Business Development Manager (Automotive)

Staff Solutions; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Staff Solutions in Gauteng seeks an experienced Dealer Development Manager to design and implement dealership development strategies, lead onboarding and exit activities, and ensure a high-quality dealer network.

You will establish performance standards, conduct evaluations, drive continuous improvement, manage dealer sales training, oversee showroom development, and coordinate with cross-functional teams to optimize operations in a fast-paced automotive environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, economics or engineering.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in the automotive industry.
• At least 3 years’ experience in automotive sales, dealer network development or channel management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement dealership development strategies and expansion plans.
• Lead dealer development, evaluation, onboarding and exiting activities.
• Establish and optimize dealership qualification and exit standards.
• Establish and maintain dealership performance standards and evaluation mechanisms.
• Conduct regular dealership performance evaluations and drive improvements.
• Analyze dealership performance and drive corrective actions.
• Monitor performance and support improvement, suspension or exit management.
• Develop and manage dealer sales training strategies and annual plans.
• Oversee external training providers and evaluate effectiveness.
• Ensure dealer sales teams have product knowledge and brand training content.
• Drive continuous improvement of dealer sales capabilities and customer experience.
• Lead shopfitting projects for existing dealerships and showroom development.
• Establish and improve dealership shopfitting processes.
• Assist in other department operations.

Skills

Business development

Market analysis

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Project management

Communication skills

Analytical thinking

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Duties

Dealer Development & Exit Management

• Develop and implement dealership development strategies and expansion plans.
• Lead dealer development, evaluation, onboard, and exiting activities.
• Establish and continuously optimize dealership qualification and exit standards to maintain network quality and support sustainable network development.

Dealer Performance Management

• Establish, maintain, and periodically review dealership operational performance standards, performance indicators, and evaluation mechanisms.
• Conduct regular dealership performance evaluations and support the implementation of continuous improvement initiatives.
• Analyze dealership operational performance, identify operational gaps and improvement opportunities, and drive corrective actions where necessary.
• Monitor dealership performance against established standards and support dealer improvement, suspension, or exit management processes when required.

Sales Training Management

• Develop and manage dealer sales training strategies, standards, and annual training plans.
• Oversee external training providers and evaluate training effectiveness.
• Ensure dealer sales teams are equipped with required product knowledge, sales processes, and brand training content.
• Drive continuous improvement of dealer sales capabilities and customer experience.

Dealership Development Management

• Lead and oversee shopfitting projects for existing dealerships.
• Lad and oversee the development and shopfitting of showroom for newly onboarded dealerships.
• Establish and continuously improve dealership shopfitting processes.

Cross-functional Coordination

• Assist in other operations of the department.

Minimum requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Engineering
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in the automotive industry
• At least 3 years’ experience in automotive sales, dealer network development, channel management or related fields.

Competencies

• Sound knowledge of the South African automotive industry and dealer network operations.
• Strong business development and market analysis skills.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder relationship management abilities.
• Strong planning, organizational, and project management capabilities.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Results-driven, self-motivated, and goal-oriented.
• Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities effectively.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and report preparation.