Ensure effective implementation and utilization of Dealer Management Systems (DMS) and operational reporting tools or platforms.
• Monitor and improve productivity, turnaround time, and service quality, logistics, and PDI processes.
• Oversee knock‑down assembly operations as a strategic lever for localization, cost optimization, duty efficiency, and scalable market growth, including plant setup or third‑party oversight, production ramp‑up, quality control, and OEM alignment.
• Own and manage operational P&L performance and ensure achievement of revenue, margin, and profitability targets.
• Drive margin improvement across vehicle sales, aftersales, and parts, service operations.
• Control operating expenses, inventory levels, and working capital.
• Partner with Finance on budgeting, forecasting, and capital expenditure planning.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and transparent financial and operational reporting to the CEO and Board.

Aftersales & Customer Experience Excellence

• Ensure aftersales operations are profitable, compliant, scalable, and customer‑centric.
• Monitor and continuously improve CSI, NPS, and customer retention.
• Reduce comebacks, warranty rejections, quality issues, and customer complaints.
• Oversee the resolution of escalated customer cases and manage reputational risks.
• Champion a culture of first‑time‑fix, service quality excellence, and EV‑specific technical competency.

OEM & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with OEM standards, dealer agreements, and audit requirements.
• Maintain compliance with Malaysian automotive regulations, licensing authorities, and EV‑related statutory requirements.
• Oversee warranty processes, claims accuracy, and audit readiness.
• Act as the primary operational liaison with OEM representatives.
• Ensure ethical conduct and governance standards across all operations.
• Ensure knock‑down assembly operations comply with OEM manufacturing standards, homologation requirements, EV safety regulations, and local regulatory frameworks.

Leadership & Talent Development

• Build, lead, and mentor a high‑performing leadership and management team.
• Ensure effective recruitment, onboarding, and retention of key talent.
• Develop succession planning for critical leadership roles.
• Drive training, certification, and competency development aligned with OEM and EV technology requirements.
• Foster a performance‑driven, accountable, and customer‑focused culture.
• Establish clear KPIs, performance metrics for each department and ensure performance tracking and achievement.

Governance & Risk Management

• Implement strong internal controls, policies, and compliance frameworks.
• Identify operational, financial, and reputational risks and implement mitigation plans.
• Ensure audit readiness and support internal and external audits.
• Provide structured, data‑driven operational updates and insights to the CEO and Board.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or related field (MBA preferred).
• Minimum 15 to 20 years of senior leadership experience in automotive retail or distribution.
• Strong understanding of OEM standards, audits, and dealership governance.
• Experience in Southeast Asia or Malaysia market strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success in scaling operations and improving profitability.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing knock‑down assembly operations.
• Strategic execution and operational leadership.
• Strong financial and P&L management capability.
• Deep understanding of automotive aftersales economics.
• Marketing strategy and go‑to‑market execution.
• Change management and process standardization.
• Stakeholder and OEM relationship management.
• Strong leadership skills with ability to foster teamwork internally and externally.
• Fluent in Mandarin to liaise with China counterparts.