Now Hiring: Shop Manager

Why work at The Lift?  
The Lift Garage is a car repair shop that has a unique blend of business and service. We are a nonprofit that provides low-cost car repair to low-income Minnesotans. We deeply value hospitality for our neighbors, customers, donors, and anyone who may find themselves inside our doors. We also offer a kind, collaborative, and fun work environment. At The Lift we highly value: Patience, kindness, empathy, hospitality, and a commitment to social justice.

Position Description:  
The Automotive Shop Manager oversees daily shop operations and supervises Technicians to ensure efficient workflow, high-quality repairs, and reliable service delivery in support of the organization’s mission. This role is responsible for driving productivity, managing staff performance, and maintaining a safe, compliant facility. 

Job Duties: 

Supervise the team of Technicians and, in partnership with the Director of Programs & Programs, provide training on shop policy and procedures. Work in partnership with Service Manager to provide training on best practices for service program policies. 
Recruit, hire, train, evaluate and coach Technician staff. Manage Technician data around productivity and efficiency, and report quarterly on pay plan. Ensure any productivity/incentive updates are put in motion each quarter as needed. 
Provide back-up support to Technicians by completing inspections, repairs, or express services as needed. 
Manage the parking lot to ensure cars are organized and ready for shop open, snow removal, etc. 
In consultation with the Service Manager, manage the daily shop workflow by prioritizing the inspection and repair appointments, organizing the workflow of the day, and directly assigning tasks to technicians if needed. Assist with determining appointment capacity for customer scheduling with focus on achieving shop KPI’s. 
With the Director of Operations & Programs, work to administer technician-related programs and track outcomes. Lead and oversee program equipment maintenance and upkeep. 
Work with Lead Technician and Service Manager to troubleshoot problems with unique cars or car repairs. 
Train all Technicians in best practices. Assist with data reporting as needed. Suggest and add process improvements in partnership with the Service Manager and Director of Operations & Programs. 
Manage shop supplies, inventory, and waste disposal – conduct regular inventory counts and reports on usage. Manage all vendor relationships for the shop supplies, inventory, and disposal– including uniform and part vendors.  
Manage all part order issues in partnership with Service Manager. Manage all part returns and process cores/defects/warranties.  
Manage and enforce employee personal use of shop benefit expectations 
Oversee all maintenance and repair/replacement of shop equipment, including mobile vans. 
Manage OSHA & ADA compliance for shop and facilities.  
Monitor shop budget and collaborate with team during budget planning. 
Facilities Maintenance Management including managing all facilities vendors and ensuring that all facilities needs are met including but not limited to routine/preventative maintenance, facility inspections/reporting, all season parking lot maintenance.   
Lead with management of building security, cameras, and receiving building security calls. Monitor video surveillance and retrieve footage as requested per incident. 
Attend fundraising and organizational events as needed. 

• Minimum of 3 years auto technician experience or related fields.
• Minimum of 1 year shop management software experience required.
• Patience, empathy, hospitality, curiosity, and a sense of humor.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and manage time effectively.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to successfully address customer concerns in alignment with The Lift Garage values – conflict resolution skills.
• Computer proficiency and the ability to master shop software database.
• Demonstrates a high level of discretion and ability to maintain strict confidentiality regarding sensitive information. This includes proprietary company data, client and donor information, and internal discussions.

• Automotive technician certifications preferred.
• Minimum of 1 year of Service Writing preferred.
• Appointment management software experience preferred.
• Experience with managing a team of people preferred.

Position Details:  

Schedule: Typical workdays are Monday-Friday, hours are flexible although typically between the hours of 7:00am and 5:00pm. Occasional evenings and weekends may be expected. 

Location: South Minneapolis (2401 East Lake St). This position is an on-site position. 

Classification and Wage: This is a full-time, exempt (salary) position with an annual salary of $68,000-72,000/year.

Full-time benefits: Paid holidays (10 days/year), paid vacations (15 days the first year), and sick time off (10 days/year). Retirement savings include an employer contribution (non-match, vested immediately) of 4% to a 403b. Mileage/travel will be reimbursed at the government rate. Short- and Long-Term Disability, Parental Leave, and Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance. 

How to Apply:  

Applicants should submit their resume and a cover letter to Yohanis Shitta, Director of Operations & Programs by emailing Yohanis@TheLiftGarage.org. Applications with cover letters demonstrating how an applicant’s technical and leadership expertise makes them the best candidate for the role will be prioritized. 

This position has an anticipated start date of June 1st. We will be actively reviewing applications on a rolling basis and plan on interviews starting the week of May 4th, 2026.