Assistant Director, Vehicle Damage Operations

Summary

Join Merchants Fleet as the Assistant Director of Vehicle Damage Operations and lead the nationwide vehicle damage strategy. This hybrid role blends strategic planning with daily operational excellence, focusing on quality, speed, and vendor performance. You will lead and refine vehicle damage operations, develop strategic plans to boost fleet performance and profitability, and monitor key performance indicators. Responsibilities include budgeting, managing teams and vendor networks, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and ensuring operational safety and compliance. The ideal candidate possesses a Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, 6+ years of progressive leadership in vehicle damage operations, and strong financial acumen. Merchants Fleet offers a competitive salary, benefits package, and a collaborative work environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• 6+ years of progressive leadership in vehicle damage, repair, or maintenance operations (rental or fleet background strongly preferred)
• Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams (10+ team members)
• Strong financial acumen with budgeting, forecasting, and cost control experience
• Expertise in vehicle repair processes, appraisal systems, and insurance workflows
• Skilled in vendor negotiations, stakeholder alignment, and cross-functional collaboration
• Analytical thinker with a continuous improvement mindset
• Comfortable in a hybrid work model with occasional in-person collaboration

Responsibilities

• Lead and refine nationwide vehicle damage operations—estimation, repair, and reconditioning
• Develop and implement strategic operating plans to maximize fleet performance and profitability
• Monitor and optimize KPIs including technician productivity, downtime, repair cost, and quality metrics
• Own budgeting and forecasting for repair and service-related expenses
• Manage internal teams and vendor networks to ensure timely, high-quality repairs
• Champion a culture of accountability and continuous improvement through data, technology, and best practices
• Lead a talented damage ops team through hiring, development, and performance management
• Ensure operational safety, compliance, and HR alignment

Benefits

Salary Range: $90,000 to $105,000