Senior Vehicle Damage Assessor

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Job title: Senior Vehicle Damage Assessor
Department: Activate Accident Repair
Reports to: Bodyshop Manager
Hours: 45 hours per week
Salary: up to £55,000 plus quarterly bonus up to £700

We're looking for a Senior Vehicle Damage Assessor to join the friendly, fast-paced team at our state-of-the-art Hampton body shop.
Help deliver outstanding service/high-quality repairs for our customers, and in return you'll receive competitive pay and bonus, opportunities for progression and great benefits!

Role overview:
To manage and provide technical expertise to the site VDAs and customer care team, whilst working as a VDA delivering estimates for the cost of repair for damaged vehicles

Benefits:

• 33 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• Quarterly bonus scheme
• Health Shield cash health plan for all
• Annual pay review
• Enhanced Maternity / Paternity / shared parental / adoption pay
• Life assurance: three times basic salary
• Free breakfast cereals and milk daily
• Free fruit - every Monday
• Free breakfasts sent to site every Wednesday

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage site VDAs and customer care team members, including technical guidance
• Carry out visual inspections to identify any accidental damage caused to avoid uninsured loss damage costs
• Estimate by considering the most economical repair method
• Provide explanations of the repair procedure and process to team members and customers
• Value vehicles at market value to determine the repairable economics
• Review all open job cards (daily) and report any ongoing and recurrent work in progress problems, as well as ensuring all information on job cards is record accurately for invoicing
• Assist in the correct evaluation and justification of bodywork warranty claims and provide comprehensive explanations thereof
• Estimate repairs required together with the time to be allowed, materials and parts required for repairs and explain work required, to customers and to insurance and other assessors in an efficient, pleasant, courteous and professional manner
• Make efficient use of all modern estimating methods and work in line with approved times
• Bring to customers' attention any problems, faults and other issues that might impact on the performance and safety of their vehicles
• Maintain awareness of incoming vehicles and flag any issues to the Workshop / Bodyshop Manager
• Awareness of and compliance with Health & Safety requirements

Skills & Experience:

• ATA qualified (or equivalent)
• Relevant experience as an estimator
• Ability to qualify and quantify repairs required
• Ability to negotiate effectively with third parties
• Great customer service skills
• Great verbal and written communication skills
• Collaborative team member, with strong relationship building skills
• Ability to create an estimate both manually and via company systems
• Up to date technical knowledge and skills including SMART repairs
• People management experience

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary (DOE)
• Quarterly bonus scheme (up to £700 per quarter)
• Supportive and professional working environment
• Opportunity to grow with a dynamic and ambitious company
• Career development and progression opportunities

What you can expect from us

At Activate Group, looking after team members is a major priority, and we'll make sure you have all the support you need to succeed.

From little perks like free fruit, breakfast cereals, to impressive rewards for our employee of the month, we'll go out of our way to show how much we appreciate the effort you put in.

A bit about us

Named by the Sunday Times as one of the UK's 100 fastest-growing private companies, we employ more than 900 team members nationwide.

We work with some of the UK's largest fleets and insurance companies, supporting drivers that have been involved in a road accident at our contact centres in Halifax and Peterborough.

We look after every step of the repair process, repairing vehicles at our own Activate Accident Repair body shops, and through a UK-wide network of independent repair partners.

Want to know what it's like to work with us? Take a look at our values. They define who we are, and how we work with team members, customers and suppliers:
• Make it happen - Be accountable. Take the initiative, work fast, and do a great job.
• Strive for better - Be bold. Challenge the norm - make small improvements often.
• Win together - Be a team-player. Win together, learn together, respect each other.