Dealer Relationships • Training • Business Growth
Department: Sales | Reports To: Regional Manager | FLSA Status: Exempt
Last Modified: 02/18/2025 | Revision Status: Draft for review
Role Overview
The Business Development Manager is a hands-on partner to assigned dealerships, responsible for strengthening relationships, delivering practical training, and turning growth opportunities into measurable results. Working with dealership leadership and PermaPlate's regional and national teams, this role aligns product offerings and field support with each account's goals. You will help improve product adoption, penetration, and profitability; reinforce consistent preload and F&I processes; resolve operational challenges; and develop new business within existing and prospective accounts. Success requires purposeful dealership visits, strong follow-through, and the ability to translate performance data into clear action plans.
Role Responsibilities
Account Management & Dealer Relationships
Serve as a primary field contact for assigned dealerships, building trusted relationships with general managers, sales leadership, F&I teams, service and detail departments, and accounting personnel.
Conduct regular, purposeful dealership visits and account reviews to understand business priorities, align on goals, and identify opportunities to improve product adoption and customer satisfaction.
Coordinate with regional leadership, national account teams, and agency partners, as applicable, to communicate account-specific expectations, approved program guidelines, and service commitments consistently.
Take ownership of dealership concerns, partnering with internal teams to coordinate timely resolution of claims escalations, product setup, registration, remittance, and other service needs.
Ensure dealerships have appropriate product inventory, maintenance kits, and current marketing and point-of-sale materials to support their programs.
Training & Dealership Development
Deliver individual coaching, group workshops, sales meeting training, and new-hire instruction tailored to each dealership's needs.
Build product knowledge and presentation skills through vehicle walk-around practice, menu presentation coaching, objection handling, role-play, and appropriate upgrade discussions.
Facilitate participation in PermaPlate's available F&I certification, online learning, and ongoing development resources.
Train service and detail teams on approved product application processes and coordinate operational guidance for registration, e-contracting, remittance, and claims procedures.
Document training topics, participation, follow-up needs, and agreed next steps to reinforce adoption and consistency.
Performance Improvement & Program Execution
Analyze dealership production, product penetration, product mix, profit per contract (PPC), and product revenue per retail vehicle (PVR) to identify opportunities and track progress.
Partner with dealership leadership and the Regional Manager to establish focused action plans with clear goals, responsibilities, training dates, and follow-up checkpoints.
Support preload execution from product application and inventory readiness through customer presentation, sales-to-F&I handoff, and contract registration.
Review addendums, decals, product availability, and related processes against approved account requirements; document gaps and coordinate corrective follow-up with the appropriate teams.
Support strong-performing stores while addressing process gaps at focus locations, sharing successful practices that can be replicated across the territory.
Business Development & New Account Launches
Identify opportunities to expand appropriate PermaPlate products and solutions within existing dealerships and dealer groups.
Build and maintain a qualified pipeline through prospecting, referrals, needs analysis, and engagement with dealership decision-makers.
Partner with regional and national sales leadership to advance qualified opportunities, support presentations, and expand PermaPlate's dealership footprint.
Coordinate new account and product launches with onboarding, operations, training, including enrollment documentation, approved pricing setup, menu availability, initial inventory, and launch training.
Follow through after launch to confirm operational readiness, monitor early production, and address barriers to sustained adoption.
Reporting & Territory Management
Maintain timely, detailed records of dealership visits, training, account issues, opportunities, and follow-up commitments in company-designated CRM and reporting systems.
Provide dealership leadership and PermaPlate management with clear performance updates, customer feedback, action-plan progress, and pipeline status.
Plan territory coverage to balance existing account support, focus-store development, new business prospecting, and launch responsibilities.
Support the Regional Manager in completing required reports and escalating account risks or unresolved operational concerns.
Job Requirements
Ownership & Initiative: Self-motivated and accountable, with the ability to work independently and follow through on commitments.
Resilience: Persistent and adaptable when addressing objections, setbacks, and changing dealership priorities.
Relationship Management: Ability to build trust and credibility with dealership stakeholders and engage confidently with all levels of leadership.
Training & Facilitation: Ability to adapt coaching and presentations to different audiences, explain product value clearly, and reinforce practical skills through individual and group instruction.
Influence & Collaboration: Ability to gain alignment and drive follow-through across dealership departments and internal teams without direct authority.
Communication: Strong verbal and written communication, active listening, presentation, and public-speaking skills.
Analysis & Problem-Solving: Ability to interpret account performance, identify root causes, and translate findings into actionable improvement plans.
Organization & Technical Proficiency: Strong time management and attention to detail; ability to manage multiple accounts and priorities and use CRM, spreadsheet, and reporting tools to track activity and results.
Business Development & Negotiation: Ability to identify and qualify opportunities, conduct needs-based discussions, navigate objections, and negotiate effectively within approved guidelines.
Education & Experience
High school diploma or equivalent required.
Five years of automotive retail experience preferred.
Two years of retail F&I experience preferred.
Travel Requirements
This is a field-based role requiring 100% travel, consistent with the current position requirements.
Physical Demands
Applicants must be able to perform physical tasks that include driving and lifting up to 20lbs. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals as needed to perform essential job functions.
Growth & Impact
Bring your automotive experience into a role where relationships, coaching, and business development come together. As a PermaPlate Business Development Manager, you will help dealership teams strengthen their product knowledge, improve daily execution, and put growth plans into action. Working alongside regional leaders and training resources, you can deepen your expertise in account strategy, dealership operations, and consultative selling while making a direct contribution to the success of your dealer partners.
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
