South Auckland Motors – Papatoetoe Trade Centre
South Auckland Motors is recruiting for an experienced and commercially focused Group Trade Parts Manager to lead our Trade Parts operation across multiple automotive franchises.
This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who understands trade parts, enjoys working with data, and can lead a high-performing team while remaining involved in day-to-day quoting and customer activity.
You will lead a team of approximately six and take responsibility for sales performance, customer service, quote conversion, phone performance and ongoing growth of the Trade Parts operation.
The Role
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead, motivate and develop a team of approximately six
- Remain hands-on with trade quoting, customer enquiries and complex parts identification
- Manage performance across phone queues, quote volumes, response times and conversion rates
- Analyse sales and operational data to identify opportunities and areas for improvement
- Report performance and provide recommendations to the Group Parts Manager
- Manage the Parts Representative, ensuring customer visits are structured, targeted and measurable
- Use customer and sales data to ensure representative time is focused on the best opportunities
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key trade customers
- Build strong working relationships with our manufacturer and brand partners
- Ensure customers are aware of relevant trade programmes, loyalty programmes and current promotions
- Drive stronger participation in online quoting channels including Partly, PartsTrader and RepairConnection
- Identify opportunities to grow existing accounts, recover lost business and develop new customers
- Maintain strong pricing and margin discipline
- Support the team across multiple vehicle franchises and product ranges
About You
We are looking for someone with:
- Strong automotive parts experience, ideally in a high-volume trade or franchised dealership environment
- Excellent mechanical and panel parts knowledge
- Strong trade quoting capability
- Previous leadership, supervisory or management experience
- The ability to lead, motivate and hold a team accountable
- Strong analytical and reporting skills
- A commercial mindset with a good understanding of sales, gross profit and margin
- Confidence working across multiple franchises and systems
- Strong customer relationship and communication skills
- The ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
- A proactive approach to identifying and converting sales opportunities
What Success Looks Like
You will be measured on areas including:
- Trade Parts sales and gross profit
- Quote conversion and response times
- Phone queue performance
- Customer retention and account growth
- Team productivity and performance
- Parts Representative activity and measurable outcomes
- Participation in trade programmes and promotions
- Strong relationships with key customers and brand partners
Why Join South Auckland Motors?
This is an opportunity to take ownership of a significant Trade Parts operation and help shape its next stage of growth. You will have the backing of an established multi-franchise dealer group, an experienced parts team, strong trade customer relationships and increasing use of digital quoting platforms and data to drive future growth. If you are an experienced Parts professional looking for the opportunity to step into a broader leadership role, we would like to hear from you. For more information about the role please feel free to contact 0800 369 777.