Workshop Manager – Automotive Body Shop

Our client is a reputable automotive body shop based in Karen, Nairobi, offering premium vehicle repair, panel beating, spray painting, and accident restoration services. They are seeking an experienced and results-driven Workshop Manager to take full ownership of workshop operations, lead a skilled technical team, and consistently deliver high-quality vehicle bodywork within agreed timelines and standards.

This is a hands-on leadership role suited for a seasoned automotive professional who understands both the technical and operational dimensions of running a busy body shop. You will be the driving force behind workshop productivity, staff performance, customer satisfaction, and cost efficiency.

• Oversee all day-to-day body shop operations, ensuring efficiency, productivity, and consistent quality of service delivery.
• Plan, coordinate, and supervise vehicle body repair, spray painting, panel beating, and restoration activities across all active jobs.
• Manage and mentor workshop staff including technicians, painters, panel beaters, and support personnel.
• Monitor job progress to ensure all vehicles are completed within agreed timelines and meet set quality standards before handover.
• Develop and implement workshop schedules, work allocation plans, and individual performance targets.
• Ensure full compliance with occupational health and safety (OHS) regulations and internal workshop operating procedures.
• Track and control workshop costs, resource utilisation, and productivity metrics to achieve operational targets.
• Manage customer repair orders, job estimates, approval workflows, and real-time service delivery updates.
• Ensure availability, proper storage, and utilisation of tools, equipment, materials, and spare parts.
• Investigate and resolve technical, operational, and customer-facing issues promptly and professionally.
• Prepare regular workshop performance reports and provide actionable recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Foster a culture of teamwork, accountability, and customer satisfaction across the entire workshop team.

• Demonstrate at least 5 years of hands-on experience managing a body shop or automotive workshop, including direct supervision of technicians and painters.
• Apply strong technical knowledge of vehicle body repair processes — including panel beating, spray painting, and accident repair management — to guide and quality-check technicians' work.
• Lead, motivate, and performance-manage a multi-disciplinary workshop team to consistently meet productivity and quality KPIs.
• Use workshop management systems and Microsoft Office tools (especially Excel) to schedule jobs, track performance, and generate reports.
• Manage customer relationships professionally — communicate repair timelines, cost estimates, and status updates clearly and confidently.
• Identify and resolve operational bottlenecks, technical faults, and customer complaints with sound judgment and urgency.
• Plan and control workshop costs, parts inventory, and resource allocation to prevent waste and maximise efficiency.
• Hold a Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Automotive Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field.

The gross monthly salary for this role is KES 80,000. This is a full-time, on-site position based in Karen, Nairobi. Additional benefits and terms will be discussed during the interview process.

Ideal candidate: A proactive and technically grounded automotive professional with at least 5 years of body shop management experience. You are organised, firm but fair with your team, customer-focused, and comfortable taking full accountability for workshop output. You thrive in a fast-paced, hands-on environment and can juggle multiple vehicle jobs without compromising quality.

Do NOT apply if: You have no prior experience managing a body shop or automotive workshop team, if your background is limited to mechanical servicing only with no body repair exposure, or if you are not comfortable working on-site in Karen, Nairobi full-time.

• Prepare an updated CV highlighting your workshop management experience, team size managed, and key achievements.
• Write a brief cover letter (or email introduction) explaining why you are the right fit for this role.
• Submit your application through the job platform or recruiter portal where this posting was listed.
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an initial screening interview followed by a technical/operational assessment.
• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. If you do not hear back within 3 weeks, consider your application unsuccessful for this cycle.