Job Description

General Sales ManagerVonDerAu Ford – El Campo, TexasPosition SummaryVonDerAu Ford is seeking an experienced, driven, and highly accountable General Sales Manager (GSM) to lead our sales operation. The GSM is responsible for the overall performance and profitability of the dealership’s new and pre-owned vehicle departments while developing a sales team that delivers an exceptional customer experience.The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who understands that long-term dealership success requires balancing volume, gross profit, inventory management, expense control, customer satisfaction, and employee development.The General Sales Manager will work closely with the Dealer Principal and other department managers to achieve dealership objectives while maintaining the values, reputation, and customer-first culture that have made VonDerAu Ford successful.Key ResponsibilitiesSales Leadership & PerformanceDirect and oversee all new and pre-owned vehicle sales activities.Establish monthly and annual sales objectives and develop strategies to achieve them.Manage the sales desk and assist with deal structuring, negotiations, trade evaluations, and closing opportunities.Monitor sales volume, front-end gross, back-end opportunities, closing ratios, lead response, and overall department profitability.Conduct regular sales meetings and one-on-one performance reviews with sales personnel.Hold the sales team accountable for follow-up, prospecting, appointments, CRM utilization, and customer retention.Maintain an active presence on the showroom floor and become involved when management assistance can help close a sale or improve the customer experience.Develop a culture focused on urgency, accountability, teamwork, professionalism, and continuous improvement.Inventory ManagementManage new and pre-owned vehicle inventory to maintain the proper mix, supply, and aging.Work with dealership leadership to establish appropriate inventory levels and turn objectives.Monitor aging inventory and develop pricing and merchandising strategies to move vehicles before they become a profitability or cash-flow problem.Assist with acquiring pre-owned inventory through trades, customer purchases, auctions, and other appropriate sources.Accurately appraise trade-in vehicles using current market data, vehicle condition, reconditioning requirements, and dealership sales history.Maintain disciplined used-vehicle pricing based on market position, days in stock, cost, and expected gross.Monitor wholesale inventory and ensure vehicles designated for wholesale are sold promptly.Work closely with the service department to ensure timely and cost-effective reconditioning of pre-owned vehicles.Assist in managing Ford vehicle allocation, ordering, dealer trades, and inventory planning.Deal Management & ProfitabilityStructure deals to maximize reasonable dealership gross while maintaining competitiveness and customer satisfaction.Review discounts, trade allowances, incentives, rebates, and deal structure for accuracy and profitability.Maintain consistent pricing and negotiation practices throughout the sales department.Work closely with the Finance Department to ensure smooth deal turnover and maximize legitimate finance and protection-product opportunities.Monitor departmental expenses and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and profitability.Review daily, weekly, and monthly sales performance against budget and established objectives.CRM, Lead Management & MarketingEnsure every sales opportunity is properly entered, managed, and followed through the dealership CRM.Monitor internet leads, phone leads, showroom traffic, unsold prospects, and previous customers.Establish expectations for response times, follow-up frequency, appointment setting, and long-term prospect management.Review lead performance by salesperson and source to identify opportunities for improvement.Work with dealership leadership and marketing partners to develop effective advertising, digital marketing, promotional, and inventory merchandising strategies.Ensure online vehicle listings, pricing, photos, descriptions, and merchandising accurately represent dealership inventory.Customer ExperienceMaintain a high level of customer satisfaction throughout the sales and delivery process.Personally assist with difficult customer situations and work toward fair and timely resolutions.Ensure customers receive professional vehicle demonstrations, transparent deal presentations, and thorough deliveries.Maintain strong Ford customer satisfaction and experience metrics.Develop processes that encourage repeat business, referrals, and long-term relationships with VonDerAu Ford customers.Team Development & AccountabilityRecruit, train, coach, and retain high-quality sales professionals.Establish clear expectations and measurable performance standards for every member of the sales team.Develop salespeople in product knowledge, prospecting, CRM usage, negotiation, closing, customer service, and Ford technology.Ensure sales personnel maintain required Ford certifications and training.Identify underperformance quickly and establish clear improvement plans.Recognize and develop high-performing employees for future leadership opportunities.Foster cooperation between Sales, Finance, Service, Parts, and Accounting.Compliance & Dealership StandardsEnsure sales activities comply with dealership policies and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.Maintain accurate deal documentation and ensure deals are properly completed before being submitted to Accounting.Ensure proper handling of customer information and adherence to dealership privacy and information-security procedures.Maintain high ethical standards in advertising, negotiations, trade appraisals, financing presentations, and customer communications.Protect the reputation and long-term interests of VonDerAu Ford in every transaction.Key Performance IndicatorsPerformance will be evaluated using a balanced scorecard that may include:New vehicle sales volumePre-owned vehicle sales volumeRetail market shareFront-end gross profitTotal gross profit per retail unitUsed vehicle inventory turnAverage days in inventoryWholesale aging and lossesTrade acquisition and appraisal performanceCRM utilization and follow-upLead response timeAppointment set and show ratesLead and showroom closing ratiosCustomer satisfaction scoresFord certification and training complianceSalesperson productivity and retentionDepartmental expense controlOverall sales department profitabilityQualificationsPrevious automotive sales management experience strongly preferred.Proven ability to lead, motivate, and hold a sales team accountable.Strong understanding of new and used vehicle retail operations.Experience with vehicle appraisals, inventory management, pricing, and merchandising.Strong understanding of dealership financial statements and sales department profitability.Experience working with CRM, DMS, digital retailing, and automotive market-pricing tools.Strong negotiation and closing skills.Excellent communication and customer-service skills.Ability to analyze performance data and make timely business decisions.Ford dealership experience is preferred but not required.Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record required.Leadership ExpectationsThe General Sales Manager at VonDerAu Ford is expected to operate as a leader, coach, and business manager—not simply a desk manager.The GSM should understand the financial impact of decisions involving pricing, inventory, trades, advertising, personnel, and customer satisfaction. The successful candidate will take ownership of the department's results and proactively identify opportunities rather than waiting for direction.We expect our General Sales Manager to lead by example, treat customers and employees with respect, communicate openly with dealership leadership, and make decisions that support both today's objectives and the long-term success of VonDerAu Ford.Our CultureVonDerAu Ford is a family-owned dealership with deep roots in the El Campo and Wharton County community. Our success has been built on long-term relationships with our customers, employees, and community.We believe in doing business with integrity, accountability, teamwork, and a commitment to exceptional service. Our General Sales Manager should share those values and help build a sales organization that our employees are proud to be part

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