Parts Administrator Jobs

The Parts Administrator is the organisational backbone of the parts department, managing the administrative processes that keep stock accurate, orders flowing, invoices processed and warranty claims filed correctly. In a busy franchised dealership or commercial vehicle operation, the volume of parts transactions - inbound deliveries from the manufacturer, workshop requisitions, retail counter sales, trade account orders, inter-dealership stock transfers and warranty parts returns - creates an administrative workload that requires a dedicated, accurate and methodical professional to manage without error.

Every incorrect parts booking, missed warranty return or unprocessed delivery discrepancy has a downstream cost - a technician waiting for a part that is showing as in stock but cannot be found, a warranty claim rejected because the superseded part was not returned within the manufacturer's timeframe, a supplier invoice disputed because the delivery quantity was never checked against the purchase order. The Parts Administrator who prevents those failures through disciplined, accurate administrative process saves the parts department money and prevents the frustration that part shortages and administrative errors cause across the workshop and aftersales team.

Venatu recruits Parts Administrators for permanent and temporary roles across franchised car and commercial vehicle dealerships, dealer groups, automotive parts distributors, aftermarket parts businesses and fleet parts supply operations throughout the UK. This role sits within our car dealership and operational support recruitment divisions.

Who We Recruit For

We place candidates with:

• Franchised car and commercial vehicle dealerships with dedicated parts departments
• Dealer groups with central parts administration or group parts management functions
• Automotive parts distributors and aftermarket supply chain businesses
• Fleet parts supply and contract maintenance businesses
• Fast fit and autocentre groups with centralised stock administration

Roles We Place

• Parts Administrator
• Parts Department Administrator
• Parts Stock Administrator
• Parts Warranty Administrator
• Parts Purchasing Administrator
• Senior Parts Administrator
• Parts Administrator (Commercial Vehicle)

Who Can Apply

Strong Parts Administrator candidates typically come from:

• Experienced Parts Administrators at franchised dealerships or parts distributors who want to move to a new employer or an improved package
• Parts Advisors who have been handling the counter and retail elements of the parts role and want to move into a more administration-focused position with less customer-facing pressure and greater ownership of the stock management and purchasing processes
• Bodyshop Administrators or general dealership administrators who have been working with dealer management systems, purchase ordering and supplier invoicing and want to move into a dedicated parts department administrative role
• Automotive Accounts Assistants with experience of parts invoicing, supplier statements and purchase ledger processes who want to apply that financial administrative competency within the parts department environment
• Warehouse or stock control administrators from retail, distribution or manufacturing backgrounds with strong inventory management system experience who want to apply their stock and purchasing administration skills in a franchised dealership or automotive parts environment
• Office administrators from any sector with strong attention to detail, DMS or stock management system experience and an interest in the automotive sector who want to develop their career within a dealership parts department

Familiarity with a dealer management system - including Keyloop (CDK), Autoline (Kerridge) or Pinewood - is highly valued. Most employers will provide DMS training for candidates with strong administrative foundations. Venatu confirms the DMS in use and the specific administrative scope with each employer before presenting candidates.

Parts Administrator Salary Guide

Venatu benchmarks total package expectations with each employer before beginning a search. Visit the HR Hub for broader context on automotive parts and support function remuneration.

What the Role Involves

Stock and Inventory Administration:

• Booking in inbound parts deliveries from the manufacturer and supplier, checking delivery quantities and part numbers against the purchase order, recording discrepancies accurately and raising shortage or damage claims promptly with the relevant supplier
• Maintaining stock records accurately within the dealer management system, processing bin location updates for new stock lines, managing superseded part numbers and ensuring the parts system accurately reflects physical stock at all times
• Supporting the stock count process, investigating discrepancies between system stock and physical stock and correcting records following the outcome of stock checks
• Managing the ordering and receipting of consumables, workshop supplies and non-stocked parts to support the workshop's daily requirements

Warranty Parts Administration:

• Processing manufacturer warranty parts returns in line with the manufacturer's warranty administration programme, ensuring warranty-replaced parts are correctly labelled, stored and returned within the manufacturer's required timeframe to avoid warranty recharge debit
• Maintaining the warranty parts return log, monitoring approaching return deadlines and chasing outstanding returns before the retention period expires
• Liaising with the workshop team to ensure warranty job card documentation and parts identification meets the manufacturer's warranty audit requirements, reducing the risk of claim rejection

Purchasing and Invoice Processing:

• Processing purchase orders for special order and non-stocked parts, matching delivery notes to purchase orders on receipt and passing invoices for payment following confirmation of correct delivery
• Reconciling supplier statements against the parts purchase ledger, identifying and resolving invoice discrepancies with suppliers and escalating unresolved differences to the Parts Manager or dealership accountant
• Managing inter-dealership parts transfer requests, processing the requisition and dispatch documentation and updating stock records for both the sending and receiving location

Reporting and General Administration:

• Producing regular stock management reports for the Parts Manager covering slow-moving stock, obsolete stock write-off candidates and stock value against target
• Managing the parts department filing system, maintaining job card and delivery documentation records in line with the employer's document retention policy
• Handling incoming telephone enquiries for the parts department where required, directing calls to the appropriate Parts Advisor or Parts Manager and taking accurate messages for follow-up

How the Process Works

For employers:

1. Submit a vacancy with the DMS in use, the specific administrative scope and any warranty or purchasing specialism requirements.
2. We confirm candidate availability and present a pre-screened shortlist within five working days.
3. Candidates are assessed for DMS or stock management system competency, administrative accuracy and motor trade or parts sector experience.
4. Interview and offer supported by Venatu throughout.

For candidates:

1. Register your CV with your administrative background, any DMS experience, parts or stock management exposure and preferred employer type and geography.
2. A Venatu consultant will review your background and contact you directly.
3. Roles are matched to your administrative specialism, preferred employer type 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 Parts Administrator do in a franchised dealership? A Parts Administrator manages the administrative processes that keep the parts department running accurately, including booking in deliveries and checking them against purchase orders, maintaining stock records in the DMS, processing warranty parts returns within the manufacturer's timeframe, handling purchase order and invoice processing for supplier payments and producing stock management reports for the Parts Manager. The role is distinct from the Parts Advisor, who focuses on customer-facing parts identification and sales.

What dealer management systems do Parts Administrators use? The most widely used DMS platforms across UK franchised dealerships include Keyloop (CDK), Autoline (Kerridge) and Pinewood. Each has a dedicated parts module for stock management, ordering, receiving, bin location management and warranty parts administration. Most employers provide DMS training for candidates with strong administrative foundations. Venatu confirms the DMS in use with each employer before presenting candidates.

Do Parts Administrators need automotive experience? Not always at entry level. Strong administrative skills, accuracy with stock and purchasing processes and the ability to manage a detailed administrative workload are the primary requirements. Familiarity with a DMS or stock management system and an understanding of the motor trade's parts supply chain is valued and typically developed quickly by a capable administrator in a dealership environment. Venatu advises candidates from non-automotive backgrounds on how to position their administrative experience for parts department roles.

What does a Parts Administrator earn in the UK? Experienced Parts Administrators typically earn between £26,000 and £34,000. Senior administrators and those with warranty or purchasing specialism earn between £28,000 and £40,000. Venatu benchmarks package expectations with each employer before beginning a search.

What is the progression from Parts Administrator? Common progression routes include Senior Parts Administrator, Parts Advisor, Parts Supervisor and Parts Manager. Administrators who develop strong DMS competency, warranty administration depth and a thorough understanding of the parts supply chain are well positioned for advisory and management development within the parts function. For group-level parts management appointments, see the Group Parts Manager page.

Register or Enquire

Candidates - Register your CV with your administrative background, DMS or stock system experience and any parts department exposure. Venatu will match you to current Parts Administrator vacancies across franchised dealerships, parts distributors and automotive businesses, 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 Parts Administrator requirements. Our team will respond within one working day.