Service Detail Supervisor

Job DetailsJob Location: McCord's Vancouver Auto Center - Vancouver, WA 98662Position Type: Full TimeSalary Range: $60,000.00 - $80,000.00 Salary/yearJob Shift: Day ShiftJob Category: AutomotivePosition: Detail Supervisor Department: Service Reports To: Service Manager Position: Full-Time Compensation: Base plus commission; target 60K-80K annually Position SummaryThe Detail Supervisor is responsible for leading the dealership’s Detail Department and ensuring new, used, customer-pay, and internal vehicles are completed on time, to dealership quality standards, and at an efficient cost. In a high-volume Toyota dealership selling approximately 500 vehicles per month, this position requires strong production management, organization, quality control, and leadership. The Detail Supervisor must actively manage workflow throughout the day, anticipate upcoming vehicle demand, and coordinate closely with Sales, Service, Used Vehicle/Reconditioning, and other dealership departments. The Detail Supervisor is a working leader who is expected to be present in the department, inspect work, coach employees, resolve production issues, and assist with vehicle preparation when necessary to maintain production. Production & Workflow Management Manage daily production for all new, used, sold, delivery, internal, and customer vehicles assigned to Detail. Review the daily workload and establish priorities based on scheduled deliveries, sold vehicles, recon needs, and dealership commitments. Assign work to detail technicians based on skill level, workload, and required completion time. Maintain an organized production board or electronic tracking system showing the status of every vehicle. Monitor vehicles throughout the detail process rather than waiting until the end of the day to identify delays. Coordinate with Sales Managers regarding sold vehicles and scheduled customer deliveries. Coordinate with the Used Vehicle/Reconditioning team to maintain established vehicle turnaround standards. Immediately communicate delays that could impact a vehicle delivery or dealership commitment. Adjust staffing and assignments throughout the day based on changing production needs. Ensure completed vehicles are moved promptly to the appropriate staging or delivery location. Prevent vehicles from becoming lost, overlooked, or unnecessarily delayed within the department. Quality Control   The Detail Supervisor is ultimately responsible for the quality of vehicles released from the department. Perform final quality-control inspections before vehicles are released. Establish and enforce consistent dealership detail standards. Ensure vehicles are free from dirt, debris, streaks, residue, excessive dressing, water spots, and other appearance concerns. Verify interiors, windows, wheels, tires, door jambs, cargo areas, and exterior surfaces meet dealership standards. Ensure new vehicles are prepared according to Toyota and dealership delivery expectations. Verify used vehicles meet dealership retail-ready appearance standards. Identify workmanship concerns and have them corrected before releasing the vehicle. Track and reduce vehicles returned to Detail for missed items or poor workmanship. Coach employees when recurring quality concerns are identified. Protect vehicles from damage during the detailing process and immediately report any damage discovered or caused Team Leadership Provide daily direction and leadership to Detail Department employees. Conduct a brief start-of-day meeting to review workload, priorities, staffing, and special circumstances. Set clear expectations regarding productivity, quality, attendance, teamwork, and workplace conduct. Train new employees on dealership procedures and quality standards. Coach employees whose productivity or quality does not meet expectations. Recognize high-performing employees and encourage teamwork. Address employee concerns promptly and professionally. Partner with management and Human Resources regarding attendance, performance, or disciplinary matters when appropriate. Assist management with interviewing, hiring, training, and performance evaluations. Develop cross-training within the department to reduce production interruptions caused by absences. Maintain appropriate staffing levels based on dealership volume. Productivity & Performance Management The Detail Supervisor is expected to understand department capacity and manage production using measurable performance standards. Monitor and report: Vehicles detailed per day Vehicles detailed per employee New vehicle completion Used vehicle/reconditioning completion Sold vehicle delivery completion Average turnaround time Vehicles waiting for Detail Rework/comeback percentage Overtime Staffing and attendance Supply usage Department cost per vehicle Identify bottlenecks and recommend staffing, scheduling, equipment, or process changes when production demand exceeds department capacity. New Vehicle Responsibilities Coordinate preparation of new Toyota inventory. Prioritize sold units based on scheduled delivery times. Ensure vehicles are completed before promised customer delivery whenever possible. Coordinate with Sales and Service regarding vehicles requiring additional work before delivery. Maintain appropriate production capacity for high-volume sales days, weekends, month-end, and promotional events. Used Vehicle & Reconditioning Responsibilities Coordinate closely with the Reconditioning team regarding used vehicle priorities. Ensure vehicles move through Detail promptly after mechanical and cosmetic repairs are completed. Support dealership objectives for reducing overall used vehicle reconditioning time. Identify vehicles stalled in the Detail process and take immediate corrective action. Maintain separate visibility of vehicles awaiting Detail, currently being detailed, requiring correction, and completed. Ensure retail-ready vehicles meet established dealership presentation standards. Inventory, Equipment & Facility Management Maintain appropriate inventory levels of chemicals, towels, brushes, compounds, pads, PPE, and other supplies. Establish minimum and maximum inventory levels for commonly used products. Monitor chemical and supply usage to prevent waste. Ensure equipment is maintained and operational. Report damaged or unsafe equipment immediately. Maintain an organized, professional, and clean Detail Department. Ensure chemicals are properly labeled and stored. Maintain Safety Data Sheets as required. Ensure employees use appropriate PPE. Enforce dealership safety policies and OSHA requirements. Ensure employees understand proper handling of chemicals, pressure washers, buffers, extractors, vacuums, and other equipment. Vehicle & Key Control Maintain accountability for vehicles and keys assigned to the department. Ensure keys are stored according to dealership key-control procedures. Prevent vehicles from being left unsecured. Ensure vehicles are parked only in approved locations. Immediately report missing keys, vehicle damage, or other security concerns. Ensure dealership and customer vehicles are treated professionally at all times. Performance Expectations Success in this position will be measured by the Supervisor’s ability to consistently achieve the following: On-Time Completion: Sold vehicles and dealership-priority vehicles are completed by the required delivery time. Quality: Vehicles meet dealership standards the first time with minimal returns or rework. Used Vehicle Turnaround: Detail does not become a bottleneck in the dealership's overall reconditioning process. Productivity: Staffing and labor hours are appropriately aligned with vehicle volume. Cost Control: Chemicals, supplies, overtime, and labor are managed responsibly. Communication: Potential delays are communicated before they become missed commitments. Qualifications Previous automotive detailing experience required. Previous supervisory, team-lead, or production-management experience strongly preferred. High-volume dealership experience preferred. Ability to lead and hold employees accountable while maintaining a positive work environment. Strong organizational and time-management skills. Ability to prioritize a rapidly changing workload. Strong attention to detail and quality. Ability to communicate effectively with Sales, Service, Parts, Reconditioning, and dealership management. Basic computer skills and ability to use dealership workflow/tracking systems. Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record. Ability to safely operate manual and automatic transmission vehicles. Physical Requirements This position regularly requires standing, walking, bending, reaching, lifting, and working around vehicles. Must be able to: Work on feet for extended periods. Bend, kneel, reach, and work inside and around vehicles. Lift and carry approximately 50 pounds. Work around water, cleaning chemicals, vehicle exhaust, and changing temperatures. Safely operate dealership vehicles and detailing equipment.