General Manager (Automotive)
Manager ~ Technical/Building/Electrical/etc.
Johannesburg – Gauteng – South Africa
General Manager
Salary: Up to R80k basic per month (Medical aid, Provident fund, Travel allowance)
Area: City Deep, Johannesburg
Type: Onsite
A national automotive aftermarket distribution business is looking for a commercially strong General Manager to lead its branch network, drive revenue growth and take full ownership of P&L performance.
This role is ideal for a hands-on leader who knows the automotive trade, understands branch operations and can build strong teams while keeping a sharp focus on margin, stock, cash flow and customer growth. The role reports to the Director.
Responsibilities
- Lead and grow the national branch network across revenue, GP margin and profitability.
- Take full accountability for the P&L of the business.
- Develop, coach and retain branch managers, sales teams and regional teams.
- Drive new business growth and recover dormant accounts.
- Improve stock control, product availability and branch efficiency.
- Strengthen reporting, compliance, systems and internal processes.
- Manage costs, working capital and cash flow in line with business targets.
- Build strong relationships with key customers, suppliers and trade partners.
- Stay close to the branches, customers and sales teams to make practical business decisions.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Commerce, Marketing or a related field.
- MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification would be advantageous.
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in automotive aftermarket distribution.
- Minimum 5 years’ senior management experience with direct P&L responsibility.
- Proven experience leading multi-branch or multi-site operations.
- Strong sales and commercial background, with a track record of growing revenue.
- Experience managing branch managers, regional teams or sales teams.
- Highly organised and able to manage complexity across multiple sites.
- Clear communicator who can engage with branch teams, customers, suppliers and senior leadership.
- Comfortable using AI tools in day-to-day business decisions.
Advantageous
- Knowledge of automotive air-conditioning systems and refrigerant products.
- Experience in a distribution, wholesale or trade environment.
- Exposure to SAP Business One or a similar ERP system.
- Existing relationships in the automotive trade or independent workshop sector.
- Practical experience using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude or Copilot for reporting, analysis or decision support.
Ready to lead a national operation and drive real commercial growth?