Group Aftersales Director Jobs

The Group Aftersales Director holds one of the most commercially significant leadership positions in a franchised dealer group. Responsible for the performance of the aftersales function across all sites, the Group Aftersales Director owns the strategy, commercial results and operational standards of the service, parts and bodyshop departments that collectively generate a substantial proportion of the group's gross profit and that sustain the customer relationships that drive long-term vehicle sales loyalty.

Aftersales is the most stable, highest-margin revenue stream in automotive retail. It is also the most complex to lead at scale. The Group Aftersales Director must combine deep technical credibility with commercial rigour, the people leadership to develop a team of site-level aftersales managers and department heads, and the strategic clarity to align the group's aftersales direction with manufacturer requirements, customer retention imperatives and the opportunities created by the sector's transition to electrified vehicles and digital service booking.

The Group Aftersales Director who builds aftersales operations that consistently outperform their manufacturer benchmark on labour sales, parts retention, CSI and bodyshop revenue is a demonstrable commercial asset whose contribution is visible in every composite the group produces.

Group Aftersales Director appointments are managed through Venatu Executive, Venatu's dedicated senior automotive leadership practice. Assignments are handled on a retained or exclusive basis with full discretion. This role sits across our car dealership and truck and van recruitment divisions.

Who We Recruit For

We place candidates with:

• Multi-site franchised car dealer groups at regional and national scale
• Commercial vehicle and truck dealer groups with multi-site aftersales operations
• Multi-franchise dealer groups requiring unified aftersales leadership across brand portfolios
• Private equity-backed automotive retail businesses undergoing operational transformation
• Manufacturer-owned or captive retail networks with group aftersales structures
• Prestige and luxury automotive dealer groups

Roles We Place

• Group Aftersales Director
• Head of Aftersales (Dealer Group)
• Group Service Director
• Group Parts and Service Director
• Group Aftersales Operations Director
• Interim Group Aftersales Director
• Group Aftersales Manager (transitioning to Director level)

Who Can Apply

Group Aftersales Director appointments demand a career track record that combines deep aftersales operational knowledge with proven leadership at multi-site or regional scale. Strong candidates typically come from:

• Experienced Group Aftersales Directors or Heads of Aftersales at franchised dealer groups who want to move to a new group, a larger portfolio, a different brand environment or a more commercially ambitious organisation
• Regional or Area Aftersales Managers at manufacturer or dealer group level who have been managing multi-site aftersales performance across a territory, delivering composite, CSI and labour sales results consistently and are ready to take on full group-level directorial accountability
• Senior Aftersales Managers at large single-site or multi-site operations who have managed the full aftersales P&L including service, parts and bodyshop, developed a significant team and delivered strong manufacturer benchmark performance, and who want the next step into group-level leadership
• General Managers or Dealer Principals with a strong aftersales background who want to specialise back into aftersales leadership at group level rather than continuing in the full general management track
• Manufacturer aftersales field team leaders or national aftersales managers who have managed dealer aftersales performance across a large network and want to move to the dealer group side with direct P&L accountability for a group aftersales function
• Bodyshop Operations Managers who have led a group bodyshop function and want to broaden into a full aftersales director role encompassing service and parts alongside their bodyshop expertise

All Group Aftersales Director candidates are assessed by Venatu Executive against multi-site P&L management track record, labour sales and CSI performance, team development capability, manufacturer relationship management and strategic commercial leadership competency.

Group Aftersales Director Salary Guide

Total packages typically include a company vehicle or car allowance, private healthcare, enhanced pension contributions and a performance bonus linked to group aftersales composite results, labour sales per unit, CSI improvement targets and aftersales gross profit delivery. Some groups at Director level include LTIP or equity participation. Venatu Executive benchmarks total package expectations in full detail with each client before beginning a search. Visit the HR Hub for broader context on automotive retail executive remuneration.

What the Role Involves

Commercial Strategy and P&L:

• Owning and delivering the group aftersales P&L across all sites, setting annual revenue, gross profit and labour sales targets for each site in collaboration with the General Manager at each location
• Developing and executing the group's aftersales commercial strategy including service pricing, service plan development and penetration, parts retail strategy, bodyshop revenue growth and the integration of EV-specific maintenance offerings into the group's aftersales product set
• Identifying and driving aftersales revenue growth opportunities across the group's customer database, including service retention programme development, customer communication strategy and digital service booking optimisation
• Managing the group's relationship with manufacturer aftersales programmes, warranty systems and technical support functions to maximise warranty recharge income, dealer bonus and campaign participation across the network

Operational Leadership:

• Providing operational leadership and direction to the Aftersales Managers across all group sites, setting performance standards, reviewing results and holding site management accountable for delivery against target
• Implementing and maintaining consistent aftersales processes, workshop efficiency standards, service advisor process quality and parts department performance standards across the group
• Overseeing the group's bodyshop and accident repair operations, managing the insurer, fleet and manufacturer relationship at group level and driving bodyshop revenue and CSI performance
• Managing the group's parts and accessories strategy including manufacturer parts pricing compliance, stock holding policy, inter-depot parts logistics and retail and trade parts margin performance

People Development:

• Developing the next generation of Aftersales Managers within the group, identifying high-potential candidates, designing and implementing development pathways and building succession depth across the aftersales management structure
• Working with the HR function and Venatu to recruit Aftersales Managers, Workshop Controllers, Service Advisors, Parts Advisors and technical staff across the group
• Building a culture of aftersales commercial excellence and customer experience quality across the group's sites

EV and Future Readiness:

• Leading the group's technical readiness programme for EV aftersales, ensuring technicians receive the high-voltage qualification training required, that workshop tooling and facilities meet manufacturer EV approval requirements and that the group's service capacity for EV-specific maintenance is in place ahead of fleet transition
• Developing the commercial model for EV aftersales including servicing frequency changes, new revenue categories such as battery health checks and charge point servicing, and the pricing strategy for EV-specific labour operations

How the Process Works

For employers:

1. Contact Venatu Executive or submit a vacancy to arrange an initial briefing.
2. Venatu Executive will scope the role, group structure, aftersales P&L, candidate profile, package and timeline in a structured consultative process.
3. A longlist is developed through active market mapping, direct approach and referral alongside our senior candidate network.
4. A shortlist of fully assessed candidates is presented with detailed profiles. Interview, offer and onboarding are supported throughout.

For candidates:

1. Register your CV with full details of your current or most recent aftersales leadership role, the number of sites in scope, P&L accountability, composite and CSI performance delivered and team structure managed.
2. Venatu Executive will review your profile and contact you directly.
3. All approaches and conversations are handled in strict confidence.
4. Venatu manages the full process including package negotiation and onboarding support.

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FAQ

What does a Group Aftersales Director do? A Group Aftersales Director leads the commercial and operational performance of the aftersales function across all sites in a franchised dealer group. Responsibilities span aftersales P&L ownership, service and parts commercial strategy, bodyshop operations, manufacturer aftersales programme management, people development and succession, EV technical readiness and the delivery of composite, CSI and labour sales performance targets across the entire multi-site network.

What experience is required to become a Group Aftersales Director? Most groups expect a demonstrable track record of managing aftersales performance across multiple franchised sites, with clear P&L accountability and evidence of delivering labour sales, service retention and CSI results at or above manufacturer benchmark. Prior experience as a Regional Aftersales Manager, Area Aftersales Manager, Senior Aftersales Manager at a significant site, or in a manufacturer aftersales field team management role provides the most direct pathway. The ability to lead and develop Aftersales Managers, manage manufacturer relationships at group level and think commercially about aftersales as a revenue-generating profit centre are non-negotiable at Director level. Venatu Executive assesses the full leadership profile for every Group Aftersales Director assignment.

How is the Group Aftersales Director role changing? The transition to electric vehicles is creating new technical and commercial requirements that are reshaping the Group Aftersales Director's agenda. EV servicing requires different technician qualifications, workshop tooling and facility standards. Service intervals are changing, traditional revenue categories including exhaust and oil service jobs are reducing on EV models, and new revenue categories are emerging. Directors who are building EV commercial strategies alongside their traditional aftersales operations are better positioned to sustain aftersales profitability through the transition. Read about how these shifts are affecting the sector in The Evolution Of Automobiles and the regulatory dimensions in What The Stellantis Recall Means For Recruiters.

What does a Group Aftersales Director earn in the UK? Base salaries typically range from £75,000 at regional mid-size group level to £130,000 for large national dealer groups. Total packages including bonus, car allowance, pension and healthcare range from £95,000 to £170,000 or more at the most senior level. Interim day rates typically range from £600 to £950. Venatu Executive benchmarks total package expectations in detail with each client before beginning a search.

What is the progression from Group Aftersales Director? Common progression routes include Managing Director (Automotive Retail), Chief Operating Officer, Group Operations Director and automotive retail board-level appointments. Some Group Aftersales Directors move into manufacturer senior network development, private equity automotive portfolio advisory or automotive technology business leadership roles. For the most senior executive appointments, visit Venatu Executive.

How does Venatu Executive approach Group Aftersales Director searches? Group Aftersales Director assignments are managed through Venatu Executive with full market mapping, direct approach and retained search methodology. The process is structured around the specific commercial, operational and cultural requirements of each client. All candidate approaches are handled with complete confidentiality supported by Venatu's deep automotive retail network.

Register or Enquire

Candidates - Register your CV with your aftersales leadership experience, number of sites managed, P&L scope, composite and CSI performance results and team structure. All enquiries handled in strict confidence. Visit Venatu Executive for our full senior automotive leadership practice.

Employers - Submit a vacancy or visit Venatu Executive to arrange an initial briefing. Our team will respond within one working day.