At Kia, we’re creating award-winning products and redefining what value means in the automotive industry. It takes a special group of individuals to do what we do, and we do it together. Our culture is fast-paced, collaborative, and innovative. Our people thrive on thinking differently and challenging the status quo. We are creating something special here, a culture of learning and opportunity, where you can help Kia achieve big things and most importantly, feel passionate and connected to your work every day. Kia provides team members with competitive benefits including premium paid medical, dental and vision coverage for you and your dependents, 401(k) plan matching of 100% up to 6% of the salary deferral, and paid time off. Kia also offers company lease and purchase programs, company-wide holiday shutdown, paid volunteer hours, and premium lifestyle amenities at our corporate campus in Irvine, California. Status Exempt General Summary The National Manager, Service Loyalty & Retention is responsible for leading Kia America's service customer retention, loyalty, ownership experience, and dealership profitability initiative. This position develops and executes national strategies that improve customer satisfaction, increase service retention, strengthen brand loyalty, and drive long-term fixed operations growth. This role influences cross-functional business decisions across Corporate, Regional, Field, and Dealer organizations to create differentiated ownership experience and maximize customer lifetime value. The position partners closely with stakeholders throughout Kia America to improve customer engagement across the entire ownership lifecycle, including sales-to-service transitions, digital ownership platforms, and emerging customer experience technologies. The role supports the Director, Service Operations, in driving business performance in five key areas:1) Service Loyalty and Retention; 2) Customer Experience and Ownership Journey; 3) Aftersales Business Development; 4) Operational Excellence and Dealer Performance; 5) Customer Analytics and Insights. The National Manager is responsible for developing strategic initiatives, driving execution, measuring results, and ensuring sustainable adoption throughout the Kia dealer network. The role provides strategic leadership to corporate staff, regional teams, dealers, and vendor partners to ensure consistent execution of customer experience, loyalty, and business development programs nationwide. The position has overall responsibility for program development, business case creation, Executive Approval Decks (EADs), implementation, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement initiatives supporting Service Operations objectives. Success is measured through key business metrics including customer satisfaction (NPS), service retention, service lane utilization, loyalty performance, dealership profitability, customer engagement, and ownership experience outcomes. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Priority One – 25% Service Loyalty & Retention Strategy • Develop and execute national service retention and loyalty strategies that increase customer lifetime value, improve ownership experiences, and strengthen long-term relationships between Kia customers and retailers. • Develop business cases, executive approval documents, and strategic recommendations supporting department objectives. • Drive alignment between Corporate, Field, and Dealer organizations to achieve retention and loyalty goals. Priority Two – 25% Customer Experience & Ownership Journey • Lead the development and execution of customer experience strategies that support a Tier-1 ownership experience throughout the customer lifecycle. • Identify opportunities to improve customer touchpoints across the ownership journey, including sales-to-service transitions, service scheduling, dealership interactions, Kia Connect, Owner's Portal, and emerging digital customer platforms. • Lead initiatives supporting ownership experiences for Kia's expanding electrified vehicle portfolio. Priority Three – 25% Aftersales Business Development & Program Management • Lead the successful design, implementation, execution, and sustainment of aftersales business development programs that improve dealer profitability and operational performance. • Oversee initiatives including Service Elite, Service Lane Technology, Express Service, Prepaid Maintenance, service capacity expansion, and future business growth opportunities. • Manage vendor relationships and program partners to ensure effective delivery of business objectives. Partner with Sales, Marketing, Customer Satisfaction, Parts, Kia University, Customer Care, and other stakeholders to drive program success. Priority Four –15% Performance Analytics & Field Execution • Lead the analysis of customer, dealer, and operational performance data to identify opportunities and drive business results. • Work closely with Regional and District teams to improve underperforming markets, districts, and dealers. • Benchmark Kia performance against industry competitors and emerging best practices. Priority Five – 10% Leadership, Organizational Development & Resource Management • Provide leadership, coaching, and resource management to achieve annual business objectives and foster organizational excellence. • Manage departmental budgets, vendor contracts, and resources to ensure efficient utilization and achievement of business objectives. • Support succession planning and development of future leaders within the department. Qualifications/Education • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required. • Master’s Degree in Business or relevant field a plus. Job Requirement Personally Performed Duties • Develop and oversee Kia America's Service Loyalty and Retention strategy, annual business plans, objectives, and budget. • Establish measurable performance targets and monitor achievement of key customer experience, retention, loyalty, and profitability metrics. • Lead development and execution of initiatives designed to improve dealership service capacity, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction. • Manage the Service Elite program and associated retailer performance initiatives for dealer employee engagement and retention. • Oversee implementation and sustainment of Service Lane Technology, Express Service, Prepaid Maintenance, and future business development programs. • Monitor dealer performance and partner with Field teams to develop action plans for performance improvement. • Lead customer insights and analytics efforts to identify opportunities for increased retention, engagement, and loyalty. • Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to improve customer experiences across digital and retail ownership touchpoints. • Manage vendor selection, contract administration, performance management, and budget compliance. • Develop executive-level presentations, business cases, and strategic recommendations for KUS, Kia NA, Kia HQ, Regional leadership, and Dealer audiences. • Provide ownership experience, loyalty, retention, and customer insights for executive meetings, business reviews, and strategic planning activities. • Oversee regional performance reviews and facilitate continuous improvement initiatives throughout the dealer network. • Represent Service Operations with Dealers, Regions, Kia NA, Kia HQ, and external partners to promote a customer-centric culture and business approach. Overall Related Experience • 6-8 years’ experience in the automotive industry, retail and/or corporate required. • 6+ years’ experience in field service management and/or dealer contact experience with an OEM preferred. • Overall knowledge of manufacturer, field, and dealership operations required. • Project Management experience in a wholesale automotive environment required. • Strong understanding and experience with new and emerging products and processes that lead to the growth in service customer retention, and the ability to recognize the importance of consistent and durable integration into normal dealership operations processes. Directly Related Experience • 6+ years of successful corporate fixed operations management experience required. • 6+ years of regional automotive field experience preferred. • Direct management of field activities preferred. • 5+ years’ experience in retail dealership service operations is desirable. • Experience in Customer Care and/or Customer Experience Management preferred. • Must have a deep understanding of retail aftersales operations, owner satisfaction, and key drivers of change. • Knowledge and understanding of both wholesale and retail automotive operations regarding all areas of Service & Parts Operations.