Location: Coventry, UK
Department: Sales Operations
Working Pattern: 5 days per week on-site
Coverage: UK & European Markets
We are looking for an experienced Sales & OTD Operations Manager to join our Sales Operations team at Lotus.
This is a key role responsible for owning the sales-side Order-to-Delivery (OTD) operating model, using the order pipeline as the core management tool to convert market demand into successful wholesale and retail outcomes.
You will provide end-to-end visibility across the order journey – from retailer order through production, logistics and delivery – helping the business anticipate risks, improve retail conversion and ensure sales ambitions remain aligned with executable supply.
Working across Sales, Production Planning, Supply Chain, Logistics, Finance and our retailer network, you will establish clear processes and governance that balance vehicle availability, inventory health and customer lead times.
Build and maintain a segmented order pool with clear status, ownership, ageing and next actions.
Track retail performance throughout the complete order journey rather than relying solely on final registrations.
Connect customer demand, retailer orders, financing readiness, vehicle availability and delivery conversion.
Establish consistent operating rules for Stock, Customer-to-Order (CTO), Demo and display vehicles.
Ensure Demo and display orders are appropriately controlled so they do not negatively impact customer orders or delivery times.
Develop OTD-based tracking for wholesale and retail target achievement.
Monitor the complete wholesale journey from retailer order through production, transit and retailer stock receipt.
Provide regular outlooks on volume conversion, blocked orders, stock exposure and risks to monthly objectives.
Partner with retailers and regional Sales teams to identify actions that improve retail conversion and vehicle readiness.
Use order pipeline data and conversion assumptions to forecast retail achievement and risk over the next one to three months.
Support evidence-based wholesale planning based on production capacity, parts availability, logistics constraints and expected retail demand.
Identify and escalate supply constraints early, driving cross-functional recovery actions.
Balance customer OTD performance with healthy retailer inventory levels and sustainable wholesale activity.
Establish and manage cross-functional operating rules across Sales, Production Planning, Supply Chain, Logistics, Finance and retailers.
Lead regular OTD reviews covering demand, capacity, order prioritisation, production status, logistics and delivery readiness.
Establish clear decision-making and escalation routes for allocation, priority changes, supply shortages and at-risk customer commitments.
Drive corrective actions to protect customer delivery promises and commercial performance.
Design and maintain dashboards covering order pipeline composition, conversion, wholesale and retail outlook, OTD, bottlenecks, retailer stock and risk.
Turn operational data into clear, forward-looking recommendations and actions.
Establish data quality controls, KPI ownership and consistent reporting across markets and retailers.
Identify process gaps and lead continuous improvement across the sales-side OTD journey.
You will ideally have:
Significant experience within automotive Sales Operations, OTD, order management, vehicle supply or related commercial operations, gained within an OEM or retail network.
Strong understanding of the vehicle order lifecycle, wholesale and retail processes, production planning, logistics and retailer inventory.
Experience managing an order pipeline and translating operational data into forward-looking commercial decisions.
Experience assessing retailer performance and risk, including retail conversion, stock exposure and financial readiness.
Strong analytical skills, including advanced Excel and experience developing dashboards and KPI reporting.
Proven experience establishing cross-functional processes, governance and escalation mechanisms.
Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
The confidence to challenge assumptions, manage competing priorities and make decisions within a fast-moving environment.
Experience with Power BI or similar business intelligence tools.
Experience using ERP, order management or CRM platforms such as SAP or Salesforce.
Experience within premium or luxury automotive markets across the UK and Europe.
A project management or process improvement qualification.
A degree in Business, Automotive, Supply Chain, Finance, Data Analytics or a related discipline.
You will be commercially minded, customer focused and comfortable taking ownership of complex end-to-end processes.
You'll take a structured and data-led approach, identifying future risks before they impact results and translating complex operational information into clear decisions and actions.
You'll also be a confident influencer who can bring different teams together, establish effective ways of working and drive continuous improvement across the Order-to-Delivery journey.
At Lotus, we're transforming our business and continuing to evolve how we operate across the UK and European markets.
This role provides the opportunity to have a direct impact on how we manage customer demand, vehicle supply, retailer performance and delivery – working at the heart of our Sales Operations function and collaborating with teams across the wider business.
If you have strong automotive sales operations experience and enjoy turning data and complex operational challenges into clear commercial actions, we'd love to hear from you.
What we offer:
In addition to a competitive salary, you will have access to the following benefits:
25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays.
Pension scheme access.
Annual bonus - non contractual.
Private Healthcare.
Access to the Employee Car Ownership Scheme.
Group income protection based on length of service.
Family Friendly policies.
Exclusive Employee discount, wellbeing and recognition platform #ForUSLOT.
Additional Information:
This role will be working from our Coventry office. This role will be working on-site, full time.
Frequent travel might be required to visit different entities. Applicants must therefore possess the ability to travel freely without restrictions.
Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK without VISA sponsorship.
Our Company:
Group Lotus is a leading sports car manufacturer with a 75-year long history of iconic designs, groundbreaking engineering and legendary victories on the F1 track. Today we are transforming into a truly global performance car brand focused on the electrical future. In 2022 we launched the Eletre, the world’s first all-electric hyper-SUV, and in 2023 Emeya, our fully-electric Hyper-GT.
As part of the Lotus team, you push boundaries. Those of the car industry and of your own. Every member of the Lotus family has some of the pioneering mindset of founder Colin Chapman in them.
We're not just a car company; we're a diverse mix of talent from all walks of life. At Lotus, we firmly believe that diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords but essential pillars of a thriving and successful organization. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments during the interview process. If you require any special assistance or adjustments, please let us know in advance so we can ensure a fair and accessible interview experience. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone can thrive.
Do you want to know what Sophisticated, Rebellious and Pioneering mean for Lotus? Come and take a look at our career site and join the incredible adventure:
STEP OUTSIDE THE ORDINARY - Lotus Cars
