General Manager; Automotive Service Operations

Overview

A&B Import Auto is a legacy automotive service business with a 10 lifts and a 10-person team in our one service location. We are looking for a high-powered, rock star General Manager to join our team and propel the business to the next level. This will be the first senior operational leader in the company besides the owner.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to:

• Absorb day-to-day service management from the owner.
• Build a culture around written processes.
• Build a foundation of leadership that allows the business to grow into multiple locations.

We believe in evolution, speed, and production. This role, like all of the positions within our company, has specific growth opportunities and includes a path to Managing Director within 12–24 months. The perfect hire would be a great resource for stability and process today AND a force of growth tomorrow.

How it works:

• You are not walking into a day-one chaotic reorganization of the company.
• Instead, you will be fully supported in tasks and education while you get to know our team, our business, and our customers.
• Automotive industry experience is not strictly required, but is a huge plus. If you don t have automotive management experience, please include a cover letter describing your compatibility with this role.
• We care deeply about culture, speed, and performance. We want a LEADER who exemplifies these qualities and brings a great example to our team!

Phase 1:
First 6 Months - General Manager, Service Operations.

Your primary mandate in Phase 1 is to own all tasks to make our operations consistent and repeatable (prepare for growth).

• What you will own:
  • Absorb all service management responsibilities currently handled by the owner, including:
  • RO audits.
  • Phone call reviews and coaching.
  • KPI reporting and performance reviews.
  • Quality check calls (thanking customers for their business, making sure the experience was excellent).
• Customer issue escalation and resolution.
• Implement, enforce, and continuously refine SOPs across advisors and technicians (goal of fully written playbook within 8–12 months).
• Act as the first point of escalation for team and customer issues.
• Run daily advisor huddles and weekly technician huddles.
• Coach team members based on KPIs and observed performance.
• Coordinate with the bookkeeper and founder on payroll, AP, and cash-aware decision-making.
• Be physically present in the shop and operate as a player-coach.
  • Serve as sales backup (roughly 10–20% of sales as needed).
  • Train advisors on our playbook.
• Prepare the business for unforeseen absences from the owner:
  • If the owner disappeared for three weeks, the business would still perform well and meet growth objectives.

• From day one, you will have authority to direct advisors and technicians, even if reporting lines are initially informal.
• By ~60–90 days, you can independently:
• Hire, terminate, and replace lower level staff.
• Handle customer situations if escalated.
• Implement and enforce operational processes.
• Adjust production priorities week-to-week.
• Make equipment, layout, and efficiency improvements.
• Coach and correct team members based on KPIs.
• Make marketing, B2B pricing, and promotional decisions within guidelines.

The team will be trained to bring problems to you first to start emphasizing a chain of command.

Phase 2:
Months 6–12 - Expansion & Managing Director Readiness. Once the operation is stable and leadership trust is established, your role begins to scale.

Expanded scope:

• Run the location with minimal owner dependency.
• Own a 20–30% year-over-year growth target through operational excellence.
• Build leadership redundancy and actively train subordinates.
• Prepare the organization for a second location from both a succession and cash-readiness standpoint.
• Potentially begin transitioning toward director-level responsibilities as the business grows.
• Coordinate with marketing and finance to align growth with capacity and cash flow.

This phase is directional, not automatic. Scope expands based on performance and fit.

You will own and report on these weekly:

• Speed of sale (measured and/or observed).
• Weekly gross profit dollars and margin.
• Production…