Head of Aftersales Jobs

The Head of Aftersales is the most senior aftersales leader at a large franchised dealership or within a mid-size dealer group, holding full commercial and operational accountability for the service, parts and bodyshop departments that collectively represent the most stable and highest-margin revenue stream in the automotive retail business.

For a large single-site franchised dealership, the Head of Aftersales may carry a title that reflects the full breadth of their P&L responsibility without the formal Director designation of a group-level role. For a regional or mid-size dealer group, the Head of Aftersales may manage the aftersales function across multiple sites, working with Aftersales Managers and department heads at each location and reporting to the Dealer Principal or to the board.

In either context the role demands the same combination of deep aftersales technical credibility, commercial discipline, people leadership capability and strategic thinking about customer retention, labour sales growth, parts profitability and the aftersales opportunities created by the sector's transition to electric vehicles. The Head of Aftersales who builds a service operation that consistently retains customers, outperforms its manufacturer labour efficiency benchmark and runs a parts and bodyshop function that contributes meaningfully to the group's gross profit is one of the most commercially valuable leaders in the business.

Venatu recruits Heads of Aftersales for permanent and interim roles across franchised car and commercial vehicle dealerships, multi-franchise dealer group sites and automotive fleet businesses throughout the UK. This role sits within our car dealership and truck and van recruitment divisions. For Group Aftersales Director appointments, visit Venatu Executive.

Who We Recruit For

We place candidates with:

• Large single-site franchised car and commercial vehicle dealerships
• Multi-franchise regional dealer groups requiring senior aftersales leadership
• Dealer group sites undergoing aftersales performance improvement or management restructure
• Commercial vehicle dealerships with complex aftersales operations including warranty, contract maintenance and bodyshop
• Large fleet maintenance operations with a full aftersales management structure

Roles We Place

• Head of Aftersales (Dealership)
• Head of Aftersales (Dealer Group, Regional)
• Aftersales General Manager
• Senior Aftersales Manager
• Head of Service and Parts
• Aftersales Director (Single Site) - see also Venatu Executive for group-level appointments
• Interim Head of Aftersales

Who Can Apply

Strong Head of Aftersales candidates typically come from:

• Experienced Heads of Aftersales or Senior Aftersales Managers at franchised dealerships or dealer group sites who want to move to a new employer, a higher-volume or more complex aftersales operation, a different franchise or an improved package
• Aftersales Managers at mid-size franchised operations who have been managing the full service, parts and bodyshop P&L, have developed a team of department heads or specialists beneath them and are ready for a Head of Aftersales appointment at a larger site or a multi-site scope
• Assistant Service Managers who have been effectively running the service department in the senior manager's absence, have developed strong technical credibility, commercial awareness and team management capability and have a clear readiness for a Head of Aftersales appointment with full P&L accountability
• Workshop Controllers or Service Managers at large franchised workshops who have built strong technical team leadership and productivity management skills and want to broaden their commercial scope into the full aftersales P&L including parts, bodyshop and customer retention
• Group Aftersales Directors or regional aftersales leaders who want to step back into a hands-on, site-based or small group aftersales leadership role following a period of broader strategic responsibility
• Commercial vehicle aftersales managers from truck, van or bus and coach dealerships who want to move into car aftersales management and can demonstrate the commercial management skills that transfer across both sectors
• Fleet engineering or VMU managers who have managed a full maintenance operation including workshop performance, technician teams and compliance and want to move into a franchised dealership aftersales leadership career pathway

Candidates for Head of Aftersales roles are evaluated on their track record of labour sales performance against manufacturer benchmark, customer satisfaction results, retained service customers, parts gross profit management and their ability to develop and motivate aftersales department heads and technical teams. Venatu confirms the site scale, franchise context, existing team structure and commercial targets with each employer before presenting candidates.

Head of Aftersales Salary Guide

Packages typically include a company vehicle or car allowance, pension contributions and a performance bonus linked to aftersales composite results, labour sales, parts gross profit and CSI targets. Venatu benchmarks total package expectations with each employer before beginning a search. Visit the HR Hub for broader context on aftersales management and senior dealership role remuneration.

What the Role Involves

Commercial Performance:

• Owning the aftersales P&L across service, parts and bodyshop, managing revenue, gross profit and cost performance against manufacturer benchmark and group targets
• Setting and reviewing monthly and annual departmental targets with the Aftersales Manager or department heads, conducting regular performance reviews and holding the team accountable for delivery
• Driving labour sales growth through workshop loading discipline, service advisor upsell capability, menu pricing strategy and technician productivity management
• Managing the parts department's gross profit, stock investment and trade sales performance in conjunction with the Parts Manager or senior parts advisor

Customer Retention and CSI:

• Developing and managing the dealership's service retention programme, coordinating with the marketing function or Customer Retention Executive to drive service booking return rates across the customer database
• Monitoring CSI data from manufacturer surveys, Google reviews and internal customer feedback, identifying recurring themes and directing service process improvements or team training to address them
• Managing customer complaint escalations above department level, resolving them to a standard that protects both the customer relationship and the business's manufacturer programme eligibility
• Overseeing the service plan product, including penetration targets, administration and the commercial return generated by the plan portfolio

Manufacturer and Compliance:

• Managing the aftersales relationship with the manufacturer's field team, attending manufacturer aftersales performance reviews and working constructively with any action plans received
• Ensuring the workshop holds the required manufacturer approvals and certifications including EV and high-voltage technician certifications, diagnostic system approvals and audit compliance across all relevant manufacturer quality programmes
• Overseeing warranty administration quality, managing warranty recharge ratios and ensuring warranty processing timelines and documentation standards protect the department's warranty income

People and Operations:

• Leading and developing the aftersales team including Aftersales Manager or department heads, Workshop Controllers, service advisors, parts advisors and technicians through structured performance management and active development conversations
• Managing workshop capacity, technician recruitment and the technical development programme including manufacturer training course nominations and progression tracking
• Overseeing facilities maintenance, health and safety compliance and environmental obligations for the aftersales areas of the site

How the Process Works

For employers:

1. Submit a vacancy with the franchise, site or group scale, current aftersales P&L structure, team composition and any specific manufacturer compliance or EV readiness requirements.
2. We confirm candidate availability and present a pre-screened shortlist within five working days.
3. Candidates are assessed for aftersales P&L management, labour sales and CSI performance history, team leadership capability and manufacturer relationship management.
4. Interview and offer supported by Venatu throughout.

For candidates:

1. Register your CV with your current or most recent aftersales role, the franchise and scale of the operation, your composite and CSI performance results and the team structure you have managed.
2. A Venatu consultant will review your background and contact you directly.
3. Roles are matched to your aftersales management level, franchise experience and geography.
4. Venatu manages the process and advises on package expectations ahead of offer.

Browse current vacancies or create a job alert to be notified when relevant roles become available.

FAQ

What does a Head of Aftersales do? A Head of Aftersales holds full commercial and operational accountability for the service, parts and bodyshop departments at a large franchised dealership or across a regional dealer group. Responsibilities include owning the aftersales P&L, managing labour sales and parts gross profit performance, driving customer retention and CSI results, managing manufacturer aftersales programme compliance, leading the aftersales team and overseeing the workshop's technical readiness including EV approvals and manufacturer certifications.

What is the difference between a Head of Aftersales and a Group Aftersales Director? The Group Aftersales Director typically operates at board or near-board level within a larger dealer group, owning the full aftersales strategy and performance across all group sites with Director-level accountability and organisational influence. The Head of Aftersales typically operates at a large single-site or regional multi-site level, with full P&L accountability for their operation but within a more defined scope than a group Director carries. In smaller groups the Head of Aftersales and Group Aftersales Director titles are used for the same role. Venatu clarifies the precise scope and reporting structure with each employer before presenting candidates.

What manufacturer performance standards does a Head of Aftersales manage? Manufacturer aftersales performance frameworks typically measure labour sales per retail unit in operation, service retention rates, first-time fix rates, customer satisfaction index results, warranty recharge ratios and compliance with manufacturer service process standards and audit requirements. A Head of Aftersales who consistently delivers at or above manufacturer benchmark across these measures is a strong performer and a credible candidate for group-level aftersales leadership. Venatu discusses benchmark expectations with each employer before presenting candidates.

What does a Head of Aftersales earn in the UK? Heads of Aftersales at large single-site operations typically earn between £52,000 and £70,000 base with OTE of £65,000 to £88,000. Regional group roles carry base salaries of £60,000 to £80,000 with OTE of £76,000 to £105,000. Interim rates typically range from £400 to £650 per day. Venatu benchmarks total package expectations with each employer before beginning a search.

What is the progression from Head of Aftersales? The most common progression is to Group Aftersales Director, typically within a larger dealer group environment. Heads of Aftersales who develop strong commercial leadership breadth, manufacturer relationship management skills and the ability to scale their performance across multiple sites are best positioned for this step. For Group Aftersales Director and senior executive appointments, visit Venatu Executive. Read about how EV transition and regulatory change is reshaping aftersales leadership in The Evolution Of Automobiles and What The Stellantis Recall Means For Recruiters.

Register or Enquire

Candidates - Register your CV with your aftersales management background, franchise experience, P&L scope, composite and CSI results and team structure. Venatu will match you to current Head of Aftersales vacancies across franchised dealerships and dealer group sites, including roles not publicly advertised. Browse live vacancies or create a job alert.

Employers - Submit a vacancy or visit the client hub to discuss your Head of Aftersales requirements. For group-level Director appointments, visit Venatu Executive.