Used Car Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Used Car Manager

Bob Boyte Honda — Brandon, Mississippi

Position Summary

Bob Boyte Honda is seeking an experienced, driven, and highly accountable Used Car Manager to lead our pre-owned vehicle operation in Brandon, Mississippi.

The Used Car Manager will be responsible for the profitability, inventory, merchandising, acquisition, pricing, and daily performance of the dealership’s used vehicle department. This individual must be a strong operator who understands how to acquire the right vehicles, price them correctly, move inventory quickly, protect gross profit, and develop a sales team that consistently delivers results.

The ideal candidate combines strong automotive retail experience with disciplined inventory management, excellent leadership skills, and a hands-on approach. This is not a desk-only position. The Used Car Manager is expected to actively manage the lot, appraisals, auctions, trades, aging, reconditioning, merchandising, and sales process every day.

Key ResponsibilitiesInventory Acquisition and Management

• Maintain the proper quantity and mix of used vehicle inventory based on market demand, historical sales, seasonality, price points, and dealership objectives.

• Appraise customer trade-ins accurately and competitively while protecting dealership profitability.

• Acquire vehicles through trades, service-lane opportunities, direct purchases, dealer trades, auctions, and other approved sources.

• Review inventory aging daily and create a specific action plan for every vehicle requiring attention.

• Establish and enforce clear aging guidelines, pricing strategies, and disposal plans.

• Reduce unnecessary wholesale losses and prevent inventory from becoming aged or obsolete.

• Ensure inventory levels remain aligned with the dealership’s sales pace and financial objectives.

• Monitor inventory turn, days’ supply, cost-to-market, price-to-market, and return on investment.

Pricing and Merchandising

• Price all used vehicles competitively using current market data, vehicle condition, acquisition cost, reconditioning expense, demand, and dealership gross-profit goals.

• Review used vehicle pricing daily and make timely adjustments when market conditions change.

• Ensure every vehicle is properly photographed, described, priced, and listed online immediately after becoming retail-ready.

• Maintain accurate online listings across the dealership website and third-party advertising platforms.

• Inspect the used vehicle lot daily to ensure vehicles are clean, properly displayed, fueled, secured, and ready for customer demonstrations.

• Work closely with the marketing and internet teams to improve vehicle visibility, lead volume, and conversion.

Appraisals and Deal Support

• Complete timely and accurate appraisals for customer trades and dealership purchases.

• Inspect vehicles thoroughly and identify mechanical, cosmetic, structural, title, and marketability concerns before assigning a value.

• Support sales managers and sales consultants in structuring deals that balance volume, customer satisfaction, gross profit, and inventory needs.

• Maintain consistent appraisal standards and document the basis for vehicle valuations.

• Track appraisal closing ratios and identify opportunities to improve trade acquisition.

• Be available during peak sales periods to assist with negotiations, deal structure, and customer concerns.

Reconditioning Management

• Establish and enforce a consistent reconditioning process from acquisition through retail readiness.

• Work closely with service, parts, detail, and outside vendors to minimize reconditioning delays.

• Review estimated reconditioning expenses before finalizing vehicle valuations whenever possible.

• Monitor actual reconditioning costs against estimates and address recurring variances.

• Establish clear time standards for inspection, mechanical repairs, cosmetic work, detailing, photography, and lot placement.

• Ensure vehicles meet dealership safety, appearance, and quality standards before being offered for sale.

• Maintain accountability for vehicles delayed in the reconditioning process.

Financial Performance

• Achieve dealership objectives for used vehicle sales, front-end gross profit, total gross profit, inventory turn, wholesale performance, and departmental net profit.

• Prepare and manage the used vehicle department’s monthly forecast and operating plan.

• Review daily, weekly, and monthly departmental performance reports.

• Understand and manage expenses that affect used vehicle profitability.

• Control wholesale losses, policy adjustments, transportation expenses, auction fees, reconditioning costs, and aged inventory exposure.

• Work with the General Manager, General Sales Manager, Controller, Finance Department, and Fixed Operations leadership to ensure accurate reporting and financial controls.

• Explain performance variances and present specific corrective actions when objectives are not achieved.

Team Leadership and Accountability

• Lead, coach, and develop sales managers, buyers, inventory personnel, sales consultants, and support staff involved in the used vehicle operation.

• Establish clear expectations and hold employees accountable for performance, follow-up, merchandising, inventory management, and customer service.

• Conduct regular inventory, appraisal, and performance meetings.

• Train sales personnel on used vehicle inventory, vehicle condition, competitive advantages, pricing, and value presentation.

• Create a culture of urgency, honesty, teamwork, discipline, and continuous improvement.

• Work cooperatively with new vehicle sales, finance, service, parts, accounting, internet, and marketing departments.

• Assist dealership leadership with recruiting, interviewing, training, and retaining high-performing employees.

Compliance and Customer Satisfaction

• Ensure all used vehicle transactions comply with dealership policies and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

• Follow all title, disclosure, inspection, safety, warranty, and recordkeeping procedures.

• Maintain accurate documentation for appraisals, acquisitions, wholesale transactions, and inventory adjustments.

• Ensure vehicles are represented honestly and accurately to customers.

• Address customer concerns professionally and promptly.

• Support the dealership’s customer satisfaction and reputation-management objectives.

• Protect the Bob Boyte Honda name by operating with integrity and professionalism.

Daily Operating Expectations

The Used Car Manager is expected to:

• Walk the entire used vehicle inventory every morning.

• Review aged inventory and vehicles requiring immediate attention.

• Review all vehicles in reconditioning and identify delays.

• Confirm that newly acquired vehicles are entered, inspected, priced, photographed, and marketed promptly.

• Review market pricing and competitive positioning.

• Review prior-day sales, gross profit, appraisals, trades, purchases, wholesale activity, and lead performance.

• Communicate the daily used vehicle strategy to the management and sales teams.

• Be actively involved in appraisals and deal activity throughout the day.

• Provide dealership leadership with accurate, timely performance updates.

Performance Measures

Performance will be evaluated using measurable results that may include:

• Used vehicle retail sales volume.

• Used vehicle front-end and total gross profit.

• Departmental net profit.

• Inventory turn and average days in stock.

• Percentage of inventory aged over established guidelines.

• Cost-to-market and price-to-market.

• Retail-to-wholesale ratio.

• Wholesale profit and loss.

• Appraisal volume and trade acquisition closing rate.

• Reconditioning cost and average time to retail readiness.

• Online merchandising completeness.

• Used vehicle lead response, appointment, show, and closing rates.

• Customer satisfaction and online reputation.

• Compliance with dealership policies and financial controls.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three to five years of automotive retail management experience, preferably in used vehicle management, purchasing, or sales management.

• Demonstrated success managing used vehicle inventory, appraisals, pricing, aging, and profitability.

• Strong understanding of automotive retail financial statements and departmental performance reports.

• Experience using inventory-management, appraisal, CRM, DMS, and market-pricing platforms.

• Strong negotiation, decision-making, communication, and leadership skills.

• Ability to analyze data and translate it into immediate operational action.

• Strong knowledge of auctions, vehicle condition reports, transportation, reconditioning, and wholesale disposal.

• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, performance-driven dealership environment.

• Valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record.

• High school diploma or equivalent required; college education or advanced automotive training is preferred.

Preferred Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be:

• Highly competitive without sacrificing integrity.

• Disciplined with inventory and expense control.

• Decisive and confident when appraising vehicles.

• Comfortable being held accountable to measurable results.

• Proactive rather than reactive.

• Strong at developing people and building teamwork.

• Detail-oriented while maintaining a broad operational view.

• Willing to work the schedule required to lead a successful retail automotive department.

• Focused on long-term profitability rather than short-term volume alone.

• Committed to representing Bob Boyte Honda professionally in the dealership and community.

Compensation and Benefits

Bob Boyte Honda offers a competitive management compensation package designed to reward departmental volume, gross profit, inventory performance, and overall profitability.

Benefits may include:

• Performance-based management compensation.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Paid time off.

• 401(k) or retirement benefits, subject to plan eligibility.

• Employee vehicle purchase and service benefits.

• Ongoing training and professional-development opportunities.

• Opportunity for advancement within the Bob Boyte Auto Group.

About Bob Boyte Honda

Bob Boyte Honda is committed to delivering an exceptional automotive experience through strong leadership, disciplined operations, customer satisfaction, and employee development. We are looking for a Used Car Manager who takes ownership of the department, develops people, protects profitability, and approaches every day with urgency and accountability.

Bob Boyte Honda is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, performance, and the needs of the dealership without regard to legally protected characteristics.