General Manager (Automotive Service Operations) Job at A&B Import Auto, Fort Collins, CO

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  • A&B Import Auto
  • Fort Collins, CO

Job Description

A&B Import Auto is a legacy automotive service business with a 10 lifts and a 10-person team in our one service location. We are looking for a high-powered, rock start General Manager to join our team and propel the business to the next level! This will be the first senior operational leader in the company besides the owner.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to:

  • Absorb day-to-day service management from the owner.
  • Build a culture around written processes.
  • Build a foundation of leadership that allows the business to grow into multiple locations.

We believe in evolution, speed, and production. This role, like all of the positions within our company, has specific growth opportunities and includes a path to Managing Director within 12-24 months. The perfect hire would be a great resource for stability and process today AND a force of growth tomorrow.

How it works:
  • You are not walking into a day-one chaotic reorganization of the company.
  • Instead, expect to be fully supported in tasks and education while you get to know our team, our business, and our customers.
  • Automotive industry experience is not strictly required, but is a huge plus. If you don't have automotive management experience, please include a cover letter describing your compatibility with this role. 
  • We care deeply about culture, speed, and performance. We want a LEADER who exemplifies these qualities and brings a great example to our team!

Phase 1: First 6 Months - General Manager, Service Operations.

Your primary mandate in Phase 1 is to own all tasks to make our operations consistent and repeatable (prepare for growth).

What you will own:

  • Absorb all service management responsibilities currently handled by the owner, including:
    • RO audits.
    • Phone call reviews and coaching.
    • KPI reporting and performance reviews.
    • Quality check calls (thanking customers for their business, making sure the experience was excellent)
  • Customer issue escalation and resolution.
  • Implement, enforce, and continuously refine SOPs across advisors and technicians (goal of fully written playbook within 8-12 months).
  • Act as the first point of escalation for team and customer issues.
  • Run daily advisor huddles and weekly technician huddles.
  • Coach team members based on KPIs and observed performance.
  • Coordinate with the bookkeeper and founder on payroll, AP, and cash-aware decision-making.
  • Be physically present in the shop and operate as a player-coach.
    • Serve as sales backup (roughly 10-20% of sales as needed).
    • Train advisors on our playbook.
  • Prepare the business for unforeseen absences from the owner:
    • If the owner disappeared for three weeks, the business would still perform well and meet growth objectives.

Authority in Phase 1:

  • From day one, you will have authority to direct advisors and technicians, even if reporting lines are initially informal.
  • By ~60-90 days, you can independently:
    • Hire, terminate, and replace lower level staff.
    • Handle customer situations if escalated.
    • Implement and enforce operational processes.
    • Adjust production priorities week-to-week.
    • Make equipment, layout, and efficiency improvements.
    • Coach and correct team members based on KPIs.
    • Make marketing, B2B pricing, and promotional decisions within guidelines.
  • The team will be trained to bring problems to you first to start emphasizing a chain of command.


Phase 2: Months 6-12 - Expansion & Managing Director Readiness. Once the operation is stable and leadership trust is established, your role begins to scale.


Expanded scope:

  • Run the location with minimal owner dependency.
  • Own a 20-30% year-over-year growth target through operational excellence.
  • Build leadership redundancy and actively train subordinates.
  • Prepare the organization for a second location from both a succession and cash-readiness standpoint.
  • Potentially begin transitioning toward director-level responsibilities as the business grows.
  • Coordinate with marketing and finance to align growth with capacity and cash flow.


This phase is directional, not automatic. Scope expands based on performance and fit.


How success is measured:

You will own and report on these weekly:

  • Speed of sale (measured and/or observed).
  • Weekly gross profit dollars and margin.
  • Production vs. technician capacity.
  • Effective labor rate and parts margin.
  • Cost of customer acquisition and new customer volume.


This role is a strong fit if you:

  • Are energized by building structure where little exists.
  • Enforce standards without burning culture.
  • Move fast, but don’t break trust.
  • Prefer ownership over certainty.
  • Lead by example and take responsibility personally.
  • Care deeply about both customers and the team.


Experience with blue-collar teams, turnarounds, or cash-disciplined environments is a plus. Automotive management experience helps-but a strong sales and operational brain matters more.


Leadership expectations:

  • Servant leadership: you enable excellence in others.
  • Player coach: you help our team become their best
  • Clear, demonstrated empathy for employees and customers.
  • Direct, respectful accountability.
  • Alignment with our core values around evolution, speed, and performance.
  • Presence-this is not a remote or absentee role.


Compensation & upside:

  • Performance-heavy compensation structure.
  • Bonuses tied to specific business objectives and gross profit.
  • Company-wide profit sharing.
  • Long-term upside as scope expands.
  • Potential equity participation as the role evolves toward COO, based on performance, tenure, and expansion milestones.

Benefits:

  • Health insurance through Anthem (75% coverage of primary subscriber / 25% of dependents, negotiable based on situation).
  • Dental/vision paid for whole family.
  • 4% 401K match.
  • Subsidized breakfast program and Friday team lunch meeting.
  • 2 weeks paid off in the first year.
  • Humane holidays (Black Friday, Christmas Eve off, etc).
  • Excellent work culture with a team that gets along and is evolution & production focused.


We’re looking for someone who wants to earn authority, build trust, and grow into real executive leadership.

Curious to talk & learn more? Ready to join a truly AWESOME team? We’d like to meet you!

About A&B Import Auto:

A&B Import Auto has been proudly serving the Northern Colorado community with top-quality automotive service and repair. Our mission is simple: to consistently deliver exceptional service while always doing the right thing. We believe in going the extra mile for every customer, ensuring that their vehicle receives the care and attention it deserves. At A&B Import Auto, we know that success is built on strong processes, continuous improvement, and a commitment to high performance. Our team of professionals brings their best every day, holding themselves to the highest standards of quality. We take pride in making quality personal, and our work reflects a dedication to getting it right the first time, every time. Customer service is at the heart of everything we do. We believe in listening generously, practicing blameless problem-solving, and taking responsibility for delivering on our promises. We honor our commitments and work hard to create an environment where teamwork and respect flourish. At A&B Import Auto, we embrace change, set clear expectations, and strive to keep things fun, because we believe that a positive atmosphere leads to the best results for both our customers and our team. A&B Import Auto is steadily growing each year, offering new and exciting opportunities on a regular basis. We believe in continuous and proactive hiring, always seeking out talented individuals who can be the next great addition to our team. If you’re looking for a workplace that values hard work, quality, and growth, we’d love to hear from you!

Job Tags

Full time,

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