General Manager Sales & Marketing

Job Description: General Manager – Sales (Automotive Dealership) Position: General Manager – Sales / General Sales Manager (GSM) Department: Sales & Marketing Reports To: Managing Director / Dealer Principal / Chief Operating Officer Location: Dealership Showroom / Regional Dealership Network Employment Type: Full-Time Position SummaryThe General Manager – Sales directs and oversees all vehicle sales operations (New Vehicles, Pre-Owned / Exchange, Corporate/Fleet, and Finance & Insurance). This executive role is responsible for driving unit retail volume, maximizing gross profit margins, optimizing stock turn, and upholding OEM brand standards while maintaining exceptional customer satisfaction (CSI/SSI) indices. Key Responsibilities1. Strategic Sales & Revenue ManagementDevelop and execute annual, quarterly, and monthly retail sales targets, gross profit projections, and departmental expense budgets. Monitor daily sales funnel metrics: showroom walk-ins, digital inquiries, test-drive conversions, bookings, and final deliveries. Supervise trade-in valuations, used-car reconditioning turnarounds, and dealer-to-dealer exchange channels. Direct and monitor Finance & Insurance (F&I) penetration rates, extended warranties, vehicle accessories, and value-added service (VAS) revenue streams. 2. Inventory Planning & Working Capital ControlFormulate indent plans and vehicle procurement schedules aligned with OEM allocation cycles, market demand, and local seasonal trends. Track inventory holding costs and implement aggressive aging vehicle liquidation strategies to prevent stock stagnation (specifically targets on >60-day inventory). Coordinate transit logistics, stock allocations across outlet branches, and pre-delivery inspection (PDI) workflows with the service department. 3. OEM Relationship & ComplianceServe as the primary dealership liaison to OEM Regional and Zonal Managers regarding allocations, market share benchmarks, and retail schemes. Ensure complete compliance with OEM operating guidelines, audit requirements, display merchandising, and branding guidelines. Reconcile dealer claims, wholesale incentives, target-achievement bonuses, and demo vehicle programs with the OEM. 4. Team Leadership & Talent DevelopmentLead, recruit, mentor, and evaluate Sales Managers, Team Leads, Relationship Managers, and Business Development Center (BDC) teams. Establish transparent sales commission structures, incentive slabs, and performance improvement plans (PIPs). Run structured daily morning briefings, pipeline reviews, and continuous product knowledge/soft-skill training sessions. 5. Marketing, CRM & Customer ExperienceCollaborate with marketing teams to deploy targeted local BTL activations, corporate tie-ups, loan melas, and digital lead generation campaigns. Enforce rigorous CRM utilization for inquiry tracking, follow-ups, test-drive logging, and lost-deal analysis. Oversee Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI/CSI) scores; resolve escalated customer grievances promptly to safeguard dealership reputation. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Retail Volume & Market Share: Achievement vs. OEM monthly target across variants. Profitability: Front-end vehicle gross margin + back-end OEM target incentives. Ancillary Penetration: F&I ratio, motor insurance renewals, extended warranties, and accessory sales per vehicle. Inventory Velocity: Days Sales of Inventory (DSI) and zero unallocated units over 60/90 days. Customer Retention: SSI/CSI ranking within the OEM dealer network. Qualifications & Experience Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Mechanical/Automobile Engineering, or equivalent; an MBA is strongly preferred. Experience: 10–15+ years of total experience in the automotive retail industry, including at least 4–6 years in senior management roles (e.g., Sales Head, Senior Sales Manager, GSM). Technical Mastery: Working familiarity with Automotive Dealer Management Systems (DMS) (e.g., CDK Global, SAP, Oracle, or OEM-proprietary portals) and modern CRM tools. Competencies: Proven track record in dealer margin management, inventory financing, local banking tie-ups, team mentorship, and high-stakes negotiation.