Assistant Workshop Manager

Role Overview

This position supports the Workshop Manager in running a high-volume automotive repair facility, taking charge of day-to-day operational execution while the manager focuses on wider strategic goals. You will be the person keeping workflows moving, staff productive, and safety standards intact, acting as the bridge between management directives and the workshop floor. Your work directly ensures that every vehicle job, from intake to handover, is completed accurately, safely, and on schedule.

Key Responsibilities

• Translate company objectives and performance targets into daily workshop routines, assigning tasks and adjusting priorities as workloads shift throughout the day.
• Coach and guide technicians and support staff on correct procedures, safe techniques, and company expectations, stepping in with hands-on demonstrations when needed.
• Collaborate with HR to manage the full employee lifecycle, including shift rosters, attendance records, leave schedules, performance reviews, and disciplinary meetings.
• Enforce environmental, health, and safety rules by leading safety committee sessions, preparing hazard assessments, coordinating audits, and verifying that permits and safe work permits are in place.
• Manage all workshop assets, including tools, PPE, appliances, vehicles, and test equipment, by tracking usage, scheduling servicing, and documenting repairs or replacements.
• Coordinate procurement and inventory control, including setting reorder levels, liaising with suppliers, checking goods received notes, and maintaining accurate records of stock movements, returns, and transfers.
• Maintain disciplined administrative systems for files, records, stationery, and internal documents while also controlling workshop security, visitor access, keys, stamps, and disposal of used spare parts.
• Prepare and process client-facing paperwork such as estimates, job cards, worksheets, insurance forms, asset labels, and repair action plans while supporting quality inspections and asset handovers.
• Keep all workshop areas clean, organized, and hazard-free, including service bays, engine rooms, yards, and PPE washing stations, while enforcing proper waste segregation.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a directly related engineering discipline.
• At least five years of hands-on experience managing operations in a large, busy automotive workshop, with a strong grasp of workshop administration, procurement, and stock control.
• Solid knowledge of workplace safety practices, including fire marshal duties, first aid procedures, and site safety requirements.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Word and Excel, for reporting, scheduling, and documentation.
• Proven ability to supervise, train, and motivate technical teams in a pressurized environment while maintaining quality and deadlines.
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills with the capability to identify operational issues and propose practical solutions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, demonstrating high professional integrity and a collaborative, proactive approach.
• Willingness to be deployed across Kenya, including Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, or other locations as business needs dictate.