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Carma is a digital pre-owned car dealership disrupting the Australian automotive industry by delivering a seamless, hassle-free car buying experience. The company manages the entire operation in-house, from engineering and marketing to buying and reconditioning.
As Automotive Operations Manager, you will own the performance of the production system across inspection, merchandising, and outbound logistics. This is a hands-on accountability role where you drive throughput, quality, cost, and flow outcomes across the entire operation.
Key Responsibilities:
- Deliver and maintain throughput, quality, cost, and flow outcomes across inspection, merchandising, and outbound; ensure vehicles move efficiently and hit targets
- Build and maintain clear performance dashboards and operating rhythms to track metrics, identify issues early, and drive accountability
- Monitor workflows to spot disruptions such as growing queues, delays, idle time, or rework before they escalate
- Lead structured root cause analysis across quality, cost, and performance issues to ensure permanent fixes, not just surface-level solutions
- Continuously improve workflow, sequencing, and resource allocation to remove inefficiencies and optimize throughput
- Embed consistent processes and prevent quality drift through standardization
- Lead, coach, and develop your leadership team and frontline staff, setting clear expectations and building capability
- Take end-to-end accountability across all production areas; own the outcome when any part of the system fails
- Manage labour, consumables, and operational inputs; identify and deliver cost efficiencies
- Champion Lean principles including standard work, 5S, waste elimination, and Kaizen initiatives
- Identify system-level constraints and escalate effectively to resolve cross-functional issues
Requirements:
- Minimum 5 years' experience in a leadership role within a production, automotive, or workshop environment
- Proven experience managing diverse teams, including both technical and non-technical skillsets
- Demonstrated ability to build leadership capability and deliver outcomes through others
- Strong commercial acumen with experience managing cost and driving operational performance
- Proven experience improving efficiency, productivity, and cost outcomes
- Strong problem-solving capability, including structured root cause analysis
- Experience designing, implementing, and embedding standardised processes
- Exposure to continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Kaizen, Six Sigma)
- Strong stakeholder management skills across cross-functional teams
- Technical proficiency with ability to work across multiple systems (DMS exposure preferred)
- Comfortable operating at both strategic and hands-on levels
- Strong communication skills with ability to influence and align teams
- High attention to detail and ability to manage competing priorities in fast-paced environment
- Trade background or industry experience advantageous but not essential
- Valid and clean NSW Driver's Licence
