Parts Manager Jobs

The Parts Manager leads and is accountable for the full performance of the parts department - managing the team of Parts Advisors, Administrators and Drivers, controlling the stock investment, developing the trade account base, managing manufacturer and supplier relationships and delivering the parts department's contribution to the dealership's or business's overall aftersales profitability.

In a franchised dealership the parts department is one of the most consistently profitable functions in the business when managed well. Stock turn, trade sales revenue, workshop parts supply efficiency and warranty parts management are the commercial levers that determine whether the parts department generates its target contribution or underperforms against it. The Parts Manager who understands each of those levers, manages the team that operates them and builds the trade customer relationships that generate additional revenue beyond the captive workshop supply function is a highly commercially valuable aftersales leader.

The role also sits within the manufacturer's compliance and performance framework. Most franchised manufacturer programmes set standards for stocking levels, approved stocking systems, warranty parts management and parts sales performance that determine the dealership's parts bonus entitlement and, in some programmes, their overall aftersales standard rating. The Parts Manager who maximises the business's performance within that framework while also developing commercial sales beyond the captive workshop base is operating at the full extent of the role's commercial scope.

Venatu recruits Parts Managers for permanent and contract roles across franchised car and commercial vehicle dealerships, dealer groups, automotive parts distributors and aftermarket parts businesses throughout the UK. This role sits within our car dealership and truck and van recruitment divisions. For multi-site and group-level parts leadership appointments, see the Group Parts Manager page.

Who We Recruit For

We place candidates with:

• Franchised car and van dealerships with standalone parts departments
• Franchised truck and commercial vehicle dealerships
• Dealer groups seeking site-level Parts Managers for individual franchise locations
• Automotive parts distributors and aftermarket trade parts businesses
• Specialist and classic vehicle parts operations

Roles We Place

• Parts Manager
• Parts Department Manager
• Aftersales Parts Manager
• Trade Parts Manager
• Parts Manager (Commercial Vehicle)
• Senior Parts Advisor / Parts Manager Designate
• Interim Parts Manager

Who Can Apply

Strong Parts Manager candidates typically come from:

• Experienced Parts Managers at franchised dealerships or parts businesses who want to move to a new employer, a different manufacturer franchise, a larger or more structured operation or an improved package
• Senior Parts Advisors who have held responsibility for aspects of team supervision, trade account management or stock management within their current role and are ready to step into their first dedicated Parts Manager appointment with full team and P&L accountability
• Parts Administrators who have developed deep DMS, stock management and warranty administration competency and want to combine that operational precision with the team leadership and commercial development accountability of the Parts Manager role
• Commercial Parts Advisors at commercial vehicle dealerships who have been managing the full scope of HGV parts supply for a busy workshop and trade base and are ready to step into a Parts Manager appointment with formal team leadership and departmental P&L accountability
• Parts Interpreters with deep catalogue and supplier knowledge who want to develop their management skills and take on the full commercial accountability of a Parts Manager role
• Aftersales managers from adjacent automotive functions who have managed a parts element as part of a broader aftersales role and want to focus their leadership on the parts department specifically
• Group Parts Managers who want to return to a site-level role at a more commercially interesting franchise or a better-structured employer

Strong Parts Manager candidates must demonstrate measurable improvement in stock turn, trade sales growth or parts department profitability in a previous role. Financial literacy at departmental P&L level, DMS competency and an understanding of the manufacturer's parts programme requirements are essential. Venatu confirms the specific franchise, commercial scope and team structure with each employer before presenting candidates.

Parts Manager Salary Guide

Packages typically include a bonus linked to parts department profit contribution, stock turn targets or trade sales revenue. A company car or car allowance is standard at most franchised dealer appointments. Venatu benchmarks total package expectations with each employer before beginning a search. Visit the HR Hub for broader context on automotive aftersales management remuneration. Read about how parts supply chain developments affect the parts department's operational environment in What The Stellantis Recall Means For Recruiters.

What the Role Involves

Team Leadership and Development:

• Leading and managing the parts department team including Parts Advisors, Parts Administrators, Parts Drivers and any specialist parts roles within the department, setting clear performance expectations and conducting structured performance reviews
• Developing the team's product knowledge, DMS capability and customer service standards, identifying training needs and supporting each team member's development within the manufacturer's parts training programme and the employer's internal development framework
• Managing recruitment, induction and absence within the parts department in line with the employer's HR policies, escalating any staffing or conduct issues to the appropriate HR or management resource

Stock Management and Financial Performance:

• Managing the parts department's stock investment, monitoring stock turn on a weekly basis, identifying slow-moving and obsolete stock lines and implementing stocking adjustments to improve return on the stock investment without compromising service levels to the workshop and trade customers
• Reviewing and adjusting the department's stock ordering parameters within the DMS, ensuring the stocking system is maintaining the manufacturer's approved range at the correct volume for the workshop's consumption pattern and the trade account demand profile
• Owning the parts department P&L, managing gross profit on workshop and retail parts sales, controlling department overheads and delivering the budgeted contribution to the business's overall aftersales profitability
• Managing the warranty parts return programme, ensuring the department complies with the manufacturer's retention and return requirements within the required timeframes to protect the business's warranty recharge position

Trade Account Development:

• Developing and maintaining the department's trade account base, identifying new trade customer opportunities within the dealership's service area, approaching independent garages, fast fit centres, bodyshops and fleet operators and presenting the dealership's parts offering against the motor factor competition
• Managing existing trade account relationships, ensuring key accounts receive the service quality and product availability that retains their business and identifying opportunities to increase the range of parts purchased from accounts that currently buy selectively
• Setting and managing trade account credit terms in line with the employer's credit policy, monitoring account balances and managing any overdue account situations promptly

Manufacturer Standards and Supplier Management:

• Managing the department's performance within the manufacturer's parts programme, meeting stocking range, stock system and parts sales standards that determine the business's parts bonus entitlement and aftersales standard rating
• Managing supplier relationships for non-manufacturer parts lines, negotiating pricing and terms and ensuring the quality and availability of non-OEM parts meet the workshop's and trade customers' requirements

How the Process Works

For employers:

1. Submit a vacancy with the franchise, team size, stock value, trade account base and any P&L or bonus structure details.
2. We confirm candidate availability, franchise experience and commercial track record and present a pre-screened shortlist within five working days.
3. Candidates are assessed for parts management track record, stock management competency, trade development capability and DMS proficiency.
4. Interview and offer supported by Venatu throughout.

For candidates:

1. Register your CV with your parts management experience, franchise brands managed, team size, stock value managed, trade sales performance and preferred employer type and geography.
2. A Venatu consultant will review your background and contact you directly.
3. Roles are matched to your 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 Parts Manager do in a franchised dealership? A Parts Manager leads the parts department team, manages the stock investment to optimise stock turn and service levels, develops and maintains the trade account base, owns the department's P&L and manages the business's compliance with the manufacturer's parts programme standards including stocking, warranty returns and parts bonus entitlement. The Parts Manager typically reports to the Head of Aftersales or General Manager and is accountable for the parts department's contribution to the dealership's overall aftersales profitability.

What is the difference between a Parts Manager and a Group Parts Manager? A Parts Manager is accountable for the parts department at a single dealership site. A Group Parts Manager leads the parts function across all sites within a dealer group, typically managing a team of site-level Parts Managers, overseeing group-wide stock policy, negotiating central buying arrangements and managing the group's overall parts programme performance with the manufacturer. Venatu advises candidates on which level best suits their experience and career goals.

What stock management skills does a Parts Manager need? The Parts Manager must understand how to configure and manage the DMS stocking system to achieve the correct balance between investment and availability, interpret stock turn reports and slow-moving stock analyses, manage the obsolete stock programme within the manufacturer's approved returns framework and ensure the approved stocking range is maintained without over-investing in lines that generate minimal demand at the specific site. The ability to read the department's financial performance from the DMS and the management accounts and to make data-driven stocking and trading decisions is the commercially distinguishing capability of a strong Parts Manager.

What does a Parts Manager earn in the UK? Parts Managers at single-site franchised car dealerships typically earn between £36,000 and £52,000. Commercial vehicle Parts Managers earn between £38,000 and £56,000. Senior Parts Managers at large or high-volume sites earn between £48,000 and £66,000. Packages include bonus and car allowance. Venatu benchmarks total package expectations with each employer before beginning a search.

What is the progression from Parts Manager? Common progression routes include Group Parts Manager, Head of Aftersales and Aftersales Director. Parts Managers who develop strong commercial trade development skills, a consistent track record of parts department profit improvement and the team leadership capability to manage across multiple sites are in the strongest position for group-level and director appointments. Read about how parts supply dynamics are affecting the retail environment in What The Stellantis Recall Means For Recruiters.

Register or Enquire

Candidates - Register your CV with your parts management background, franchise brands, team size, stock value managed and trade sales performance. Venatu will match you to current Parts Manager vacancies across franchised dealerships and automotive parts 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 Manager requirements. Our team will respond within one working day.