Area General Manager- Houston, TX

Nissan Motor Corporation • Irving, TX

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Come Drive Innovation with Us. We are currently looking for an Area General Manager to join our team in the Central Region. A Day in the Life: Manages a group of Dealer Operations Managers (DOM) and Fixed Operations Managers (FOM) to achieve all new vehicle wholesale, retail, parts and accessory sales objectives, including commercial, for an assigned group of districts. In addition, promotes and supports all customer satisfaction and sales enhancing programs such as CPO and rental programs that drive customer loyalty and longer term results. Promotes DOM/FOM coordination to maximize area’s and region’s sales. Maintains routine contact with dealerships and monitors sales reports to ensure adequate coverage and support. Coaches DOMs and FOMs on sales operations assessments and improvement action plans and supports the most challenging dealer performance situations. Leads dealer facing corrective performance actions and decisions as directed by RGM, national Dealer Network Development and national Aftersales. Identifies best in class dealerships’ practices and recommends incorporation into regional and national programs and policies. Management Accountabilities: Develops and manages assigned regional staff. Manages employees by establishing performance goals, allocating resources, assessing annual performance, and determining rotational/promotional recommendations. Monitors quality of work. Supervises and provides leadership, coaching, guidance, training, career counseling and staff development; interviews and selects employees; counsels and disciplines employees as necessary; recommends termination when appropriate. Drive vehicle wholesale objectives by ensuring effective retail operations consulting that demonstrates potential ROI on sales; accentuates special wholesale promotions and reward opportunities; promotes optimum car mix and car flow and negotiating special accommodations for dealerships. Conducts select dealership visits and reviews with assigned DOMs and FOMs to discuss all aspects of vehicle sales and aftersales operations in order to drive sales and meet wholesale and retail objectives. Routinely reviews sales and aftersales reports and financial statements to monitor financial strength and compliance with company standards and agreements. Monitors cash flow, inventory, and capital. Questions accuracy and accounting if needed. Improves financial strength through increased sales vehicle sales and effective inventory management. Discusses and assesses current effectiveness of marketing and advertising plans in dealerships. Suggests new marketing programs and techniques providing proven results. Assists DOMs and FOMs in demonstrating potential positive impact on dealerships’ financial statements to achieve dealership “buy-in” and support. Solicits additional regional promotional dollars to remain competitive with other brands. Assists DOMs and FOMs in determining success or failure of marketing efforts and expenditures. Assists DOMs and FOMs with incorporating impacts of market representation changes into opportunities to maximize sales. Incorporates impact of newly opened and closed dealerships in assigned area into adjusted marketing and sales plans. Understands other external consultant’s services currently utilized or considered by dealership. Demonstrates value of Nissan/Infiniti programs and advice in comparison. Develops advertising and promotion plans to counter negativity resulting from any warranty issues. Educates and enlightens dealership personal on current incentive programs for customers, sales associates and dealership. Ensures that they comply with rules and requirements for incentive payments. Analyze reports and sales results and demonstrate programs’ financial impacts on dealerships to management. Ensures dealer attention to the commercial NV, fleet and Leaf vehicles and related incentives for the dealership. Ensure they understand the NV versatility and process for adapting the vehicle for the customer and that DOMs train dealership in processes and techniques for sourcing, tracking and promoting the vehicle. Alerts sales specialists regarding opportunities within assigned area. Monitors vehicle dealership inventories. Discusses day supply reports with DOMs and dealerships. Works with Rgl Vehicle Operations Mgr to propose adjustments to enhance future sales through improved car mix. Shares insights on changing model demands within Area to achieve continually effective regional model allocations. Works with DOM to address aged inventory issues and discuss sales and marketing plans to move vehicles. Assess and monitor major issues relating to quality of customer interface and treatment practices in dealerships to drive customer loyalty. Participates in CSS reviews and addresses identified issues with dealerships. Identify and clone best practices and correct poor habits and practices. Share action plans for dealerships to enhance customer satisfaction. Ensure DOMs and FOMs are triggering effective training of sales and service associates and customer quality improvements. Monitor levels and amount of staff training and expertise. Supports DOMs and FOMs with identification and correction of human resource issues in dealerships. Advises and assists dealership management with correcting management and staff performance through plans for documentation, feedback, coaching, and training. Recommends staff changes and terminations as appropriate. Identify causes for high levels of staff turnover and addresses issues with appropriate level of management. Supports dealership, district, region and national efforts by presence and assistance at auto shows and special events promoting brands and sales. Leads dealer facing corrective performance actions and decisions as directed by RGM and national Dealer Network Development. Assigns and directs DOM and FOM with performance issues that may impact franchise. Ensures proper dealership performance documentation and communications relating to matters of good standing. May be requested to deliver official legal communications to sales managers and dealer principal in effective, sensitive and legally compliant manner. May also assists dealerships with logistics relating to opening and closing of operations.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business or related degree.
• Experience: A minimum of 10 years of progressive marketing and sales experience within the automotive dealer support functions, including a minimum of five years working in a direct dealer facing role.
• Knowledge of automotive business operations and key management and sales operations experience as DOM, FOM, FSM and/or functioning in a regionally focused office management role is highly preferred.
• Prior management experience in the areas of carflow, distribution, customer satisfaction, marketing, market rep and analytics are highly preferred.
• Supervisory Experience: Previous experience as a Manager or Supervisor, providing leadership, coaching, guidance, training and contributing to staff development.
• Supervised subordinates or contractors with somewhat differentiated roles.
• Ability to influence the actions of others who may not be under direct control through relationship building skills.
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Demonstrated knowledge of word processor, spreadsheet, other PC applications, or mainframe applications to produce non-standard, creative products.
• Additional knowledge of sales related systems.
• Proven ability to read and understand financial statements and other key operating reports and apply to strategies to improve sales.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize own schedules and organize workload effectively with minimal daily supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to function effectively and remain productive in a virtual office environment
• Ability to focus on the best interests of the dealership and Nissan.
• Can remain objective in the course of building relationships.
• Dedication to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers.
• Attentive to others opinions and perspectives.
• Demonstrated ability to influence the actions of others by building credibility through dealership knowledge, effective recommendations, clear communications, honesty, and demonstrated follow-up on promises.
• Result driven even in the face of resistance or setbacks.
• Understands dealer agreements and required performance and policy compliance for dealerships.
• Ability to present ideas and analysis in an effective manner.
• Ability to understand the complexities of situations and solicit assistance from others as needed.
• Travel: More than 50% to 75% day and overnight domestic travel.
• Residence within assigned area required.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced post-graduate degree desired.

Responsibilities

• Manages a group of Dealer Operations Managers (DOM) and Fixed Operations Managers (FOM) to achieve all new vehicle wholesale, retail, parts and accessory sales objectives, including commercial, for an assigned group of districts.
• Promotes and supports all customer satisfaction and sales enhancing programs such as CPO and rental programs that drive customer loyalty and longer term results.
• Promotes DOM/FOM coordination to maximize area’s and region’s sales.
• Maintains routine contact with dealerships and monitors sales reports to ensure adequate coverage and support.
• Coaches DOMs and FOMs on sales operations assessments and improvement action plans and supports the most challenging dealer performance situations.
• Leads dealer facing corrective performance actions and decisions as directed by RGM, national Dealer Network Development and national Aftersales.
• Identifies best in class dealerships’ practices and recommends incorporation into regional and national programs and policies.
• Develops and manages assigned regional staff.
• Manages employees by establishing performance goals, allocating resources, assessing annual performance, and determining rotational/promotional recommendations.
• Monitors quality of work.
• Supervises and provides leadership, coaching, guidance, training, career counseling and staff development; interviews and selects employees; counsels and disciplines employees as necessary; recommends termination when appropriate.
• Drive vehicle wholesale objectives by ensuring effective retail operations consulting that demonstrates potential ROI on sales; accentuates special wholesale promotions and reward opportunities; promotes optimum car mix and car flow and negotiating special accommodations for dealerships.
• Conducts select dealership visits and reviews with assigned DOMs and FOMs to discuss all aspects of vehicle sales and aftersales operations in order to drive sales and meet wholesale and retail objectives.
• Routinely reviews sales and aftersales reports and financial statements to monitor financial strength and compliance with company standards and agreements.
• Monitors cash flow, inventory, and capital.
• Questions accuracy and accounting if needed.
• Improves financial strength through increased sales vehicle sales and effective inventory management.
• Discusses and assesses current effectiveness of marketing and advertising plans in dealerships.
• Suggests new marketing programs and techniques providing proven results.
• Assists DOMs and FOMs in demonstrating potential positive impact on dealerships’ financial statements to achieve dealership “buy-in” and support.
• Solicits additional regional promotional dollars to remain competitive with other brands.
• Assists DOMs and FOMs in determining success or failure of marketing efforts and expenditures.
• Assists DOMs and FOMs with incorporating impacts of market representation changes into opportunities to maximize sales.
• Incorporates impact of newly opened and closed dealerships in assigned area into adjusted marketing and sales plans.
• Understands other external consultant’s services currently utilized or considered by dealership.
• Demonstrates value of Nissan/Infiniti programs and advice in comparison.
• Develops advertising and promotion plans to counter negativity resulting from any warranty issues.
• Educates and enlightens dealership personal on current incentive programs for customers, sales associates and dealership.
• Ensures that they comply with rules and requirements for incentive payments.
• Analyze reports and sales results and demonstrate programs’ financial impacts on dealerships to management.
• Ensures dealer attention to the commercial NV, fleet and Leaf vehicles and related incentives for the dealership.
• Ensure they understand the NV versatility and process for adapting the vehicle for the customer and that DOMs train dealership in processes and techniques for sourcing, tracking and promoting the vehicle.
• Alerts sales specialists regarding opportunities within assigned area.
• Monitors vehicle dealership inventories.
• Discusses day supply reports with DOMs and dealerships.
• Works with Rgl Vehicle Operations Mgr to propose adjustments to enhance future sales through improved car mix.
• Shares insights on changing model demands within Area to achieve continually effective regional model allocations.
• Works with DOM to address aged inventory issues and discuss sales and marketing plans to move vehicles.
• Assess and monitor major issues relating to quality of customer interface and treatment practices in dealerships to drive customer loyalty.
• Participates in CSS reviews and addresses identified issues with dealerships.
• Identify and clone best practices and correct poor habits and practices.
• Share action plans for dealerships to enhance customer satisfaction.
• Ensure DOMs and FOMs are triggering effective training of sales and service associates and customer quality improvements.
• Monitor levels and amount of staff training and expertise.
• Supports DOMs and FOMs with identification and correction of human resource issues in dealerships.
• Advises and assists dealership management with correcting management and staff performance through plans for documentation, feedback, coaching, and training.
• Recommends staff changes and terminations as appropriate.
• Identify causes for high levels of staff turnover and addresses issues with appropriate level of management.
• Supports dealership, district, region and national efforts by presence and assistance at auto shows and special events promoting brands and sales.
• Leads dealer facing corrective performance actions and decisions as directed by RGM and national Dealer Network Development.
• Assigns and directs DOM and FOM with performance issues that may impact franchise.
• Ensures proper dealership performance documentation and communications relating to matters of good standing.
• May be requested to deliver official legal communications to sales managers and dealer principal in effective, sensitive and legally compliant manner.
• May also assists dealerships with logistics relating to opening and closing of operations.

Benefits

• Career Growth and Continuous Learning Opportunities
• Benefit from diverse career paths, cross-departmental moves, and innovative learning platforms.
• Enhance your skills through seminars, leadership training, and tuition reimbursement programs, all while playing a vital role in shaping the future of transportation.
• From day one, you'll have the support to tackle challenges and contribute to impactful solutions across our organization.
• Rewards: Be supported with a Comprehensive Benefits Package, including medical, mental health, parental leave, retirement savings & unique Nissan perks, including discounts on lease vehicles as part of our Employee Lease Program and a Vehicle Purchase Program (VPP).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees