Ford Parts Manager
Ford of Helena | Helena, Montana
Department: Parts
Reports To: General Manager / Fixed Operations Director
Employment Status: Full-Time
Classification: Exempt or Non-Exempt, depending on compensation structure
Position Summary
Ford of Helena is seeking an experienced and motivated Parts Manager to lead all aspects of our Parts Department. The Parts Manager is responsible for maintaining an efficient, profitable, and well-organized department that supports our Service Department, retail and wholesale customers, and overall dealership operations.
This position requires strong leadership, inventory management, financial awareness, and customer service skills. The Parts Manager is expected to maintain appropriate inventory levels, minimize obsolescence, ensure accurate transactions, develop the Parts team, and work closely with Service and Sales leadership to support the success of Ford of Helena.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Department Leadership
- Direct and oversee the daily operations of the Ford of Helena Parts Department.
- Hire, train, coach, schedule, and develop Parts Department employees.
- Establish clear performance expectations and hold employees accountable for accuracy, productivity, attendance, customer service, and teamwork.
- Maintain appropriate staffing and work assignments to meet dealership needs.
- Conduct regular department meetings and communicate priorities, goals, and operational changes.
- Promote a professional, positive, and team-oriented work environment.
- Work closely with Service Advisors, Technicians, Sales Managers, and other dealership departments.
Inventory Management
- Maintain an accurate, organized, and appropriately stocked parts inventory.
- Monitor stocking levels and ordering practices based on sales history, service demand, seasonal needs, and dealership objectives.
- Manage daily parts ordering, receiving, stocking, transfers, returns, and special orders.
- Maintain strong inventory controls and investigate discrepancies.
- Monitor aging and obsolete inventory and develop strategies to reduce excess and non-moving parts.
- Manage manufacturer return programs and eligible parts returns.
- Perform and oversee cycle counts and physical inventories.
- Maintain accurate bin locations and ensure parts are properly labeled and stored.
- Protect dealership inventory from loss, damage, theft, and unnecessary obsolescence.
Financial Performance
- Manage the Parts Department to established sales, gross profit, expense, and net profit objectives.
- Monitor departmental financial performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Review pricing, discounts, margins, and gross profit performance.
- Establish and maintain appropriate retail, internal, warranty, and wholesale pricing practices.
- Control departmental expenses and staffing costs.
- Review departmental reports and key performance indicators on a regular basis.
- Work with dealership leadership to establish annual and monthly Parts Department goals and budgets.
Service Department Support
- Ensure technicians and Service Advisors receive the correct parts in an efficient and timely manner.
- Maintain effective communication between the Parts and Service Departments.
- Monitor parts availability for scheduled and active repair orders.
- Assist in minimizing technician downtime caused by parts delays or ordering issues.
- Maintain effective processes for special-order parts, backorders, warranty parts, cores, and returns.
- Coordinate with Service leadership regarding upcoming repair needs, campaigns, recalls, and high-demand parts.
Retail and Wholesale Operations
- Provide excellent service to retail and wholesale customers.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with local repair facilities, fleets, businesses, and other wholesale customers.
- Ensure customer inquiries, quotes, orders, and concerns are handled promptly and professionally.
- Monitor wholesale account activity, pricing, delivery, and profitability.
- Identify opportunities to increase Parts Department sales while maintaining appropriate margins.
Ford Programs and Compliance
- Maintain familiarity with applicable Ford Motor Company parts programs, policies, systems, incentives, and procedures.
- Ensure Parts Department operations comply with Ford requirements and dealership policies.
- Maintain required documentation for warranty parts, returns, cores, and manufacturer programs.
- Participate in Ford training and remain current on manufacturer programs and operational requirements.
- Work with dealership leadership to address manufacturer audits, inventory requirements, and program performance.
Safety, Security, and Organization
- Maintain a clean, organized, and professional Parts Department.
- Ensure shelves, storage areas, counters, and work areas are maintained safely.
- Follow dealership safety policies and applicable OSHA requirements.
- Maintain appropriate security and access controls for parts inventory.
- Immediately report safety concerns, inventory losses, suspected theft, or other significant issues to management.
Performance Expectations
The Parts Manager will be evaluated on factors including:
- Parts Department sales and gross profit
- Departmental net profitability
- Inventory accuracy
- Inventory aging and obsolescence
- Fill rate and parts availability
- Special-order parts management
- Wholesale growth and profitability
- Expense control
- Technician and Service Department support
- Customer satisfaction
- Employee development and retention
- Compliance with Ford and dealership policies
Qualifications
Required
- Automotive parts, dealership, or comparable inventory-management experience.
- Previous supervisory or management experience preferred.
- Strong understanding of inventory control and parts operations.
- Ability to read and understand departmental financial and operational reports.
- Strong leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent communication and customer service skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced dealership environment.
- Strong computer and dealership management system skills.
- Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record.
Preferred
- Previous Ford dealership Parts Department experience.
- Previous Parts Manager or Assistant Parts Manager experience.
- Experience with Ford parts systems, cataloging, and manufacturer programs.
- Experience managing wholesale parts operations.
- Familiarity with dealership DMS and inventory-management systems.
Physical Requirements
This position may require the employee to:
- Stand and walk for extended periods.
- Frequently bend, reach, climb, and move throughout the Parts Department.
- Regularly lift and carry automotive parts and supplies.
- Safely lift approximately 50 pounds independently and request assistance for heavier or awkward items.
- Work around vehicles, shop equipment, shelving, and warehouse/storage areas.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
Leadership Expectations
As a department manager at Ford of Helena, the Parts Manager is expected to lead by example. This includes demonstrating professionalism, dependability, integrity, accountability, and respect in interactions with employees, customers, vendors, and dealership leadership.
The Parts Manager should actively look for opportunities to improve processes rather than simply maintain existing practices. Department problems should be identified early, communicated appropriately, and addressed with practical solutions.
Successful performance in this position requires balancing customer service, technician support, inventory availability, inventory investment, employee development, and departmental profitability.
Work Environment
The Parts Manager works in a dealership environment that includes office, parts-counter, warehouse, and automotive service areas. The position involves regular interaction with employees, technicians, customers, vendors, delivery personnel, and manufacturer representatives.
The Parts Manager may occasionally be required to work additional hours based on staffing, inventory, month-end activities, physical inventories, or dealership needs.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Ford of Helena is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, performance, and business needs without regard to any status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
