Automotive Contact Center Manager

About the role

The Automotive Operations Center Manager is responsible for leading the overall performance, execution, and continuous improvement of the WBYC Operations Center. This role oversees the team’s supervisors and agents, ensuring customer engagement, appointment generation, vehicle acquisition, and support activities are executed consistently and effectively. The manager establishes operational standards, monitors performance against key metrics, develops leaders, and partners with dealership and corporate stakeholders to optimize lead management, customer experience, and acquisition outcomes. Success is measured through operational performance, achievement of KPIs, employee engagement and retention, process adherence, and overall business results.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of contact‑center representatives focused on vehicle acquisition and sales through regular one‑on‑one meetings, call reviews, team huddles, performance feedback, and development planning.
• Establish clear performance expectations and manage team productivity, scheduling, quality, and results via scorecards, reporting, and daily performance monitoring.
• Identify performance gaps and implement agent coaching strategies to improve individual and team effectiveness.
• Oversee inbound and outbound customer interactions across phone, email, text, internet leads, and other channels to ensure timely response, consistent follow‑up, exceptional customer experiences, and effective lead management.
• Drive appointment generation and support business objectives by improving contact, appointment‑set, show, vehicle acquisition, and sales conversion rates through coaching, process optimization, and execution.
• Continuously evaluate and enhance call strategies, talk tracks, objection handling, follow‑up processes, CRM utilization, and communication standards.
• Analyze operational and performance data to identify trends, opportunities, and risks, and develop action plans for continuous improvement.
• Partner with dealership sales, used‑vehicle, operations, marketing, and leadership teams to maximize customer opportunities, resolve operational challenges, and maintain effective communication between the contact center and dealership operations.
• Manage escalated customer, associate, operational, and dealership issues, ensuring timely resolution and a positive customer experience.
• Recruit, onboard, train, develop, and retain high‑performing team members while overseeing workforce planning, staffing, scheduling, and talent development to ensure appropriate coverage and a results‑oriented culture.
• Lead change‑management efforts related to processes, technology, reporting, and operational initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and applicable employment and operational requirements.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned to support business objectives and priorities.

What Success Looks Like

• Achievement of operational, customer, and business performance goals.
• Development and retention of high‑performing leaders and associates.
• Consistent execution of operational processes and standards.
• Effective use of data and analytics to improve performance and drive decisions.
• Strong partnership with dealership and corporate stakeholders.
• Continuous improvement of customer experience, productivity, and operational efficiency.
• Creation of an engaged, accountable, and inclusive team culture.
• Effective management of change, organizational priorities, and business initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• 5–7 years of automotive retail experience, including dealership sales or vehicle acquisition.
• 3–5 years of experience leading a BDC, contact center, internet sales, vehicle acquisition, or similar customer‑facing operations team, with experience developing supervisors and driving operational performance.
• Proven ability to coach, develop, motivate, and hold employees accountable.
• Experience managing individual and team performance against measurable goals.
• Strong understanding of automotive lead management, customer engagement, and follow‑up processes.
• Experience monitoring KPIs such as response time, contact rate, appointment conversion, show rate, purchase rate, and productivity.
• Ability to review calls and provide clear, actionable coaching.
• Working knowledge of automotive CRM systems, dialers, and lead‑management tools.
• Strong communication, organizational, problem‑solving, and time‑management skills.
• Comfortable using reports and performance data to identify opportunities and create action plans.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, performance‑driven environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience recruiting, onboarding, developing, and retaining high‑performing contact‑center teams.
• Knowledge of vehicle appraisal, acquisition, and used‑car inventory processes.
• Experience developing call guides, objection‑handling strategies, and follow‑up processes.
• Familiarity with workforce planning, scheduling, attendance management, and staffing.
• Experience managing customer communication across phone, text, email, and internet leads.
• Associate or bachelor’s degree in business, management, communications, or a related field (preferred, not required).
• Bilingual English and Spanish is a plus.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and 401(k) matching.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance plans, plus maternity benefits.
• Associate purchase and discount programs for new and pre‑owned vehicles, services, parts, collision, accessories, and AutoGear.
• Access to deals and discounts through YouDecide, a website with offers from top providers and retailers.
• Opportunity to join the DRVPNK mission, raising and donating millions to cancer research and treatment.