Dealership General Manager

Lead the Dealership. Develop Great People. Drive Exceptional Results.

Ford of Upland is seeking an accomplished General Manager to lead the overall performance of our Ford dealership in the heart of the Inland Empire. This is an executive leadership opportunity for an experienced automotive professional who thrives on building high-performing teams, driving profitability, delivering an exceptional customer experience, and developing future leaders.

If you’re a hands-on leader who enjoys improving operations, mentoring managers, and leading a dealership with integrity and accountability, we’d like to meet you.

What You’ll Do

As General Manager, you will oversee every aspect of dealership operations, including new and pre-owned sales, finance, service, parts, accounting, customer experience, and employee development. You will work closely with your leadership team to drive profitability while building a culture centered on hospitality, urgency, accountability, and operational excellence.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop department managers and future leaders.
• Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct regular leadership meetings and one-on-one coaching sessions.
• Recruit, develop, and retain top automotive talent in a competitive Southern California market.
• Build a strong leadership pipeline through ongoing training, Ford certification, and mentorship.
• Hold department leaders accountable to measurable performance goals.

Financial & Operational Leadership

• Drive dealership profitability and long-term sustainable growth.
• Monitor key financial metrics, including gross profit, net profit, expenses, cash flow, receivables, contracts in transit, inventory aging, and service absorption.
• Partner with the Controller to ensure accurate financial reporting and sound fiscal management.
• Improve operational efficiency while maintaining strong expense control.
• Ensure compliance with lender requirements, floor plan audits, Ford Motor Company standards, and company policies.

Fixed Operations Leadership

• Lead the Service and Parts departments to maximize performance and profitability.
• Grow warranty, customer-pay, and Ford Pro commercial/fleet service business, including mobile service.
• Improve technician productivity, efficiency, and service absorption.
• Monitor repair order quality, warranty compliance, and operational workflow.
• Drive exceptional customer satisfaction and Ford CSI performance.
• Recruit and retain top-performing Ford-certified technicians and service advisors.

Variable Operations Leadership

• Oversee new and pre-owned inventory management, turn, and vehicle aging.
• Manage Ford allocation, model mix, and inventory acquisition strategy.
• Grow commercial and fleet sales through Ford Pro.
• Ensure merchandising and Ford brand standards are maintained.
• Monitor deal structure, profitability, and lender compliance.
• Drive consistent execution throughout the Sales and Finance departments.

Customer Experience & Compliance

• Resolve escalated customer concerns with professionalism and urgency.
• Ensure every customer receives an exceptional experience.
• Maintain compliance with Ford requirements, California DMV and consumer protection regulations, California labor law, and company policies.
• Conduct regular operational audits and process reviews to ensure consistency and accountability.

Success in This Role

The ideal candidate is a confident, hands-on leader who leads by example, makes sound business decisions, develops people, and consistently delivers outstanding operational and financial results. You understand that great culture and great performance go hand in hand.

Key Performance Indicators

• Net Profit
• Gross Profit
• Cash Flow
• Service Absorption
• Ford Customer Satisfaction (CSI / Customer Experience scores)
• Market Share & Sales Effectiveness
• Inventory Aging & Turn
• Contracts in Transit
• Receivables Aging
• Expense Control
• Technician Productivity & Efficiency
• Employee Retention
• Ford & Lender Compliance

Qualifications

• Proven success as a General Manager, General Sales Manager, Fixed Operations Director, or other senior automotive dealership leader.
• Ford or domestic franchise experience strongly preferred; Ford Pro / commercial experience a plus.
• Strong knowledge of dealership financial statements and operational metrics.
• Demonstrated success leading both Fixed and Variable Operations.
• California dealership experience preferred, including familiarity with California DMV and labor regulations.
• Exceptional leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
• Strong financial, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, and accountability.
• Ability to build a culture focused on performance, customer satisfaction, and employee development.

Why Ford of Upland?

At Ford of Upland, we believe exceptional dealerships are built by exceptional leaders. We empower our General Manager to make decisions, develop their team, improve operations, and create lasting success for our employees, customers, and the Upland and Inland Empire community.

If you’re looking for an opportunity where your leadership will make a meaningful impact on both people and performance, we invite you to apply.

Pay: $150,000.00 - $250,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person