Automotive Center Operations Manager

Xcite Automotive•Clearwater, FL

About The Position

The Automotive Center Operations Manager at Xcite Automotive manages daily vehicle reconditioning operations and ensures vehicles move efficiently through production. The role leads team members, manages workflow, maintains vehicle quality, coordinates vendors, monitors labor and supplies, tracks performance, and ensures completed vehicles meet company and dealership standards. The position is suited to an experienced automotive operations leader with hands-on knowledge of detailing, vehicle reconditioning, cosmetic repair, dealership operations, service, fleet, car wash, body shop, or auto auction environments. The manager is expected to be organized, quality-focused, comfortable holding teams accountable, and able to use reporting and performance metrics to improve production, efficiency, vehicle turnaround, and center performance. Compensation is based on experience and negotiable, with hourly or salaried options.

Requirements

At least 3 years of professional leadership experience in automotive reconditioning, detailing, dealership operations, automotive service, fleet operations, car wash, body shop, auto auction, or a related automotive environment.
Previous experience managing automotive production, workflow, staffing, schedules, or team performance.
Hands-on knowledge of automotive detailing, vehicle reconditioning, cosmetic repair, vehicle preparation, and quality control.
Proven ability to lead teams in a fast-paced, production-driven automotive environment.
Experience assigning work, managing daily priorities, monitoring production, and ensuring vehicles move efficiently through a workflow.
Ability to track and understand KPIs such as vehicle turnaround time, completed units, labor efficiency, productivity, quality, and rework.
Ability to review operational reports and use performance data to identify problems and improve production.
Strong understanding of vehicle quality standards and ability to identify workmanship or readiness issues.
Proven ability to coach employees, establish expectations, provide feedback, and hold team members accountable.
Experience managing staffing, labor utilization, production goals, and employee performance.
Strong organizational, communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to manage multiple vehicles, employees, priorities, and operational issues simultaneously.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to vehicle quality.
Ability to work effectively in a high-volume, production-driven environment.
Valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience as a Reconditioning Manager, Detail Manager, Automotive Operations Manager, Service Manager, Fleet Operations Manager, Center Operations Manager, or Body Shop Supervisor.
Experience managing a high-volume automotive reconditioning or dealership production center.
Experience with labor tracking, labor efficiency, cost control, budgeting, or operational expense management.
Experience managing automotive vendors, outside services, suppliers, or contractors.
Experience managing inventory, supplies, equipment, and production materials.
Familiarity with dealership management systems, recon software, production tracking platforms, or automotive workflow systems.
Experience developing or maintaining operational reports and KPI dashboards.
Experience implementing process improvements to reduce turnaround time, increase productivity, or reduce rework.
Experience training or mentoring automotive technicians, detailers, production employees, or supervisors.
Strong understanding of dealership vehicle preparation and retail-ready quality standards.
Experience managing multiple production departments or work centers.
Ability to communicate effectively with dealership management, vendors, technicians, and production teams.
Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills are a plus.

Responsibilities

Manage daily automotive reconditioning operations, including detailing, cosmetic repairs, inspections, vehicle preparation, and final vehicle readiness.
Lead team members by assigning work, setting priorities, managing workflow, and monitoring daily production schedules.
Coordinate vehicle movement through reconditioning to maintain efficient workflow and meet production and turnaround expectations.
Track and monitor KPIs including vehicle turnaround time, completed units, labor efficiency, productivity, quality control, rework, and overall production performance.
Review operational reports and performance data to identify trends, bottlenecks, delays, and improvement opportunities.
Conduct or oversee quality inspections to ensure vehicles meet company, dealership, and retail-ready standards.
Identify quality issues, rework needs, production delays, and workflow problems, and take corrective action.
Manage staffing levels, employee assignments, schedules, attendance, and daily labor requirements according to production volume.
Coach, train, develop, and hold team members accountable for performance, productivity, attendance, safety, workmanship, and quality.
Establish expectations for production, efficiency, quality, and vehicle turnaround.
Monitor labor utilization and productivity to ensure staffing and production resources are used effectively.
Manage supplies, materials, equipment, inventory, and other operational resources needed to maintain production.
Coordinate and manage outside vendors and service providers involved in vehicle reconditioning.
Monitor operational costs and identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary labor, material, supply, vendor, and rework expenses.
Maintain accurate operational reports, production records, staffing information, KPI reporting, and other required documentation.
Identify process improvements to increase production efficiency, reduce vehicle cycle time, minimize rework, and improve center performance.
Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and productive work environment.
Ensure team members follow company policies, safety procedures, quality standards, and operational processes.
Communicate vehicle, staffing, equipment, supply, vendor, quality, or workflow issues to appropriate management.
Help resolve production bottlenecks and reallocate resources as needed to maintain vehicle flow.
Work with technicians, detailers, vendors, drivers, and other team members to maintain consistent production workflow.
Ensure completed vehicles meet company and dealership standards before release to the next process stage.
Support a culture of accountability, teamwork, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.