Dealer Relations Manager - Atlantic Zone (Markham Based)

Honda Canada Inc. • Markham, ON

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Dealer Relations Manager position focuses on leading and supporting sales processes to achieve key performance metrics in lease, finance, used, and certified pre-owned contracts for the Auto Division. It involves assisting dealers with ancillary and extended warranty sales, developing strategies for used vehicle operations, and maximizing dealer profitability. The role also includes ensuring dealer visibility to core profitability metrics, analyzing dealership KPIs, and supporting retention initiatives. Additionally, it requires providing efficient support to the dealer network, developing dealer relationships, and maintaining accountability for operational improvements. As travel will be a core and ongoing component of the role the successful candidate will be required to travel to and be present in Atlantic Canada for approximately thirty-five percent (35%) of the work year.

Requirements

• Post secondary education required - University/College degree/diploma
• 3-5 years experience working with automotive
• Knowledge of captive finance, sales division or dealer operations capacity within the automotive industry
• Knowledge of Honda Financial Services products and programs, retail for new and used vehicle businesses is required
• Excellent analytical, organizational and problem-solving skills
• Strong oral and written communication, negotiation and presentation skills
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with internal departments and affiliated subsidiaries
• Work independently in a fast-paced, results-oriented team environment with multiple, changing priorities and tight deadlines
• Prior experience in people management
• Strong PC skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Demonstrated strong leadership and management skills with a strong discipline in coaching, feedback, and mentoring and performance management
• Enjoys team-building approach of management and department - shares results.

Nice To Haves

• Bilingualism in English - French an asset

Responsibilities

• Conduct regular performance reviews with large volume dealers to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
• Develop and implement action plans to address performance gaps and enhance dealer profitability.
• Monitor sales trends and provide targeted support to dealers to boost contract and penetration results.
• Support and direct individual sales processes to identify improvement opportunities in lease, finance, total used, and Certified Pre-Owned contract and new penetration results.
• Assist dealers with Ancillary Sales by developing action plans for underperforming dealers and recommendations for countermeasures.
• Assist dealers with Honda Branded Extended Warranty Sales by developing action plans for underperforming dealers and recommendations for countermeasures.
• Overall zone accountability for all core KPIs and Nationally assigned job tree items.
• Support control the asset and resource circulation through product & customer journeys.
• Identify and improve underperforming dealers by developing a plan and assist the Dealers/field in used Vehicle Operations strategies, including acquisition and sales prioritization of the certified pre-owned portfolio.
• Ensure a sustainable dealer operation through dealer profitability through all activities relating to, used vehicle operations, and ancillary sales.
• Grow finance penetration for 0–5-year-old Certified Pre-Owned back to 50% penetration.
• Ensure dealer visibility to core profitability metrics for the zone, such as Used DOP and all Gross Profit core metrics.
• Identify Dealers with improvement opportunities in zone based on KPIs.
• Analyze, drill-down, and provide guidance for opportunities within a Dealership’s KPIs.
• Support Retention Initiatives by implementing best practices, focusing on dealer processes, and managing lease and used portfolios.
• Provide quick and efficient support for the Dealer Network while ensuring the smooth and timely flow of information to the National office.
• Provide dealer with training on core processes (i.e. portfolio management, leasing) to improve dealer performance.
• Monthly drill-down and review of dealerships financial statements to investigate opportunities in Used Vehicle Operations, Department Operating profit, Ancillary Profit and other areas directly linked to achieve HCFI targets.
• Review, discuss and implement Action Plans with Dealer Principals to ensure buy-in.
• Monthly review of action plans to ensure progress and a viable dealership network.
• Update, review, analyze and manage monthly PDCA by rotating underperforming dealers based on performance in core KPIs related to Used, Penetration and Ancillary Performance.
• Create Action Plans that can be monitored and tracked for all KPI’s with the Dealership Management.
• Meet by monthly with focus dealer DP’s / GM’s to review results / trends and action plans.
• Provide all required support and liaise with Sales with the objective of increasing KPI results and removing them from program.
• Review and follow-up all new and updated sales publications with appropriate dealer personnel.
• Ensure eBiz access is accessible, and bulletins and other communications are being read, and disseminated to appropriate dealership employees.
• Review Program Contests / Bulletins with Management and front line staff to ensure they are understood, focused on and used to motivate staff to achieve KPI’s.
• Support Dealership front line contact for consistency with the Acura / Honda Brand.
• All other Duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Hybrid position that requires employees to work on-site one day per week and work either from a home office and/or dealer locations four days per week (with a hoteling workspace at the assigned company office).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree