Director, Managed Services

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