Experienced General Sales Manager – Ford

General Sales Manager – Ford Parks Ford of Gainesville | Gainesville, Florida

Parks Ford of Gainesville is seeking an experienced, high-performing General Sales Manager to lead our Ford sales operation.

This is not a developmental role. We are looking for a proven automotive leader who understands how to build a disciplined, accountable, and profitable sales department. The right candidate will know how to grow volume without sacrificing gross, manage inventory aggressively, develop sales managers and salespeople, and create a culture where expectations are clear and performance is measured daily.

Our dealership has significant resources, strong market potential, and an ownership group committed to growth. We need a GSM who can take control of the operation, establish structure, and consistently execute at a high level.

We offer a competitive performance-based compensation package designed to reward exceptional results.

Benefits may include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off
• 401(k) eligibility
• Employee vehicle purchase benefits
• Career advancement opportunities
• Manufacturer and dealership training
• A long-term leadership opportunity with an established dealer group

Specific compensation will be based on experience, performance history, and demonstrated ability.

• Leading the daily operations of the Ford new and pre-owned sales departments
• Driving new, used, and Lincoln sales volume, market share, gross profit, and overall sales effectiveness
• Developing and holding sales managers, internet managers, BDC representatives, and sales consultants accountable
• Conducting effective daily save-a-deal, inventory, training, and performance meetings
• Establishing clear activity standards and inspecting performance throughout the day
• Improving CRM usage, lead response, appointment-setting, show rates, and closing percentages
• Managing the sales process from initial customer contact through delivery and follow-up
• Monitoring pricing, merchandising, aging, turn rate, and inventory acquisition
• Reducing aged inventory and improving overall inventory profitability
• Partnering with the used car director to maintain the right inventory mix
• Ensuring every salesperson receives consistent classroom, process, product, CRM, phone, and objection-handling training
• Managing OEM training, certification, and Ford program compliance
• Recruiting, onboarding, coaching, and retaining high-quality sales professionals
• Working closely with finance, service, parts, marketing, accounting, and executive leadership
• Reviewing departmental financial performance and taking immediate corrective action when results fall below expectations
• Creating a customer experience that produces repeat business, referrals, and strong online reviews

We believe you manage money, processes, inventory, and numbers—and you lead people.

Our GSM must be visible, engaged, organized, and willing to lead from the front. This position requires someone who will inspect what they expect, coach in real time, make difficult decisions, and hold every member of the team—including management—accountable.

The ideal candidate does not wait until the end of the month to discover there is a problem. They understand their numbers, recognize trends early, and take action.

• Minimum of five years of successful automotive sales management experience
• Previous experience as a General Sales Manager or General Manager.
• Proven record of increasing sales volume, gross profit, market share, and sales effectiveness
• Strong understanding of new and used vehicle inventory management
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, develop, and retain a high-performing sales team
• Experience managing internet leads, phone opportunities, CRM processes, and BDC performance
• Strong desking, deal-structuring, forecasting, and financial statement skills
• Ability to analyze departmental KPIs and convert data into action
• Working knowledge of dealership compliance requirements and manufacturer programs
• Ford experience is strongly preferred
• Experience with Dealer track, vAuto, Automotive Mastermind, and similar dealership technology is…