Vehicle Preparation Centre (VPC) General Manager – Baltimore

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Medical Insurance

401k Matching

Paid time off

Job summary

McLaren Automotive Incorporated is seeking a senior leader to serve as the Vehicle Preparation Centre (VPC) General Manager at our Baltimore site. You will provide strategic direction, oversee three supervisors, manage budgets, and ensure exceptional vehicle fit, finish, and quality for North America.

This role requires hands-on leadership, a strong track record in automotive operations, and the ability to drive IT projects (WMS) and continuous improvement while maintaining McLaren’s renowned

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading automotive operations and vehicle processing.
• Proven track record of P&L and budget management.
• Experience implementing quality management systems and continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and IT transformation projects.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and day-to-day leadership to three supervisors.
• Deliver wholesale budget targets and manage OpEx.
• Collaborate on forecasting and planning to align production with demand.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and develop supervisory and hourly staff.
• Direct all VPC operations to ensure outstanding vehicle quality and throughput.
• Lead IT projects, including WMS deployment, to enhance capabilities.
• Conduct inspections and audits to ensure McLaren quality standards.
• Manage port logistics and coordinate shipments and install accessories.
• Drive KPI improvement through supervision of repairs and paint workflows.
• Report quality, warranty, and wholesale performance metrics to senior leadership.
• Represent VPC in cross-functional and senior management meetings.

Skills

Senior leadership

Automotive expertise

P&L management

Team leadership

Quality management

WMS familiarity

IT transformation

MS Office

Driver’s licence

Tools

WMS

Job description

What to Expect

McLaren Automotive Incorporated is seeking an accomplished senior leader to take on the role of Vehicle Preparation Centre (VPC) General Manager at our Baltimore site. Reporting directly to the VP Commercial & Distribution, this pivotal position involves full oversight of VPC operations, strategic management of three supervisors, achievement of wholesale budget goals, and ensuring operational excellence. The General Manager will guarantee exceptional vehicle fit, finish, mechanical and software validations, drive ongoing quality improvements, and manage port logistics to ensure prompt and efficient vehicle deliveries—upholding McLaren’s renowned standards for quality and customer satisfaction across North America.

What You'll Do

• Provide strategic direction and day-to-day leadership to three supervisors (VPC Operations Supervisor, VPC Technical Supervisor, and VPC Quality Supervisor), ensuring alignment with organisational objectives and McLaren standards.
• Deliver wholesale budget targets and manage operating budget (OpEx) through effective planning, execution, and resource management whilst ensuring efficiency without compromising quality.
• Collaborate with the VP Commercial & Distribution and factory counterparts on forecasting and planning to ensure production aligns with market demand.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and manage performance of all supervisory and hourly resources, including regular reviews, development planning, and maintaining training requirements across the team.
• Direct all VPC operations, ensuring outstanding vehicle quality through robust processes whilst optimising throughput, efficiency, and resource utilisation across facility inputs and outputs.
• Lead IT transformation projects, including Warehouse Management System (WMS) deployment, to enhance operational capabilities.
• Conduct daily inspections and audits of inbound vehicles to drive improvements and ensure compliance with McLaren's stringent quality standards.
• Manage port logistics, coordinating with internal teams and external partners to facilitate timely vehicle shipments, oversee VPC accessory installation, and lead daily shipping forecasts.
• Drive achievement of quality targets and key performance indicators through the three supervisors, overseeing technical repairs, quality inspections, warranty claims, and paint and body repair workflows.
• Facilitate weekly reviews with the central quality team and work closely with factory counterparts to improve incoming vehicle quality based on comprehensive audit data and analysis.
• Collaborate with the Warranty Administrator to manage quality-related claims, parts orders, replacement parts, and paint reworks as required.
• Provide comprehensive reports on quality metrics, warranty claims, wholesale performance, and improvement initiatives to the VP Commercial & Distribution and senior leadership.
• Maintain open and effective communication with all stakeholders across the organisation and represent the VPC at senior management and cross-functional meetings.

What You'll Bring

• Significant experience in senior operational leadership in automotive manufacturing, vehicle processing, or high-performance environments.
• Strong technical knowledge of high-performance vehicles and operations in a vehicle preparation and port context.
• Proven ability to manage P&L, budget planning, and financial performance against wholesale goals.
• Extensive experience leading and developing supervisory teams with a record of building organisational capability.
• Deep understanding of automotive technical reworks, software, and paint quality management.
• Experience implementing quality management systems and leading continual improvement projects.
• Familiarity with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and IT transformation projects is an advantage
• Valid driver’s licence and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Office Suite).

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker with strong business insight and commercial awareness.
• Exceptional leadership qualities, with a proven ability to inspire and develop high-performing teams.
• Professional demeanour reflecting McLaren values, with self-motivation, adaptability, initiative, and decisiveness.
• Outstanding planning, organisational, and follow-up skills with a sharp eye for detail.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Commitment to high ethical standards and cultural understanding.
• Willingness to work flexibly, including occasional weekends, holidays, and international travel as required
• Results-driven with a demonstrated ability to deliver challenging targets in dynamic settings.

What We'll Do for You

We offer a wide – ranging benefits package, which includes:

• Structured career development framework
• 15 vacation days, plus 14 bank holiday days
• Private Medical Insurance paid by company
• 401k Company Matched

Who Are We?

No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars.

It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks.

McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.