| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Automobile Dealership |
| Level | Manager |
| Reports to | Dealership General Manager |
| Direct reports | Car Sales Executive, Two Wheeler Sales Executive, Accessories Sales Executive |
| Experience | 6 to 10 years in auto sales with team leadership |
Dealership Sales Manager job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Dealership Sales Manager
Department: Automobile Dealership
Reports to: Dealership General Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Dealership Sales Manager leads the new vehicle sales team and delivers the monthly numbers. They drive enquiries to bookings and deliveries, manage the sales executives, coordinate finance and insurance tie ups, and keep sales customer satisfaction high. The role reports to the Dealership General Manager or Dealer Principal. A good dealership sales manager keeps the funnel full and converting, coaches executives to close, hits the manufacturer target month after month, protects margin against too much discounting, and makes sure every buyer leaves happy enough to refer others.
Key responsibilities
- Drive the monthly new vehicle sales target through the showroom and field sales team.
- Manage the enquiry to booking to delivery funnel and improve conversion at each stage.
- Set daily and weekly targets for sales executives and review their pipelines.
- Coordinate finance, insurance and exchange so deals close without delay.
- Control discounting so volume does not come at the cost of margin.
- Plan test drives, campaigns and outdoor events to bring in enquiries.
- Keep sales customer satisfaction high through a clean booking and delivery experience.
- Coach and motivate executives and handle their objections and slumps.
- Manage vehicle stock and allocation with the general manager to match demand.
- Report sales numbers, pipeline and lost deals to the general manager.
Requirements
- Graduate in any stream, an MBA in marketing is an advantage
- Experience in automobile sales
- Knowledge of vehicle finance and insurance basics
- 6 to 10 years in auto sales with team leadership
KRAs and KPIs for a Dealership Sales Manager
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Sales target | Monthly new vehicle sales target achieved on average through the year |
| Conversion | Enquiry to booking conversion above the agreed level |
| Margin | Average discount per vehicle held within the agreed limit |
| Finance and insurance | Finance and insurance attach rate above the agreed level |
| Customer satisfaction | Sales satisfaction score above the manufacturer benchmark |
| Team productivity | Average units per sales executive above the agreed target |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: CRM software, Dealer management system, MS Excel, Manufacturer sales portals, Lead management tools.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Dealership General Manager, Dealer Principal, Regional Sales Manager
Interview questions for a Dealership Sales Manager
- How do you lift enquiry to booking conversion in a slow month?
- How do you hit volume without giving away margin in discounts?
- How do you coach an executive who is missing target for weeks?
- How do you keep the finance and insurance attach rate high?
- How do you plan stock and allocation when a model is in short supply?
- How do you keep sales satisfaction high through booking and delivery?
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What does a Dealership Sales Manager do?
A Dealership Sales Manager leads the new vehicle sales team and delivers the monthly target. They manage the enquiry to delivery funnel, coach executives, coordinate finance and insurance, control discounting and keep sales satisfaction high. Their job is steady volume at a healthy margin with happy buyers who refer others.
What is the difference between a Sales Manager and a Sales Executive at a dealership?
A Car Sales Executive sells to individual customers: enquiries, test drives, bookings and deliveries. A Dealership Sales Manager leads the team of executives, sets and drives targets, manages the funnel and margin, and coordinates finance and insurance. The executive sells; the manager runs the sales operation.
What skills does a Dealership Sales Manager need?
The role needs strong sales team management, funnel and conversion skills, and firm control of discounting to protect margin. Add coaching, negotiation and coordination of finance and insurance. Because auto retail runs on weekends and month end, planning and motivation through peaks matter a great deal.