Automobile Workshop Manager

Job Description Workshop Manager (Electric Bus / EV)
Position
Workshop Manager Electric Bus / EV
Department
Maintenance / Workshop
Reporting To
Senior Management / Operations Head / Fleet Head
Job Purpose
To manage and supervise the complete workshop operations for electric buses, ensuring maximum vehicle availability and minimum downtime through effective preventive and breakdown maintenance, technical troubleshooting, manpower management, safety compliance, quality control, inventory coordination, and timely reporting to senior management.
The Workshop Manager will be responsible for leading the technical team, monitoring vehicle maintenance activities, analyzing recurring failures, coordinating with OEM/technical teams, and ensuring efficient and safe operation of the workshop.

Key Responsibility Areas (KRA)
1. Workshop & Fleet Maintenance Management

• Plan, organize, and supervise day-to-day workshop activities for electric buses.
• Ensure preventive, predictive, and breakdown maintenance is carried out as per defined schedules.
• Monitor vehicle availability, downtime, turnaround time, and maintenance backlog.
• Ensure maximum fleet uptime and minimum vehicle downtime.
• Prioritize breakdowns and maintenance activities based on operational requirements.
• Ensure buses are released from the workshop only after proper inspection and functional testing.

2. EV Electrical & High-Voltage System Management

• Supervise diagnosis and repair of EV electrical and high-voltage systems.
• Ensure the team is capable of troubleshooting:
• Traction Motor
• HV Battery
• Power Distribution Box (PDB)
• Junction Box
• HV cables, wiring, connectors, and interlocks
• DC/DC and charging-related systems
• Vehicle electrical circuits
• Electronic control systems and communication-related faults

• Review diagnostic reports and ensure appropriate corrective action.
• Coordinate with OEM/technical support teams for complex or repeated EV failures.
• Ensure proper testing and commissioning after repairs.

3. Mechanical System Management

• Supervise inspection, maintenance, and repair of:
• Brake systems
• Suspension systems
• Steering systems
• Drivetrain and transmission-related components
• Wheels and tyres
• Cooling systems
• Pneumatic systems
• Other mechanical systems

• Ensure proper quality of repair work and adherence to manufacturer recommendations.
• Monitor recurring mechanical failures and implement corrective/preventive actions.

4. Breakdown Management & Troubleshooting

• Take ownership of major and critical vehicle breakdowns.
• Analyze breakdown causes and ensure timely restoration of vehicles.
• Monitor breakdown response and repair turnaround time.
• Conduct root-cause analysis (RCA) for repeated or major failures.
• Develop corrective and preventive action plans.
• Maintain records of breakdown history and recurring faults.

5. Preventive Maintenance Planning

• Prepare and monitor daily, weekly, and monthly preventive maintenance plans.
• Ensure all buses undergo scheduled maintenance within the defined timeline/KM schedule.
• Monitor pending and overdue preventive maintenance.
• Ensure proper inspection checklists are followed.
• Review vehicle maintenance history and identify potential failures before they occur.

6. Team Management & Manpower Planning

• Lead, supervise, and allocate work to technicians/mechanics.
• Prepare daily manpower and job allocation plans.
• Monitor technician productivity and work quality.
• Conduct toolbox meetings and daily workshop briefings.
• Identify training requirements and arrange technical training for workshop staff.
• Evaluate team performance and provide feedback.
• Maintain discipline and ensure proper utilization of manpower.

7. Safety & High-Voltage Compliance

• Ensure strict compliance with EV high-voltage safety procedures.
• Ensure technicians use appropriate PPE and safety equipment.
• Ensure proper isolation, lockout/tagout (LOTO), and HV safety procedures are followed.
• Ensure only authorized and trained personnel work on HV systems.
• Conduct regular safety briefings and toolbox talks.
• Immediately report and investigate safety incidents, near misses, and unsafe practices.
• Ensure workshop housekeeping and 5S standards are maintained.

8. Quality Control

• Ensure maintenance and repair work meets OEM and company standards.
• Implement inspection and quality-check procedures before vehicle release.
• Monitor repeat repairs and warranty-related issues.
• Reduce repeat breakdowns and maintenance-related vehicle failures.
• Review repair quality and ensure proper documentation of replaced components.

9. Spare Parts & Inventory Coordination

• Coordinate with stores/procurement teams for availability of critical spare parts.
• Monitor consumption of major EV and mechanical components.
• Identify critical and fast-moving spare parts.
• Ensure defective/replaced parts are properly identified and recorded.
• Minimize vehicle downtime caused by non-availability of parts.
• Support inventory planning based on fleet failure trends.

10. Workshop Performance Monitoring
Monitor and improve key workshop performance indicators such as:

• Fleet availability / vehicle uptime
• Breakdown frequency
• Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)
• Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
• Preventive maintenance compliance
• Breakdown closure time
• Repeat failure rate
• Technician productivity
• Workshop turnaround time
• Spare parts-related downtime
• Safety compliance
• Vehicle release quality

11. Daily Reporting to Upper Management

• Prepare and submit a daily workshop/maintenance report to senior management.
• Report vehicle status including:
• Total fleet
• Vehicles available
• Vehicles under maintenance
• Breakdown vehicles
• Vehicles awaiting spare parts
• Vehicles awaiting technical/OEM support
• Vehicles released during the day
• Pending vehicles

• Highlight critical breakdowns and major technical issues.
• Report vehicle downtime and reasons for downtime.
• Provide action plans and expected recovery timelines for pending vehicles.
• Escalate critical issues immediately to management.

12. MIS & Management Reporting

• Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance MIS reports.
• Analyze maintenance data and identify trends.
• Prepare monthly workshop performance reports.
• Track major failures, recurring faults, spare consumption, downtime, and fleet availability.
• Prepare management summaries with key observations and corrective actions.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date maintenance records.

13. PPT & Presentation Preparation

• Prepare periodic PowerPoint presentations for management reviews.
• Present workshop performance, fleet availability, breakdown trends, maintenance status, and major technical issues.
• Prepare charts, graphs, tables, and trend analysis using available maintenance data.
• Prepare presentations for monthly/quarterly review meetings.
• Clearly highlight achievements, challenges, root causes, and improvement plans.

14. MS Office & Documentation
The Workshop Manager should have basic working knowledge of:

• MS Excel maintenance MIS, vehicle tracking, reports, data analysis, basic formulas, tables, charts, and dashboards.
• MS PowerPoint management presentations, monthly review presentations, charts, and performance summaries.
• MS Word reports, SOPs, notices, RCA reports, and official documentation.
• Email/Outlook or equivalent professional communication and reporting.

15. OEM & Technical Team Coordination

• Coordinate with OEMs, suppliers, service engineers, and technical support teams.
• Escalate unresolved technical issues with complete diagnostic information.
• Follow up on technical solutions and pending cases.
• Ensure implementation of OEM technical advisories and service campaigns.
• Maintain records of technical issues and resolutions.

16. Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to reduce breakdowns and maintenance costs.
• Analyze recurring failures and recommend design/process improvements.
• Improve workshop processes, manpower utilization, and turnaround time.
• Develop and implement preventive measures based on failure trends.
• Promote a culture of safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
KPIPerformance FocusFleet AvailabilityMaximum vehicle availabilityVehicle UptimeMinimize maintenance-related downtimeBreakdown RateReduce breakdown frequencyMTTRReduce average repair timeMTBFImprove reliability between failuresPM Compliance100% adherence to scheduled PMRepeat BreakdownMinimize repeat failuresWorkshop TATTimely completion of repairsCritical Breakdown ClosureEffective and timely resolutionSafety ComplianceZero tolerance for unsafe HV practicesTechnician ProductivityEffective manpower utilizationSpare Parts DowntimeMinimize downtime due to parts shortageReporting ComplianceTimely and accurate daily/monthly reportsData AccuracyAccurate maintenance records and MISQuality of RepairMinimize repeat repairs after vehicle release
Daily Responsibilities

1. Conduct morning workshop review/meeting.
2. Check fleet status and identify critical/breakdown vehicles.
3. Allocate jobs to technicians/mechanics.
4. Monitor ongoing preventive and breakdown maintenance.
5. Review diagnostic findings and repair progress.
6. Coordinate for spare parts and technical support.
7. Monitor vehicle release and quality inspection.
8. Review pending/long-standing vehicles.
9. Update vehicle maintenance and breakdown records.
10. Prepare and submit the daily workshop report to upper management.
11. Escalate critical issues and prepare recovery/action plans.
12. Ensure workshop safety, housekeeping, and discipline.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of electric bus maintenance.
• Good understanding of EV high-voltage systems.
• Knowledge of electrical and mechanical troubleshooting.
• Strong diagnostic and problem-solving skills.
• Team leadership and manpower management.
• Good communication and coordination skills.
• Ability to handle breakdowns under time pressure.
• Knowledge of preventive and breakdown maintenance practices.
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and corrective action skills.
• Good reporting and documentation skills.
• Basic to intermediate MS Excel and MS PowerPoint knowledge.
• Ability to prepare MIS reports and management presentations.
• Strong safety awareness, particularly regarding HV EV systems.
• Ability to coordinate with OEMs and external technical teams.

Qualification & Experience
Qualification: Diploma / ITI / B.E. / B.Tech. in Automobile, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, or related engineering discipline.
Experience: Preferably 5 to 6 years of experience in automobile/electric vehicle/bus workshop maintenance, including supervisory or managerial experience.
Experience in electric buses, EV systems, high-voltage systems, fleet maintenance, or commercial vehicle workshops will be an advantage.
Overall Accountability
The Workshop Manager is accountable for safe, reliable, cost-effective, and timely maintenance of the electric bus fleet, achieving maximum vehicle uptime, minimizing breakdowns and downtime, maintaining workshop discipline and safety, developing the technical team, and providing accurate and timely performance reports to upper management.