Automotive Sales Associate (Entry-Level – Vehicle Acquisition)

Don Ayres Automotive Group; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental insurance

Vision and life insurance

Paid time off and holidays

401(k) retirement plan with company 
+

Employee discounts on parts and ser v

Ongoing training and career growth

Job summary

Don Ayres Automotive Group in Fort Wayne, IN is hiring an Automotive Sales Associate (Vehicle Buyer and Acquisition Specialist). No automotive experience required; training provided.

You will source high-quality pre-owned vehicles and build relationships with customers to turn conversations into opportunities. This full-time, on-site role offers hourly base pay with monthly bonuses and the chance to earn $40,000-$60,000+ annually for top performers; strong energy and communication skills help

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Valid driver’s license with clean record.
• Strong communication skills.
• Comfort with technology.
• Ability to handle a fast-paced, performance-driven environment.
• Automotive experience is helpful but not required.

Responsibilities

• Source and purchase pre-owned vehicles.
• Identify inventory that aligns with sales goals.
• Negotiate with sellers to secure vehicles.
• Build relationships with customers and follow up.
• Collaborate with sales and management to move fast.
• Utilize CRM tools to track opportunities.

Skills

Strong communication

Relationship building

Negotiation

High energy

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Start a high-energy sales career where your effort directly drives your income- No automotive experience required- we train the right people.

If you enjoy talking to people, staying busy, and getting rewarded for results, this is your opportunity to break into the automotive industry.

We’re looking for a high-energy relationship builder who loves talking to people and gets excited about turning conversations into opportunities. This is not a behind-the-desk admin role. This is for someone who thrives on momentum, competition, and performance.

This role is a great fit if you:

• Enjoy starting conversations, talking with people and building trust
• Bounces back instantly from rejection
• Creates opportunities instead of waiting for them
• Loves the thrill of closing a deal
• Want a long-term career path in the automotive industry
• Are energized by goals, performance, and continuous improvement
• No experience required, we provide training

As a Automotive Sales Associate (Vehicle Buyer and Acquisition Specialist) at Don Ayres, you’ll be on the front lines of sourcing high-quality pre-owned vehicles-building relationships, spotting opportunities, and helping customers turn their vehicles into their next upgrade. Enjoy the stability of hourly pay with the upside of monthly bonuses tied directly to your performance.

What You’ll Actually Be Doing

The Vehicle Buyer and Acquisition Specialist plays a key role in sourcing and purchasing pre-owned vehicles for the dealership, with a primary focus on identifying, evaluating, and securing inventory that aligns with our sales goals and customer demand. This position requires strong market awareness, negotiation skills, and the ability to build relationships with sellers.

You are the engine that fuels our pre-owned inventory.

• Appraising vehicles for service customers
• Proactively reaching out to customers to purchase their vehicles
• Creating buying opportunities through phone, text, email, and in-person conversations
• Building rapport quickly and earning trust
• Negotiating and securing vehicles that match market demand
• Collaborating with sales, service, and management to move fast

Video: Click here to see first-hand what an Acquisitions Specialist does at Don Ayres

Who Thrives in This Role

This is perfect for someone with:

• A strong social drive - you genuinely enjoy people
• Natural persuasion skills - you influence without being pushy
• High urgency - slow environments frustrate you
• Competitive energy - you like winning
• Thick skin - rejection motivates you
• Experience in sales, recruiting, marketing, hospitality, or any high-activity customer-facing role

Compensation & Schedule

• Hourly base pay for stability
• Monthly performance bonuses (your effort directly impacts your income)
• Typical annual earnings: $40,000-$60,000+ (Top performers regularly exceed this range)
• Full-time, 5-day workweek Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm

What Makes This Different

This isn’t a passive appraisal desk job.

This is an opportunity-creation role inside a busy dealership with constant traffic and data to work from. You’ll have leads, service customers, CRM tools, and a strong brand behind you - but your results depend on your initiative.

High activity = High opportunity.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Valid driver’s license with clean record
• Strong communication skills
• Comfort with technology
• Ability to handle a fast-paced, performance-driven environment

Automotive experience is helpful but not required. Drive, personality, and resilience matter more.

Benefits

• Competitive pay with performance-based compensation
• Health and dental insurance
• Supplemental vision, dental, and life insurance
• Paid time off and holidays
• Closed on major holidays
• Short-term disability insurance
• Life insurance coverage at no cost, fully paid by the employer
• Employee Assistance Program
• Fitness Club Discount
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Employee discounts on parts and services
• Ongoing training and career advancement opportunities
• Fast-paced, high-energy environment
• Supportive, friendly, and positive company culture

Any physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.