Dealer Development Manager
About the role
About the Role
The Dealer Development Manager will represent Upgrade Inc (Auto Finance Division) and promote our indirect lending programs. They will develop, maintain, and grow business partnerships between Upgrade Inc. and our dealership partners. The Dealer Development Manager is also responsible for staying up-to-date on local market conditions and industry trends. In this role, you will work with internal partners to find solutions that better serve our customers, and build long lasting relationships with key decision makers to drive growth and continuous improvement.
This position requires residency in Florida.
What You’ll Do
Dealer Relationship Management
- Develop and maintain relationships with new and existing dealer partners
- Act as a trusted advisor to dealership owners, GMs, and F&I managers
- Conduct regular in-person dealership visits based on a structured drive schedule
- Deliver consistent follow-up and service to ensure dealer satisfaction and loyalty
Dealer Acquisition & Activation
- Identify, onboard, and activate new dealer partners
- Drive dealer sign-ups and first deals (“activation”)
- Re-engage inactive dealers (e.g., no deals in 90 days) and return them to production
- Execute onboarding training to ensure dealers understand programs and systems
Production & Volume Growth
- Achieve monthly funding and application volume goals
- Increase contracts per active dealer and overall territory production
- Focus on growing volume in Tier 3–5 segments while maintaining quality
- Drive penetration targets (e.g., 3+ and 5+ deals per dealer per month)
Credit & Deal Structuring
- Partner closely with underwriting/credit teams to structure deals effectively
- Educate dealers on program guidelines, stips, and deal packaging
- Improve pull-through by coaching dealers on submitting clean, fundable deals
Portfolio Performance & Quality
- Monitor dealer portfolio performance (delinquency, charge-offs, profitability)
- Manage dealer mix to align with company risk appetite and profitability goals
- Shift focus toward preferred collateral and higher-performance segments