Corporate Manager, New Vehicle Operations

ZT Auto•Houston, TX

2d•Onsite

About The Position

ZT Automotive Group operates a growing portfolio of dealerships across Texas, Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, representing domestic, import, and luxury franchises, and continues to add rooftops. The organization is built on integrity, transparency, and consistency, and invests in technology and process to stay ahead of where the business is going. We are building a corporate Variable Operations team. Corporate exists to support the rooftops. The people in these roles are expected to bring real expertise to our stores and earn the trust of the operators who run them. We are looking for someone who partners with our stores rather than reports on them: building real relationships with General Managers and department leadership, owning the outcome alongside them, understanding how a decision in one department shows up in another, and caring about the health of the store beyond a single number. The Corporate Manager, New Vehicle Operations is a full-time role based in Houston, TX, responsible for new vehicle performance across the group. This role owns sales efficiency, customer satisfaction performance, manufacturer program attainment, and allocation strategy at the group level rather than the daily operation of an individual store. The Corporate Manager maintains a current, detailed understanding of every manufacturer program in which the group participates, including volume objectives, stair-step incentives, facility and floor plan assistance, captive penetration requirements, and certification requirements, and communicates how those programs interrelate. The role also oversees standardized workflows for new vehicle ordering, allocation, and distribution across stores, ensuring accurate documentation and compliance with manufacturer and corporate guidelines. Day-to-day responsibilities include analyzing market trends and performance data, reviewing store and franchise performance against objective, providing pacing communication to General Managers and Market Directors during the month rather than reporting results after it closes, developing relationships with manufacturer field representatives, evaluating allocation performance, developing and refining operating procedures, coordinating cross-store initiatives, resolving operational issues that affect new vehicle sales and customer experience, and supporting executive leadership with reporting and strategic planning. The role works in partnership with the Regional Pre-Owned Manager on trade capture, with the Regional Director of F&I and Lender Relations on captive penetration, with the Regional Fixed Operations Directors on sales-to-service handoff and delivery quality, and with the Corporate Trainer, who is responsible for store-level training and development. This position has no direct reports and works through General Managers, Market Directors, and store leadership. The person in this seat will help define how new vehicle operations are run across the group as we add rooftops.

Requirements

Experience in new vehicle operations, including manufacturer program attainment, sales efficiency, allocation, and OEM ordering and distribution.
Demonstrated knowledge of manufacturer incentive and bonus structures, with the ability to explain the relationship between operational metrics and program earnings.
Strong operations management and process improvement skills, including experience standardizing procedures across multiple locations.
Proficiency in data analysis, forecasting, and inventory management, with the ability to use reports and metrics to drive decisions and optimize vehicle allocation.
Ability to coach, influence, and build collaborative relationships across multiple locations without direct supervisory authority, and to lead change across stores.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills, with professional presence appropriate for OEM, vendor, and executive-level interaction.
Proven organizational and time-management abilities to manage regional responsibilities and competing priorities in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment.
Experience with dealership management systems, CRM platforms, OEM ordering tools, and digital merchandising platforms, along with strong general computer literacy including Excel and reporting tools.
Knowledge of automotive sales operations, OEM programs, and compliance requirements, with attention to accuracy and regulatory adherence.
An ownership mentality and the ability to build trust with experienced operators.
Bachelor’s degree in business, management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and automotive leadership experience.
Based in Houston, Texas. Candidates must live in or be willing to relocate to the Houston area.
Willing to travel to dealership locations across the group’s markets, approximately 50% to 65%, including air travel to markets outside Texas.
Valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record.

Nice To Haves

Prior multi-store or corporate-level experience in the automotive industry strongly preferred.
Single-store New Vehicle Directors prepared for a group-level role will be considered.

Responsibilities

Owns sales efficiency, customer satisfaction performance, manufacturer program attainment, and allocation strategy at the group level.
Maintains a current, detailed understanding of every manufacturer program in which the group participates, including volume objectives, stair-step incentives, facility and floor plan assistance, captive penetration requirements, and certification requirements, and communicates how those programs interrelate.
Oversees standardized workflows for new vehicle ordering, allocation, and distribution across stores, ensuring accurate documentation and compliance with manufacturer and corporate guidelines.
Analyzes market trends and performance data.
Reviews store and franchise performance against objective.
Provides pacing communication to General Managers and Market Directors during the month.
Develops relationships with manufacturer field representatives.
Evaluates allocation performance.
Develops and refines operating procedures.
Coordinates cross-store initiatives.
Resolves operational issues that affect new vehicle sales and customer experience.
Supports executive leadership with reporting and strategic planning.
Works in partnership with the Regional Pre-Owned Manager on trade capture.
Works in partnership with the Regional Director of F&I and Lender Relations on captive penetration.
Works in partnership with the Regional Fixed Operations Directors on sales-to-service handoff and delivery quality.
Works in partnership with the Corporate Trainer on store-level training and development.
Helps define how new vehicle operations are run across the group as we add rooftops.
Performs other duties as assigned as business needs require.