Subprime Finance Desk Manager

5 Star Auto Plaza•Saint Charles, MO

8d•$160,000 - $190,000

About The Position

5 Star Auto Plaza is hiring an experienced Subprime Finance Desk Manager for a specialized, multi-store role focused on analyzing credit, choosing outside lenders, negotiating approvals, and structuring profitable, fundable transactions. The role has meaningful authority over lender selection, vehicle matching, and deal structure. The company welcomes candidates with dealership experience from either franchise or independent stores, provided they have demonstrated success in subprime automotive finance. The position involves evaluating each customer's complete financial picture, applying detailed knowledge of subprime lender programs and underwriting, negotiating with credit buyers, and finding suitable combinations of lender, vehicle, down payment, and financing terms. The manager will coordinate plans with the sales team, oversee contracting and funding, and consider profitability and inventory turnover, including when an in-house Diamond Lease/Finance opportunity is appropriate. 5 Star Auto Plaza has served automotive customers for nearly 30 years, including customers who have difficulty obtaining traditional financing. The company describes its mission as leaving people better than they found them. It emphasizes meaningful decision-making authority, impact across several stores, and a more manageable work-life balance than many traditional franchise positions. Its business model generally does not require the same frequency of late nights found at many franchise dealerships.

Requirements

A proven history of success in subprime automotive finance.
Successful subprime finance experience at a franchise or independent dealership.
Extensive knowledge of subprime lenders, underwriting, advance calculations, and financing programs.
Demonstrated ability to negotiate with credit buyers and improve initial callbacks.
Strong analytical skills and experience structuring complex financing transactions.
Understanding of vehicle values, inventory economics, and front- and back-end gross profit.
Ability to solve problems independently, maintain strong attention to detail, and produce accurate, fundable contracts.
Ability to collaborate with sales managers while taking ownership of financing decisions.

Nice To Haves

Enjoyment of the challenge of assembling difficult deals and finding solutions beyond the obvious option.

Responsibilities

Strategically analyze credit applications, looking beyond credit scores to assess the customer's complete financial picture and identify compensating factors.
Select appropriate outside lenders using knowledge of subprime programs, underwriting guidelines, advances, fees, and vehicle eligibility.
Work directly with credit buyers to rehash and negotiate approvals, improve callbacks, and maximize lender opportunities.
Structure profitable deals by balancing lender, vehicle, down payment, and financing terms with customer needs.
Use book values, acquisition costs, and inventory aging to select vehicles and move appropriate aged inventory.
Evaluate income, employment stability, and qualifying factors to present a complete, verifiable credit picture.
Communicate eligible vehicles, down payment requirements, and deal structures to the sales team.
Oversee contract accuracy, lender stipulations, and funding, and provide occasional customer contracting assistance when needed.
Consider overall profitability and inventory turnover, including whether an in-house Diamond Lease/Finance opportunity better serves the company.