General Manager

Wessex Garages is a highly successful and stable business renowned for its customer focused approach and outstanding brand performance. We are currently looking for a dynamic and visionary General Manager to lead our Nissan and Kia site in Gloucester. This pivotal role involves overseeing the day-to-day operations, taking full responsibility for financial performance, and providing effective leadership.

As the General Manager, you will assume overall accountability for the financial and people performance of a range of departments within our dealerships including Sales, Aftersales and Parts. Your key responsibilities will include:

• Lead, coach, and motivate a team of automotive retail professionals, ensuring all departments are adequately staffed.
• Foster a high-performance culture that recognises and rewards exceptional achievements while effectively addressing underperformance.

• Establish annual financial and growth objectives for each department, devising strategies to meet profit and product targets.
• Prepare accurate dealership reporting and forecasting in adherence to group reporting frameworks.
• Oversee dealership marketing strategies aligned with manufacturer guidelines to support business objectives.
• Drive outstanding levels of customer satisfaction in Sales, Aftersales and Parts, coaching the leadership team to achieve the same.

• Ensure all dealership activities comply with Wessex Garages, manufacturer, and regulatory requirements.
• Possess knowledge of manufacturer metrics, such as dealer balanced scorecard, to drive operational excellence.

To excel in this role, it is crucial to have prior experience as a General Manager alongside motor trade experience. In addition to the relevant experience, the ideal candidate will demonstrate the following attributes:

• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to inspire, coach, and motivate a diverse team.
• Professionalism and composure, along with exceptional stakeholder management skills for internal and external relationships.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, utilising available data to identify potential challenges across all departments.
• Forward-thinking mindset and excellent communication skills.

We’re committed to supporting our people with a range of benefits designed to promote wellbeing, reward loyalty, and enhance your overall experience at work:

• Holiday Allowance – Enjoy 22 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, with extra days added the longer you stay with us.
• Pension Scheme – We contribute to your future with company-backed pension support.
• Exclusive Employee Schemes – Take advantage of our discounted car purchase programme and Cycle to Work scheme after completing your probation.
• Wellbeing Support – Through our partnership with Menable, a specialist service for the automotive sector, you’ll have free access to confidential coaching, wellbeing check ins, and referral support where needed.
• Health Benefits – We provide complimentary eye tests and flu vaccination vouchers to help you stay healthy year-round.
• Event Perks – As proud sponsors of Bristol Bears Rugby, we offer a limited number of free tickets to each game for our colleagues.

• Driving licence checks will be carried out during the recruitment process.
• We are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.
• Candidates must have the right to work in the UK, and this will be verified as part of the recruitment process.