Workshop Manager

• Manage day-to-day operations of the workshop, covering scheduled preventive maintenance, breakdown repairs, accident repairs, and pre-delivery inspections across the fleet.
• Plan and allocate daily job cards to technicians based on skill, workload, and priority; monitor progress to ensure turnaround time (TAT) targets are met.
• Drive fleet availability by minimising Vehicle Off Road (VOR) days and controlling repeat repairs; track and report downtime reasons with corrective action plans.
• Diagnose complex mechanical, electrical, engine, transmission, AC, and suspension faults, and guide technicians on root-cause resolution rather than part-swapping.
• Control workshop cost per vehicle / cost per kilometre through labour productivity, warranty recovery, repair-vs-replace decisions, and reduction of unnecessary part consumption.
• Coordinate with the spare parts and procurement team to maintain optimum stock of fast-moving items; approve part requisitions and validate consumption against job cards.
• Manage external vendors and third-party garages for specialised jobs (body shop, paint, tyres, upholstery, recovery), including quality checks and invoice verification.
• Ensure full compliance with RTA / relevant transport authority requirements, vehicle registration, passing, and inspection schedules.
• Enforce HSE standards within the workshop — safe working practices, PPE usage, tool and equipment safety, waste oil and hazardous material disposal, and incident reporting.
• Maintain accurate records in the fleet management system / ERP: job cards, service history, warranty claims, part issuance, and technician time booking.
• Supervise, train, and appraise technicians, mechanics, service advisors, and helpers; identify skill gaps and run on-the-job training.
• Manage manpower planning, shift rosters, overtime control, and leave planning to maintain 24/7 or extended-hours coverage where applicable.
• Prepare and present periodic reports on workshop productivity, TAT, cost, breakdown trends, and fleet health to management.
• Support annual maintenance budgeting and monitor actual spend against budget.
• Handle escalations from operations, drivers, and internal customers, and close them within agreed service levels.

Desired Candidate Profile

• Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical / Automobile Engineering, or an equivalent trade qualification (ITI / technical certification) with strong hands-on experience.
• 6–10 years of automotive workshop experience, with at least 2–4 years in a supervisory or managerial capacity (adjust as required for Supervisor vs Manager level).
• Proven experience managing a large vehicle fleet or a multi-bay workshop; experience in taxi, rental, logistics, or passenger transport fleets is strongly preferred.
• Strong technical diagnostic ability across petrol/hybrid/diesel vehicles; exposure to EV or hybrid maintenance is an added advantage.
• Working knowledge of fleet management systems / ERP platforms and digital job card processes.
• Demonstrated track record of improving TAT, reducing VOR, and controlling maintenance cost per vehicle.
• Solid understanding of HSE regulations, workshop safety standards, and local transport authority compliance requirements.
• Strong people management skills with experience leading multicultural, blue-collar teams.
• Good commercial acumen for vendor negotiation, warranty claims, and parts cost control.
• Proficiency in MS Excel and reporting; ability to work with data to drive decisions.
• Valid UAE driving licence preferred.
• Fluency in English; Hindi/Urdu or Arabic an advantage for team communication.
• Willingness to work in shifts and respond to operational emergencies.