How to hire an automotive services manager

How to hire an automotive services manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step automotive services manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an automotive services manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new automotive services manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an automotive services manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an automotive services manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An automotive services manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, automotive services managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of automotive services managers.

   Type of Automotive Services Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Automotive Services Manager		$16-34
   Section Chief	A section chief's job varies with the type of organization. In most cases, a section chief is the head of a given section in an organization that is tasked with performing certain duties... Show more	$17-78
   Maintenance Planner	A maintenance planner is responsible for maintaining the efficiency and optimal performance of the operational tools, equipment, and machinery. Maintenance planners assist with the personnel's request for equipment repairs, requiring them to have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry to identify inconsistencies and glitches and perform immediate troubleshooting... Show more	$18-40

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Complaints
   • Strong Customer Service
   • Repeat Business
   • Quality Service
   • Customer Inquiries
   • Vehicle Repairs
   • Maintenance Services
   • CSI
   • Shop Equipment
   • Customer Vehicles
   • OSHA
   • Customer Service
   • Oil Changes
   • Customer Issues

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all aspects of the Chrysler automotive service department.
   • Manage vendor relationships to include outsource contracted services, contractors and maintain establish SLA's as needed.
   • Manage employees and make sure the store and sales and orders go smoothly and run up to operation.
   • Lead all Chrysler service departments to 5-Star rating in 2000 (no stores have qualified in 15 years prior).
   • Manage all warranty relate expenses and enforce Honda's warranty policy and procedure.
   • Coordinate and participate with the installation teams to help troubleshoot problems and resolve customer concerns while managing service and commissioning engineers.

   More automotive services manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your automotive services manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An automotive services manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an automotive services manager in Maine may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level automotive services manager usually earns less than a senior-level automotive services manager. Additionally, an automotive services manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average automotive services manager salary

   $50,282yearly

   $24.17 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level automotive services manager salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average automotive services manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$60,944	$29
   2	Ohio	$54,983	$26
   3	Texas	$53,720	$26
   4	Alabama	$53,157	$26
   5	Pennsylvania	$50,367	$24
   6	Georgia	$50,007	$24
   7	Illinois	$48,638	$23
   8	Michigan	$48,020	$23
   9	North Carolina	$47,960	$23
   10	Colorado	$47,037	$23
   11	South Carolina	$46,862	$23
   12	Indiana	$45,879	$22
   13	Tennessee	$45,436	$22
   14	Missouri	$45,328	$22
   15	Florida	$44,385	$21
   16	Arizona	$41,137	$20

   Average automotive services manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Belle Tire	$57,904	$27.84	51
   2	Chevy Chase Acura	$55,925	$26.89	3
   3	All American Group	$54,747	$26.32	3
   4	Warren Henry Auto	$54,530	$26.22	10
   5	Napleton Automotive Group	$54,439	$26.17	84
   6	Holman Automotive	$54,168	$26.04	13
   7	Johnson Automotive	$53,683	$25.81	4
   8	Lexus of Pembroke Pines	$53,630	$25.78	8
   9	Byrider	$53,429	$25.69	27
   10	Kennedy	$53,263	$25.61	1
   11	Lucid Motors	$52,851	$25.41	1
   12	Berglund / Farrell Automotive	$52,792	$25.38	1
   13	Southern Auto Group	$52,235	$25.11	2
   14	Hireology	$51,060	$24.55
   15	UL	$49,046	$23.58	2
   16	Passport Auto Group	$48,861	$23.49	23
   17	Tireman Auto Service Centers	$48,370	$23.25
   18	Royal Automotive	$48,340	$23.24
   19	Sun Devil Fire	$47,929	$23.04
   20	Lia Honda Albany	$47,544	$22.86	31

4. Writing an automotive services manager job description

   A job description for an automotive services manager role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an automotive services manager job description:

   Automotive services manager job description example

   Considering a career with Ken Garff Automotive Group means you are in for a great ride (excuse the car metaphor)! We're not your standard dealership or group of dealerships and we are pretty darn proud of that. We are out to do things differently and want to consistently change, grow, and progress. For that reason, our employees are proud of where they work!
   
   Culver City Toyota, a Ken Garff Automotive Dealership, is currently looking for a talented Automotive Service (Shop) Manager that aligns with our core values and acts with respect, intelligence, greatness, honesty and teamwork.
   
   As a group, we aim to become the most esteemed automotive group by treating people R.I.G.H.T and creating lifetime customers!
   Here's why you'll want to work here:
   Paid training and real career growth Competitive compensation package Great people with a great culture Paid Time Off and 401k with Company match Medical, Dental, Vision, Short and Long-term disability, AD&D and Life InsuranceYear-end bonus program for all employees (Garff Giveback) Employee discounts on Vehicle Purchase, Parts, Service and More!
   
   Here's what you'll be doing:
   Responsible for creating and maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction and coordinating resolution of customer conflicts in a manner that does not compromise the customer's interest, while maintaining appropriate attention to department profits Assist the Service Advisors and the Service Manager or Director with information, forms, reports, and/or documentation related to customer relations, as requested Plans, organizes, leads and controls the flow of service work through the department Coordinates with the Parts Department, Sales Department, and others to ensure effectiveness of the service process Establishes processes and standards to ensure customer satisfaction and efficient and effective Service Department operation Flags repair orders according to established procedures.Provides estimation of time for completion of each repair order Other duties as assigned
   
   Here's what you'll need:
   1 or more years of automotive dispatching experience highly desired Prior dealership service experience required High School diploma or equivalent required Knowledge of automotive repair shop operation Must be proficient with the use of Microsoft Office productsA valid in-state driver's license and a good driving record, per company standards
   
   We are an Equal Opportunity Employer
   (( We Hear You ))

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find automotive services managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your automotive services manager job on Zippia to find and recruit automotive services manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit automotive services managers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new automotive services manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect automotive services manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new automotive services manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an automotive services manager?