**Candidates located within 25 miles of a CAI location will go into the office 3 days/wk.**
Cox Automotive is one of the world's largest providers of automotive products and services, transforming the way the world buys, sells, owns, and uses vehicles. Our Managed Services organization delivers the work dealers rely on to compete, supporting a range of Cox Automotive products and brands including Dealer.com and Xtime.
We're hiring a Director to lead a significant part of Managed Services, serving a large base of dealer clients. You'll help shape how AI and automation change the way the team works, one of the biggest questions in front of this organization. It's a leader-of-leaders role with real scope, real budget, and a genuine mandate to influence the operating model, not just run it.
Location: Hybrid, based in one of our hubs in Burlington, VT; Atlanta, GA; or Kansas City
Travel: Up to 15%
Scope
You will own multiple service lines within Managed Services, and the exact mix will continue to evolve as the organization aligns. This leader is expected to operate across the full Managed Services portfolio rather than staying inside individual service-line boundaries. Scope may also span more than one Cox Automotive product, so the right leader is comfortable operating across brands and teams, not just a single platform.
The role
This is a leadership role, not an oversight role. We need someone who takes initiative, holds people accountable, puts dealers first in every decision, and works across organizational lines to get things done. The right person sees a future where automation, AI, and technology let people deliver more, and is genuinely excited about building that future rather than threatened by it.
What you'll do
Take initiative and drive outcomes
Lead strategy, execution, and performance for your service lines
Translate organizational strategy into operating plans with clear milestones, and hold yourself and your teams to them
Identify problems early, make decisions, and move
Continuously assess market demand, client needs, and competitive dynamics to evolve offerings before they fall behind
Put dealers first
Ensure every service line delivers measurable value to dealers
Lead resolution of complex dealer escalations
Drive a culture where the team thinks about dealer outcomes before internal convenience
Use dealer feedback and performance data to shape how services evolve
Hold people accountable
Set clear expectations for every team and every leader
Build and maintain operational rigor across internal workflows
Create transparency around performance so problems surface early and wins get recognized
Address underperformance directly and coach through it
Work across the organization
Partner with Performance Management, Sales, Product, Marketing, HR, and other Managed Services teams
Serve as a trusted operational partner for Enterprise and OEM stakeholders, aligning service delivery with commercial goals and brand standards
Collaborate with Sales and dealer-facing account teams on new business, expansions, renewals, and strategic accounts
Navigate competing priorities across stakeholders without losing focus on service quality
Lead large, distributed teams
Lead multiple people leaders and individual contributors across Managed Services
Build, coach, and retain high-performing teams through clear expectations, real feedback, and structured development
Create clarity around roles and decision rights so the team can execute without bottlenecks
Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, and growth
Embrace AI, automation, and what comes next
Drive efficiency and scale through AI enablement, workflow automation, and process refinement
Be genuinely excited about a future where technology changes how this team operates
Lead experimentation and adoption of new tools and operating models while maintaining quality and governance
Identify opportunities to reduce manual effort, increase throughput, and improve quality through automation and process improvement
Bring a growth mindset to every challenge. The playbook from last year probably isn't the playbook for next year.
Business growth and financial stewardship
Support revenue retention and growth by ensuring services deliver clear, demonstrable value
Manage team capacity, resourcing models, and operating expenses to deliver within budget while supporting growth
Partner with Finance on demand forecasting, headcount planning, and investment justification
Contribute to pricing, packaging, and service model evolution
Vendor and technology management
Manage strategic vendor relationships supporting service delivery
Evaluate emerging platforms, tools, and partners for scalability, quality, and cost
Partner with Procurement and Legal on selection, renewals, and negotiations
What’s In It for You?
- Here’s a sneak peek at the benefits you could experience as a Cox employee:
- A competitive salary and top-notch bonus/incentive plans.
- Exceptional work-life balance, flexible time-off policies and accommodating work schedules.
- Comprehensive healthcare, with multiple options for individuals and families.
- Generous 401(k) retirement plans with company match.
- Professional development and continuing education opportunities.
- Inclusive parental leave policies, plus comprehensive fertility coverage and adoption assistance.
- Extra perks like pet insurance, employee discounts and much more.
What you bring
Required experience
Bachelor's degree and 10 years' experience in operations, digital services, or marketing services leadership (alternative: Master's plus 8 years, Ph.D. plus 5 years, or 14 years relevant experience)
5+ years in a people leadership role, including direct experience leading and developing other people leaders, not solely individual contributors
Experience owning outcomes across multiple functions or service lines, not a single function
Track record of taking initiative and driving outcomes
Proven ability to hold teams accountable while building a culture people want to be part of
Experience managing competing stakeholder priorities with limited resources
Direct ownership of an operating budget or OPEX line, including resourcing decisions and cost management
Hands-on experience with workflow automation, AI tools, or digital transformation initiatives
Who you are
You default to action.
You hold people to a standard, including yourself.
You think about the dealer first. Every process, every decision, every priority gets filtered through what's best for the client.
You work across lines. You build relationships outside your org because you know that's where most of the real work gets done.
You have a growth mindset. You're not protecting the status quo.
You're genuinely excited about AI and automation, not just cautiously optimistic about it. You see technology as a way to make your team better, and you want to lead that change.
Preferred qualifications
Experience within a managed services or marketing agency model
Experience applying AI and automation to improve service delivery, including workflow efficiency, quality, and governance at scale
Background in automotive
Experience managing large-scale operations serving hundreds or thousands of client accounts simultaneously
Success in this role looks like
Year one
Established credibility and trust with internal leaders and key dealer accounts
Improved SLA adherence, quality scores, and dealer satisfaction across all service lines
Delivered measurable efficiency gains through automation and process improvements
Built engaged, high-performing teams with clear accountability and development paths
Developed a clear point of view on how AI and automation reshape the team's operating model, and presented recommendations to senior leadership
Ongoing
Consistent service performance at scale with predictable delivery and strong margins
Sustained dealer satisfaction and retention driven by quality and responsiveness
Clear performance visibility through meaningful KPIs and executive reporting
Managed Services viewed as a strategic growth enabler, not a delivery function
Drug Testing:
To be employed in this role, you'll need to clear a pre-employment drug test. Cox Automotive does not currently administer a pre-employment drug test for marijuana for this position. However, we are a drug-free workplace, so the possession, use or being under the influence of drugs illegal under federal or state law during work hours, on company property and/or in company vehicles is prohibited.
Compensation:
Compensation includes a base salary in the range of $148,500.00 - $247,500.00. The base salary may vary within the anticipated base pay range based on factors such as the ultimate location of the position and the selected candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Position may be eligible for additional compensation that may include an incentive program.
Benefits:
The Company offers eligible employees the flexibility to take as much vacation with pay as they deem consistent with their duties, the company’s needs, and its obligations; seven paid holidays throughout the calendar year; and up to 160 hours of paid wellness annually for their own wellness or that of family members. Employees are also eligible for additional paid time off in the form of bereavement leave, time off to vote, jury duty leave, volunteer time off, military leave, and parental leave.
Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States for any employer without current or future sponsorship.
EOE, including disability/vets
