Regional Pre-Owned Manager

ZT Motors of Texas LP•Houston, TX

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

ZT Automotive Group is seeking a Regional Pre-Owned Manager to oversee pre-owned vehicle operations across its dealerships in Texas, Florida, Alabama, and Georgia. This full-time role, based in Houston, TX, is responsible for managing inventory strategy, including acquisition, pricing, merchandising, and aging, to optimize profitability and turnover. The position also owns appraisal discipline and wholesale exposure at the group level, ensuring adherence to a retail-first inventory philosophy where every unit capable of passing a safety inspection is retailed. The role involves collaborating with various corporate and store-level teams, including General Managers, Market Directors, used vehicle managers, and other operational leaders, to drive performance and maintain inventory health across the group's markets. This is a corporate role designed to support dealership operations with expertise and partnership.

Requirements

Experience in pre-owned or used car operations, including inventory management, pricing, and wholesale and retail strategies.
Working knowledge of appraisal practices, acquisition sourcing, and reconditioning workflow.
Proficiency in analyzing market data, sales reports, and performance metrics to make data-driven decisions.
Ability to coach, influence, and build collaborative relationships across multiple locations without direct supervisory authority.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to represent the organization professionally with auction and vendor partners.
Proven organizational and time-management abilities to manage regional responsibilities and competing priorities.
Comfort with dealership management systems, CRM tools, inventory management and appraisal platforms, and digital merchandising platforms.
An ownership mentality and the ability to build trust with experienced operators.
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.
High school diploma or equivalent required.
Valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record.

Nice To Haves

Prior multi-store or regional experience in the automotive industry preferred.
Strong store-level used vehicle leaders ready to step into a group role will be considered.
Post-secondary education in business or a related field is beneficial.

Responsibilities

Manage inventory strategy, including acquisition, pricing, merchandising, and aging, to optimize profitability and turnover.
Own appraisal discipline and wholesale exposure at the group level.
Uphold the retail-first inventory philosophy, ensuring no appraisal is designated for wholesale disposition prior to service evaluation.
Review market and aging data daily.
Guide appraisal and trade-in practices through the group appraiser scoring process and bid desk procedure.
Improve acquisition performance across trade capture, service drive acquisition, and off-street purchasing.
Direct corrective action on aged and at-risk units.
Review wholesale disposition activity for consistency with group policy.
Support merchandising and marketing initiatives for pre-owned inventory.
Maintain a consistent weekly cadence with used vehicle managers, supported by written follow-up.
Manage relationships with auction partners, inventory management vendors, and acquisition service providers.
Partner with the Corporate Manager of New Vehicle Operations on trade capture.
Collaborate with the Regional Director of F&I and Lender Relations on deal structure and approvals.
Work with Regional Fixed Operations Directors on reconditioning and PDI turnaround, and on acquiring vehicles through the service drive without disrupting shop throughput.
Partner with the Corporate Trainer on store-level training and development.
Travel to dealership locations across the group’s markets, approximately 50% to 65%, including air travel to markets outside Texas.