Car Sales Executive Job Description
Recruit a confident, customer-focused sales professional who can turn showroom visits into sales, manage leads through the buying process and build repeat business for your dealership.
What does a Car Sales Executive professional do?
An Automotive (Car) Sales Executive sells new and/or used vehicles, manages customer relationships from enquiry to handover, works to sales targets and maintains accurate records of sales activity and finance paperwork.
Car Sales Executive job description template
Use this employer-ready example as a starting point, then replace the placeholders and adjust the content so it accurately reflects your vacancy.
Car Sales Executive
About the role
[COMPANY] is looking for a Car Sales Executive to join our team in [LOCATION]. You will handle enquiries, demonstrate vehicles, manage test drives, discuss finance and part-exchange options, and close sales to meet monthly targets. A full UK driving licence is essential. Competitive basic pay plus commission/bonus and benefits including [KEY BENEFIT PLACEHOLDER]. To apply, please send your CV to [APPLICATION EMAIL/INSTRUCTIONS].
Key responsibilities
- Welcome customers in the showroom and over the phone, qualify needs and present suitable vehicles and options
- Arrange and conduct vehicle demonstrations and supervise test drives
- Provide accurate part-exchange valuations and discuss finance, warranty and aftercare options
- Manage sales pipeline and customer follow-up using CRM; convert enquiries and leads into appointments and sales
- Prepare and complete sales documentation, vehicle handovers and compliance paperwork
- Hit individual and team monthly sales targets and report on activity and forecast
- Work with aftersales, finance and vehicle preparation teams to ensure a seamless customer experience
- Attend manufacturer or product training as required and keep product knowledge up to date
Essential skills and experience
- Full UK driving licence with a clean, valid record
- Proven experience in customer-facing sales or retail (dealership experience preferred but not essential)
- Excellent verbal communication and negotiation skills
- Basic numeracy and confidence handling finance figures and paperwork
- Comfortable using CRM, email and standard office software
- Right to work in the UK
Desirable
- Experience in new car or used car sales with measurable sales performance
- Familiarity with vehicle valuation and appraisal processes
- Knowledge of dealer finance products, warranties and insurance options
- Motor industry NVQ or relevant sales qualification
- Previous experience working with manufacturer systems or dealer management software
What we offer
- Competitive basic salary plus commission/bonus scheme
- Manufacturer or product training programmes
- Pension scheme
- Employee discount on vehicles, parts or servicing
- Holiday entitlement plus bank holidays
- Mileage allowance or company vehicle where applicable
How to apply
Apply with your CV and any additional information requested. Make the interview process, closing date and any assessment stages clear where known.
Use this as a starting point rather than a final advert. The strongest version will reflect the real role, salary, location, systems, responsibilities, benefits and working arrangements.
What is a Car Sales Executive role?
Car Sales Executives are responsible for selling vehicles and related products to retail customers. They qualify leads, demonstrate vehicles, arrange test drives, advise on finance and part-exchange, and complete the sales process including necessary paperwork. Success combines product knowledge, interpersonal skills and the ability to meet measurable sales targets.
Who you'll work with
Showroom colleagues, aftersales and preparation teams, finance partners and manufacturer support for franchised dealers.
Typical day
Handling enquiries, meeting customers, running test drives, updating CRM, negotiating deals and completing handovers.
Performance focus
Role is target-driven with performance measured by sales, conversion rates and customer satisfaction.
Hours
Usually full-time rostered shifts including weekends; exact hours vary by dealership and location.
Typical Car Sales Executive responsibilities
Responsibilities should reflect the real scope of the vacancy rather than every task someone in this profession might ever complete.
Welcome customers in the showroom
Welcome customers in the showroom and over the phone, qualify needs and present suitable vehicles and options
Arrange
Arrange and conduct vehicle demonstrations and supervise test drives
Provide accurate part-exchange valuations
Provide accurate part-exchange valuations and discuss finance, warranty and aftercare options
Manage sales pipeline
Manage sales pipeline and customer follow-up using CRM; convert enquiries and leads into appointments and sales
Prepare
Prepare and complete sales documentation, vehicle handovers and compliance paperwork
Hit individual
Hit individual and team monthly sales targets and report on activity and forecast
Work with aftersales
Work with aftersales, finance and vehicle preparation teams to ensure a seamless customer experience
Attend manufacturer or product training
Attend manufacturer or product training as required and keep product knowledge up to date
Car Sales Executive skills and experience to look for
Keep the essential list focused on what the person really needs to perform the role. Move useful-but-trainable experience into desirable criteria.
Usually worth prioritising
- Full UK driving licence with a clean, valid record
- Proven experience in customer-facing sales or retail (dealership experience preferred but not essential)
- Excellent verbal communication and negotiation skills
- Basic numeracy and confidence handling finance figures and paperwork
- Comfortable using CRM, email and standard office software
- Right to work in the UK
Useful where relevant
- Experience in new car or used car sales with measurable sales performance
- Familiarity with vehicle valuation and appraisal processes
- Knowledge of dealer finance products, warranties and insurance options
- Motor industry NVQ or relevant sales qualification
- Previous experience working with manufacturer systems or dealer management software
See our guide to what to include in a job advert before publishing.
How to write a Car Sales Executive job advert
Small role-specific details can make the advert much easier for suitable candidates to assess.
Be explicit about earnings
State whether the role has a basic salary plus commission, typical OTE format (use a placeholder for range), or is commission-only, and describe how commission is calculated.
Specify product mix
Clarify whether the vacancy covers new cars, used cars, fleet or a combination — applicants target their experience accordingly.
Highlight driving requirement
Make the full UK driving licence requirement clear and state any expectations about licence points or business use of vehicles.
Outline training and progression
Mention manufacturer training, induction length and pathways to senior sales or management roles to attract career-focused candidates.
Car Sales Executive salary considerations
Automotive sales pay typically combines a base salary with commission or bonus payments. Instead of a fixed market figure, consider the factors below which influence total earnings and range for this role.
depending on experience
- Use a genuine range
- Separate variable pay
- Avoid “competitive” alone
- Match salary to seniority
What Car Sales Executive candidates will want to know
Practical details can influence whether a suitable candidate applies, even when the title and salary are attractive.
What is the commission structure and typical OTE?
Candidates will want to know base versus commission, how commission is calculated, any tiers or accelerators and examples of achievable earnings.
What are the typical working hours and weekend expectations?
Provide details on shift patterns, weekend rota, evening opening and whether time off in lieu is offered for unsociable hours.
Will I have use of a company vehicle or mileage allowance for test drives?
Clarify vehicle provision, fuel policy, personal use rules and any mileage reimbursement rates.
What training and ongoing support is provided?
Explain induction duration, product/manufacturer training, mentoring and any sales development programmes.
Where do leads come from?
Candidates want to know whether leads are walk-ins, online enquiries, manufacturer-supplied or generated by the dealership’s marketing.
Where to post a Car Sales Executive job
This role suits channels that reach retail sales candidates and motor trade professionals. Use broad UK job boards and local classifieds for volume, specialist motor-industry job sites and manufacturer dealer networks for experienced dealership applicants, and LinkedIn or local recruitment agencies when targeting managerial or high-performing salespeople.
Car Sales Executive job description FAQs
Do I need to publish salary in the advert?
Publishing at least the basic salary and whether commission is paid improves response rates and transparency. If you prefer not to publish exact figures, clearly state the pay structure and whether a competitive commission or OTE is available.
Should I require a driving licence?
Yes — a full UK driving licence is commonly essential because test drives are a core part of the role. Be specific about acceptable licence status and any point limits.
What pre-employment checks are appropriate?
Standard checks include right-to-work verification, identity, references and, where relevant, driving licence checks. Financial background checks may be appropriate if the role handles finance applications or sensitive customer information.
How long should the probation or training period be?
Typical probation periods are between one and three months with manufacturer or product training running alongside. Outline expected milestones for competency and target achievement during this time.
Ready to post this vacancy?
Use this template to create a clear, candidate-focused advert. Tailor the sections for your product mix and commission model, then distribute via general and motor-industry channels to reach experienced car sales applicants.
