Group Sales Director Jobs

The Group Sales Director carries the commercial leadership of the vehicle sales function across an entire franchised dealer group, setting the group's sales strategy, managing the performance of General Sales Managers and sales departments across every site, building manufacturer sales relationships at national level and delivering the group's vehicle sales volume, margin and customer satisfaction targets at scale.

This is one of the most commercially consequential leadership roles in automotive retail. The Group Sales Director does not just manage a department - they shape the commercial culture, process standards and talent pipeline of the group's entire vehicle sales operation. They identify where gross margin is being lost in the used vehicle operation, where fleet development is untapped, where sales process quality is inconsistent and where the right talent in the right role can unlock step-change commercial performance. They represent the group at manufacturer national sales conferences with credibility and commercial data, and they create the conditions at every site for consistently strong composite performance.

Group Sales Director appointments are managed through Venatu Executive, Venatu's dedicated senior automotive leadership practice. All 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 sales operations
• Multi-franchise dealer groups requiring unified sales leadership across brand portfolios
• Private equity-backed automotive retail businesses undergoing commercial transformation
• Manufacturer-owned or captive retail networks with group sales structures
• Prestige and luxury automotive dealer groups

Roles We Place

• Group Sales Director
• Head of Group Sales (Dealer Group)
• Commercial Director - Sales (Automotive Retail)
• Regional Sales Director (Dealer Group)
• Interim Group Sales Director
• Group Sales Director Designate / Deputy - see also General Sales Manager

Who Can Apply

Group Sales Director appointments require a career track record that combines consistent composite sales performance at multi-site or regional scale with the people leadership, commercial strategy and manufacturer relationship management credentials appropriate to the most senior sales function in a dealer group. Strong candidates typically come from:

• Experienced Group Sales Directors or Heads of Group Sales at franchised dealer groups who want to move to a new group, a larger portfolio, a different franchise network or a more commercially ambitious organisation
• Regional Sales Directors or Area Operations Managers at dealer groups who have been managing multi-site sales performance across a territory with clear accountability for volume, gross margin, fleet penetration and CSI, and are ready to step into full group sales director accountability
• Exceptional General Sales Managers at large single-site franchised operations who have delivered top-quartile composite results consistently, developed strong management teams around them and have cross-site leadership experience from group or regional projects that demonstrates readiness for the step to Group Sales Director
• General Managers or Dealer Principals who want to focus their executive contribution on the commercial sales leadership specialism rather than the full general management track, bringing the operational credibility of full site leadership experience to a group-level sales directorship
• Manufacturer national sales or fleet directors who have managed dealer network sales performance at national level and want to move to the dealer group side with direct P&L accountability for a group's vehicle sales revenue
• Fleet Sales Managers or Group Fleet Sales leaders who have built and led significant fleet and business operations and want to broaden into a full group sales director role encompassing retail, fleet and commercial vehicle sales

All Group Sales Director candidates are assessed by Venatu Executive against multi-site sales P&L management, composite performance delivery, manufacturer relationship management at national or regional level, talent development track record and strategic commercial leadership capability.

Group Sales Director Salary Guide

Packages typically include a premium company vehicle or car allowance, private healthcare, enhanced pension and a performance bonus structure linked to group sales volume, gross margin per unit, fleet revenue and composite targets. LTIP or equity participation is standard at Director level in many dealer group and PE-backed environments. 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 senior leadership remuneration.

What the Role Involves

Commercial Strategy and P&L:

• Owning the group vehicle sales P&L across all sites, setting annual new and used retail volume, gross margin, fleet revenue and finance income targets for each site in collaboration with the General Sales Manager at each location
• Developing and executing the group's vehicle sales strategy including new vehicle volume and order bank management, used vehicle sourcing and pricing strategy, fleet and business sales development, and digital lead generation working with the Group Marketing function
• Identifying margin recovery opportunities across the group's used vehicle operation, managing the used vehicle stocking policy, days-in-stock parameters and disposal channels at group level
• Managing the group's manufacturer sales programme relationships at regional and national level, maximising volume bonus, dealer development fund and manufacturer support entitlements across every franchise in the portfolio

Operational Leadership:

• Providing operational leadership and direction to the General Sales Managers across all group sites, setting performance standards, reviewing composite results weekly and monthly and holding site sales management accountable for delivery against agreed targets
• Implementing consistent sales process standards, CRM usage discipline, enquiry management quality and F&I product presentation standards across the group's sites, working with the Business Manager team and compliance function to ensure FCA Consumer Duty obligations are met consistently
• Managing the group's fleet and business sales strategy, setting fleet volume and revenue targets, developing the group's corporate and SME account base and directing the Fleet Sales Manager function across applicable sites

People Development:

• Developing the General Sales Managers and sales department heads across the group, identifying high-potential candidates for the GSM pipeline, designing development programmes and building sales management succession depth
• Working with Venatu to recruit General Sales Managers, Sales Managers, Fleet Sales Managers and senior sales staff across the group
• Building a culture of commercial performance, sales process discipline and customer-first delivery across every sales department in the group's network

Board and Manufacturer Interface:

• Reporting group sales performance to the board, Dealer Principal or group managing director, presenting monthly composite results, pipeline analysis and forward volume forecasts
• Representing the group at manufacturer national sales conferences, network performance meetings and product planning consultations
• Driving the group's EV and alternatively fuelled vehicle sales capability, ensuring the sales team has the product knowledge and customer consultation skills to convert an increasingly technology-literate customer base

How the Process Works

For employers:

1. Contact Venatu Executive or submit a vacancy to arrange an initial briefing on the group structure, franchise portfolio, current sales performance and leadership requirements.
2. Venatu Executive will scope the role, group sales 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 the Venatu Executive 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 sales leadership role, the number of sites in scope, P&L accountability, composite performance results 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 Sales Director do? A Group Sales Director leads the commercial and operational performance of the vehicle sales function across all sites in a franchised dealer group. Responsibilities include owning the group sales P&L, setting the group's sales strategy across new, used and fleet, managing General Sales Managers and sales departments at each site, building manufacturer sales relationships at national level and delivering composite, CSI and gross margin targets across the full network.

What experience is required to become a Group Sales Director? Most dealer groups seek candidates with a demonstrable track record of managing multi-site vehicle sales performance, with clear P&L accountability and evidence of delivering composite, used vehicle margin and fleet results consistently above manufacturer benchmark. Prior experience as a Regional Sales Director, Area Operations Manager with commercial accountability, or a high-performing General Sales Manager at a large single-site franchised dealership provides the most credible pathway. The ability to develop General Sales Managers, manage manufacturer relationships at senior level and think strategically about multi-site commercial opportunity is non-negotiable at Director level.

What manufacturer relationships does a Group Sales Director manage? A Group Sales Director manages the manufacturer relationship on the sales side at regional and national level, attending manufacturer network performance reviews, managing volume plan submissions and order bank commitments and ensuring the group's sites are maximising volume bonus, dealer development fund and manufacturer sales support programme entitlements. The credibility and commercial clarity the Group Sales Director brings to manufacturer conversations directly affects the commercial support the group receives. Venatu Executive assesses manufacturer relationship management capability as a core component of every Group Sales Director evaluation.

What does a Group Sales Director earn in the UK? Base salaries typically range from £80,000 at regional mid-size group level to £140,000 for large national dealer groups. Total packages including bonus, car allowance, pension and healthcare range from £105,000 to £185,000 or more at the most senior level. Interim rates typically range from £600 to £900 per day. Venatu Executive benchmarks total package expectations in detail with each client.

What is the progression from Group Sales Director? Common progression routes include Managing Director (Automotive Retail), Group Chief Commercial Officer, Chief Executive and automotive retail board-level appointments. Group Sales Directors who develop strong operational breadth alongside their commercial sales expertise, including aftersales commercial literacy and group P&L ownership, are in the strongest position for MD and CEO appointments. For the most senior executive appointments, visit Venatu Executive. Read about the commercial environment reshaping automotive retail leadership in The Evolution Of Automobiles.

How does Venatu Executive approach Group Sales Director searches? Group Sales 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 sales leadership background, number of sites managed, P&L scope, composite results and team structure. All enquiries are 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.