Automotive General Manager / Service Manager
1 day ago
Amherst
A well-established independent auto repair and maintenance business in the Amherst / Buffalo, NY area is seeking an experienced Automotive General Manager / Service Manager to lead day-to-day operations, manage shop performance, support technicians, and help grow the business while maintaining a strong reputation for honest, high-quality customer service. This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on automotive service leader who wants to run a local repair operation, build a high-performing team, improve shop systems, and participate in the growth of an established business. Position Summary The General Manager will be responsible for the daily operation of the shop, including customer intake, repair order management, estimating, technician workflow, parts coordination, vendor relationships, quality control, and financial performance tracking. The ideal candidate will have strong experience in automotive service operations, excellent customer communication skills, and the ability to drive revenue and profitability without compromising service quality or customer trust. Key Responsibilities Daily Operations • Oversee day-to-day shop operations, including opening/closing procedures, scheduling, work order flow, and customer communication., • Manage repair orders from customer intake through final delivery., • Coordinate technician workload to maximize productivity, quality, and on-time completion., • Ensure the shop maintains a professional, organized, safe, and customer-friendly environment. Customer Service & Sales • Greet customers, understand service needs, and clearly explain inspection results, recommended repairs, pricing, and timelines., • Prepare and present estimates in a transparent, ethical, and professional manner., • Increase average repair order through proper vehicle inspections, clear documentation, and customer education — not pressure selling., • Follow up on declined work, deferred maintenance, and repeat-service opportunities., • Handle customer concerns, warranty issues, and service quality matters promptly and professionally. Technician & Team Management • Lead, coach, and support technicians and service staff., • Monitor technician productivity, billed labor hours, comeback rate, and work quality., • Help recruit, train, and retain qualified technicians., • Maintain a positive shop culture focused on teamwork, accountability, quality, and customer trust. Parts, Vendors & Inventory • Manage parts ordering, vendor communication, parts margins, and warranty returns., • Compare vendor pricing and availability to protect both customer value and shop profitability., • Maintain proper inventory controls for common parts, fluids, supplies, and shop consumables. Financial & Performance Management • Track and report key shop performance metrics, including:, • Car count, • Average repair order, • Labor hours sold, • Estimate approval rate, • Declined work, • Parts and labor gross margin, • Technician productivity, • Comeback / warranty rate, • Customer reviews and satisfaction, • Work with ownership to improve revenue, profitability, customer retention, fleet relationships, and operational efficiency., • Support marketing, review generation, customer database follow-up, and local fleet account growth. Growth Initiatives • Help implement customer retention programs, maintenance reminders, inspection follow-ups, and seasonal service campaigns., • Support growth of local fleet and commercial accounts., • Identify opportunities to improve scheduling, bay utilization, technician efficiency, parts margin, and customer experience., • Help build a scalable operating system for the business. Required Qualifications • 5+ years of experience in automotive repair, service management, shop management, or a related automotive operations role., • Prior experience as an Automotive Service Manager, Shop Manager, Service Advisor, Fixed Operations Manager, or Lead Technician with management responsibilities., • Strong understanding of general automotive repair, maintenance, diagnostics, labor estimating, parts ordering, and repair order workflow., • Ability to manage technicians and customers professionally., • Strong communication skills and ability to explain repairs clearly and honestly., • Comfortable using shop management software, digital inspections, QuickBooks, POS systems, or similar tools., • Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple repair orders, customers, technicians, and vendors at the same time., • Strong focus on customer trust, service quality, and long-term reputation. Preferred Qualifications • ASE certifications or strong familiarity with ASE standards., • Experience managing an independent repair shop., • Experience growing fleet or commercial accounts., • Experience with digital vehicle inspections, online scheduling, customer follow-up, and review generation., • Ability to read and understand basic shop financials, including sales, gross margin, labor productivity, and profitability., • Experience recruiting and retaining automotive technicians., • Familiarity with NY State inspection requirements is a plus. Compensation • Competitive base salary: expected range of $80,000–$100,000, depending on experience., • Performance bonus opportunity based on shop profitability, revenue growth, customer satisfaction, technician productivity, and quality metrics., • Potential total compensation: $95,000–$125,000+ for a strong performer., • Benefits package to be discussed based on candidate experience and final role structure. Ideal Candidate Profile The right candidate is a hands-on automotive operations leader who can run the shop like an owner. This person should be comfortable managing technicians, speaking with customers, improving workflow, protecting quality, and helping grow the business. We are looking for someone who is: • Honest and customer-focused, • Strong with technicians and shop workflow, • Comfortable selling needed repairs without pressure tactics, • Organized and numbers-driven, • Capable of improving revenue and profitability, • Able to protect the shop’s reputation while modernizing operations, • Interested in helping grow an established independent auto repair business Schedule • Full-time, on-site role, • Monday–Friday schedule preferred, with flexibility depending on business needs, • No remote work Application Instructions Interested candidates should submit a resume and a brief note describing their automotive management experience, team leadership background, and experience improving shop performance. Qualified candidates will be contacted confidentially for an initial discussion.