Reconditioning Manager - San Jose

About the Job Role: Reconditioning Manager Location: San Jose, CA (Onsite) Employment Type: Full-Time Annual Salary: $120,000 - $140,000 per year About Ever Ever is building the future of auto retail. As the first AI-native auto retail platform, we are building the next $100B+ automotive business, starting with electric vehicles. Our AI-native product and operations power our full-stack auto retail business, serving EV buyers and sellers across the nation, both online and offline. Based out of San Francisco and expanding nationwide, we are backed by leading investors and led by former tech & automotive professionals from Uber, Tesla, Rivian, Lithia, Penske, Carvana, Lyft, Meta, J.P. Morgan, BCG, and more. After our recently completed Series A financing, we have raised $100M in total equity and debt funding. We are growing rapidly and actively recruiting exceptional talent to join our mission of building the next-generation auto retail platform. The NorCal hub is our next major market, and this role is ground floor. About the Role You will own reconditioning operations for the NorCal market. That means building the workflow, running the floor, developing the team, and holding the standard. This is not a manage-the-status-quo job. You are building something, and the playbook you write here becomes the template we scale. What You'll Own • Build and run day-to-day recon operations, hit throughput, quality, and cost targets consistently • Develop and hold a quality standard that reflects the Ever brand, not just good enough • Lead, coach, and grow a team of technicians and leads -- build career paths, not just headcount • Create and iterate on SOPs from the ground up; document what works, kill what doesn't • Own production planning and capacity management as volume scales • Drive continuous improvement through structured problem-solving (root cause, not whack-a-mole) • Enforce health, safety, and compliance standards without compromise • Report on key metrics and flag risks early; no surprises up the chain WIP Management • Own the active work queue end-to-end -- know what every unit is waiting on at any given moment • Manage WIP limits per stage to prevent bottlenecks and avoid aging inventory • Maintain accurate handoff documentation at every pipeline stage (ingress, inspect, repair, detail, photo) • Hold hard SLA windows for vendor scheduling; Escalate stalled units proactively Team Development • Build and run a structured onboarding and certification path for technicians and service advisors • Conduct regular 1:1s, give competency-based feedback, not just performance scores • Identify skill gaps on the floor and close them with targeted coaching, not just reassignment • Create progression paths for techs so your best people have a reason to stay and grow • Train SAs on documentation standards, customer-facing communication, and handoff ownership • Recognize performance publicly and address gaps directly; build a culture of accountability without fear What You Bring • 5+ years managing operations in automotive, recon, or lean manufacturing environments • Demonstrated ability to build processes from scratch, not just inherit them • Experience developing frontline teams; you know the difference between managing and coaching • Fluency in lean principles; you have actually run kaizen events, not just read about them • Strong analytical instincts; you use data to make decisions, not just to report on them • Valid driver's license, clean record • Ability to work a flexible schedule including weekends during launch phase • Physically able to work in an active shop environment (standing, lifting up to 40 lbs, PPE use required) Bonus Points • EV-specific experience (does not have to be OEM) • Background launching a new site or market from zero • Familiarity with AI-enabled ops tools or eagerness to learn Physical Requirements • Stand and walk for extended periods. • Lift up to 50 pounds. • Work indoors and outdoors around moving vehicles and shop equipment. • Safely operate vehicles throughout the facility. Benefits • Competitive salary + performance bonus • Health, dental, and vision insurance • PTO • 401(k) plan What We Offer • Ground-floor role in a high-growth, mission-driven company • Ownership of something real -- your fingerprints will be on how we scale • A team that takes culture seriously and invests in your development • Competitive comp, equity, and benefits This job description is not exhaustive. Duties may evolve as the business scales. Ever is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and experiences to apply.