Technical Workshop First Line Manager

Location: Thorne, South Yorkshire, DN8 4HT
Site: BMW VDC
Department: Technical Workshop
Reports to: Technical Operations Manager

The Role

We are looking for an experienced Technical Workshop First Line Manager to take responsibility for the day-to-day running of a busy automotive technical workshop in Thorne.

This is a key operational leadership role where you will manage workshop workflow, Work in Progress (WIP), technician allocation, repair progress and overall productivity.

You will act as the link between technicians, supervisors, warranty teams and senior management, ensuring vehicles are completed on time, technical issues are resolved efficiently and manufacturer standards are consistently maintained.

This role would suit an experienced Workshop Controller, Technical Supervisor, Senior Technician, Workshop Team Leader or Assistant Workshop Manager looking for greater responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Allocate repair and service work based on technician skills, qualifications and workshop capacity.

• Manage WIP across technical departments and ensure vehicles meet expected completion dates.

• Prioritise workloads in line with KPIs, operational requirements and business priorities.

• Monitor job cards, workshop planning, repair progress and operational reporting.

• Produce and refine daily, weekly and monthly management reports covering throughput and resource requirements.

• Monitor manufacturer information including recalls, technical campaigns, delivery stops, warranty updates and software releases.

• Authorise additional repair work and ensure warranty documentation is completed accurately.

• Act as the first point of contact for technical enquiries and liaise between technicians, supervisors, warranty teams and management.

• Carry out process and job-card audits to maximise revenue and ensure correct workshop procedures are followed.

• Lead, motivate and mentor technicians and apprentices while identifying training and development requirements.

• Monitor attendance, timekeeping, productivity, utilisation and overall performance.

• Oversee workshop tools and diagnostic equipment, including maintenance and calibration.

• Identify opportunities to improve workshop efficiency, quality, safety and operational performance.

• Ensure compliance with manufacturer standards, SOPs, Health & Safety requirements and relevant ISO standards.

Skills & Experience

• Strong automotive diagnostics and vehicle repair knowledge.

• Significant workshop or dealership experience.

• Experience managing workshop operations and WIP as a Supervisor, Team Leader or Workshop Controller.

• Industry-recognised automotive qualification such as NVQ Level 3, IMI or City & Guilds.

• Good understanding of manufacturer systems, warranty processes and technical campaigns.

• Strong leadership, organisation and workload-planning skills.

• Confident managing KPIs, productivity, efficiency and utilisation.

• Strong communication and problem-solving ability.

• Good IT skills, including manufacturer management systems and Microsoft Office.

Ideal Candidate

You will be an experienced automotive professional who combines strong technical knowledge with the ability to organise people, workload and workshop priorities.

You should be comfortable making decisions in a fast-paced environment, coaching technicians, resolving technical issues and taking ownership of workshop performance.

If you are currently working as a Workshop Controller, Technical Supervisor, Senior Technician or Workshop Team Leader and are ready for your next step, we would like to hear from you.

Apply

Please submit your CV or contact us for a confidential discussion about the position.