Sr. Dealer Experience Manager

Kia Corporation•Tustin, CA

9d•$108,699 - $146,709•Onsite

About The Position

This role leads dealer experience programs and initiatives, with responsibility for the design, development, implementation, communication, and ongoing management of a structured and impactful dealer evaluation program for KDEP (Kia Dealer Excellence Program) within the KUS market. The objective is to measure, strengthen, and reward the dealer network through clearly defined, actionable KPIs. This position requires leveraging cross-functional input from local teams, strategic direction from Kia North America and Kia HQ, and deep automotive industry expertise to develop a relevant, data-driven evaluation framework. The initiatives and programs are intended to drive dealer performance improvements aligned with KUS sales and service objectives while elevating the overall customer experience. The role supports the National Manager, Customer Satisfaction in three key areas: Dealer Experience Metrics & Measurement (Sales & Service), Dealer Evaluation Development & Implementation, and Customer Experience Strategies and Focus. These efforts are expected to improve dealer sales and service operations as well as the financial performance of both KUS and its dealer network. Success will be measured by the effective rollout and execution of dealer experience and evaluation programs; long-term success will be defined by improvements in both internal and external customer satisfaction and experience metrics.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum 5-10 years’ experience in the automotive industry
Minimum 5-10 years’ experience in project management, strategy, and/or customer experience.
In depth knowledge of the automotive business in the United States at both the dealer level and the OEM level, particularly in terms of the dealership experience.
Experience developing and operating a successful dealer evaluation program.
Extensive experience selecting and managing vendors, designing and building operational tools, and gaining consensus among various teams/groups.
Strong understanding of automotive dealer facilities, business operations, and branding with experience in dealer evaluations, customer experience, and business management.
Strong background in automotive franchise laws and knowledge of legal limitations.
Experience developing, implementing, and setting KPI’s, creating business plans, and developing procedures for providing effective and efficient results.
Excellent knowledge and recognition of industry benchmarks
Demonstrated success in a fast paced, high workload environment.
Demonstrated skills in collaboration, strategic thinking, analytics, written and verbal communications, organization, attention to detail, planning and innovation.
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
Excellent project management skills.
Excellent Analytical and research skills
Strong focus on customer experience.
Innovation and creativity to design network strategies that improve customer journey.
Ability to lead groups and be decisive
Proven skills in developing consensus with internal and external stakeholders via focused communication.
Collaborative skills to accept and incorporate ideas into strategies
Strong innovative thinking, strategic planning & leadership development skills
Ability to maintain the utmost confidentiality on all matters.
Strong PC Skills: Microsoft Office Tools: Word, Excel, Power Point, PowerBI and Office 365.
This position will need an extremely high level of independent judgment as they will be providing both local and global recommendations on behalf of Kia America to Kia NA and Kia HQ on key issues relating to the dealer network.
Ability to sit or stand for extended periods and perform routine office tasks.
5-10% of (domestic and/or international) travel.
Job demands may include reading (documents), detailed work, confidentiality, problem solving, language, reasoning skills, oral communication, written communication, customer contact, ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, vendors, and other employees, multiple concurrent tasks, ability to work with constant interruptions, etc.
Must be able to maintain focus and attention to detail in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to analyze information and make sound decisions under time constraints.
Problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently
Must be able to respond to challenges with poise and agility.
Ability to handle competing priorities effectively and with composure.
Other duties as assigned.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree a plus

Responsibilities

Lead Customer Satisfaction (CS) programs, tools, and scorecards to measure and improve dealer sales and service performance across the ownership lifecycle.
Conduct department health checks, support Service Operations metrics, and partner with Sales Operations and Retail Development to implement an integrated dealer performance framework.
Collaborate with Legal and Finance to ensure compliance and drive program enhancements.
Lead the design, deployment, and annual execution of dealer evaluation programs.
Define program requirements, KPIs, methodologies, and performance targets while aligning HQ frameworks with market needs.
Manage reporting tools, communications, dealer audits, data validation, budgets, and award programs.
Ensure consistent execution and measurable dealer performance improvement.
Lead initiatives, tools, and technologies that enhance the in-dealer customer experience across sales and service.
Develop implementation, communication, and training strategies while serving as the SME for dealer experience programs.
Partner with Sales Operations, Service Operations, and Kia University to drive adoption and results.
Drive dealer focus on SSI/CSI performance goals through reporting, performance insights, stakeholder communication, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Represent the team in internal and external forums.
Analyze industry trends and dealer benchmarks to identify best practices and improvement opportunities.
Deliver performance insights and recommendations to support dealer and customer experience initiatives.
Communicating program updates and progress to key stakeholders.
Delivering reporting, insights, and recommendations to support continuous improvement across the dealer network.
Analyze automotive industry trends and dealer benchmarks to identify best practices and drive continuous improvement across the dealer network.
Develop dealer experience strategies, establish performance evaluation frameworks, and communicate key insights, issues, and recommendations to leadership and stakeholders.