Program Manager jobs in Milton, ON

Program Performance Manager – Automotive Dealer Network

Location: GTA Based
Territory: Western/Southern Ontario, with occasional travel to Western Canada
Language: English required; French considered a strong asset

About Variablegrid

Variablegrid is helping accelerate EV adoption by making at-home charging easier and more accessible. Our patented adaptive power technology helps address one of the biggest barriers to home EV charging: available electrical capacity.

We work with automotive partners and dealer networks to deliver EV charging programs that support customers through the transition to electric vehicles.

About the Role

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Program Performance Manager is a field-based automotive role responsible for the performance, engagement and growth of Variablegrid programs across an assigned dealer territory.

We are looking for someone who understands automotive retail and knows how to work with dealerships. You should be equally comfortable reviewing performance with a Dealer Principal or General Manager, training a sales team, identifying why one dealership is outperforming another, and developing an action plan to improve results.

This is not simply an account management or training role. You will be expected to understand what is happening within your territory, identify opportunities and performance gaps, and work directly with dealerships to improve program adoption and results.

Regular dealership visits and travel throughout the territory are a core part of the position.

Key ResponsibilitiesDealer Performance & Territory Management

• Own program performance across an assigned automotive dealer territory.
• Build strong relationships with Dealer Principals, General Managers, Sales Managers and other key dealership stakeholders.
• Monitor dealership performance, program participation, product mix, penetration, adoption and other key performance indicators.
• Identify high-performing dealerships and understand the behaviours, processes and practices driving their results.
• Develop strategies to replicate successful dealer behaviours across the territory.
• Identify underperforming dealerships and develop targeted action plans to improve results.
• Conduct regular dealership visits focused on performance improvement, engagement, training and problem solving.
• Maintain a strong understanding of individual dealership operations, opportunities and barriers within the territory.
• Proactively engage dealer contacts rather than waiting for issues or opportunities to be brought forward.
• Provide regular territory performance updates, insights and recommendations to leadership.

Dealer Development & Program Execution

• Support the rollout and ongoing delivery of Variablegrid's automotive EV charging programs.
• Drive dealer engagement and adoption of Variablegrid programs and products.
• Support new dealership onboarding and ensure dealer teams have the tools, resources and knowledge required to successfully participate.
• Identify opportunities to improve dealership processes and customer engagement.
• Gather dealer feedback and market intelligence while using performance data and observable results to identify broader trends and opportunities.
• Communicate program updates, changes, timelines and expectations clearly and consistently across the dealer network.
• Work cross-functionally with operations, marketing, fulfilment and support teams to resolve dealer issues and improve program performance.

Training & Dealer Enablement

• Deliver engaging in-person and virtual training to dealership teams.
• Conduct new-hire and refresher training to maintain strong program and product knowledge within dealerships.
• Adapt training and coaching based on individual dealership performance and opportunities.
• Develop strong subject matter expertise in Variablegrid's EV charging solutions, including hardware, software, installation requirements and customer experience.
• Help dealership teams confidently position home charging solutions as part of the EV ownership experience.

Reporting & CRM Management

• Maintain accurate CRM records of dealership visits, contacts, training, opportunities and follow-up activities.
• Track dealer activity and performance against established KPIs.
• Identify trends across the territory and provide actionable recommendations based on performance data.
• Maintain consistent follow-up and accountability on dealer action plans and opportunities.

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of automotive industry experience, ideally in a field-based dealer performance, district management, dealer development, territory management, OEM field operations or automotive sales performance role.
• Direct experience working with automotive dealerships and a strong understanding of dealership operations.
• Experience building relationships with dealership leadership, including Dealer Principals, General Managers and Sales Managers.
• Demonstrated ability to use performance data and KPIs to identify opportunities and improve results.
• Strong relationship-building and influencing skills with the ability to drive performance without direct authority.
• Comfortable identifying performance gaps, asking questions and challenging assumptions to understand what is actually driving results.
• Strong presentation, facilitation and dealership training skills.
• Self-directed and proactive, with the ability to independently manage a large geographic territory.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment.
• Comfortable working in the field and travelling regularly to dealerships.
• Valid driver's licence and reliable access to a vehicle.

Relevant Automotive Experience

Candidates may come from backgrounds including:

• Automotive OEM district or field management
• District Dealer Manager (DDM) or District Sales Manager (DSM)
• Dealer Performance or Dealer Development
• Area or Territory Management
• Automotive field operations
• Automotive finance or captive finance
• F&I, aftermarket or protection-product providers
• Automotive technology, SaaS or dealer-services companies
• Dealer group operations or performance management

Experience with EVs, EV charging or energy technology is an asset, but automotive dealer experience is more important. We can teach you EV charging. We are looking for someone who already understands how dealerships operate and how to influence performance within a dealer network.

Tools & Technology

• Comfortable working with CRM platforms to track dealer activity, performance and follow-up.
• Familiarity with Microsoft 365, including Teams, Outlook, Excel and OneDrive.
• Experience with Zoho or a comparable CRM is an asset.
• Comfortable using virtual meeting and presentation platforms.
• Comfortable learning new technology and developing expertise in EV charging hardware, software and installation processes.

Why Work with Us

This is an opportunity to join a growing Canadian technology company at a point where our automotive programs are scaling rapidly.

You'll have direct ownership of a dealer territory and the opportunity to influence how Variablegrid's programs perform in market. We're looking for someone who doesn't just report what dealerships are saying, but wants to understand why some dealers outperform others, what successful dealers are doing differently, and how those behaviours can be replicated across the network.

We operate with a startup mindset: we're hands-on, collaborative and comfortable wearing multiple hats. We value people who take ownership, ask good questions and act on what they learn.

We also believe culture matters. Our team values respect, integrity, humour and low ego. We're building something new, and we're looking for people who want to help shape it.

Pay: $90,000.00-$130,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company events
• Extended health care
• Paid time off
• Stock options

Work Location: On the road