Sr. Operational Lead, Used Cars Acquisitions Operations & Automation

About the role

Sr. Operational Lead, Used Cars Acquisitions Operations & Automation | Tesla (Operations & Business Support)

Location: PALO ALTO, California | Req ID: 279430 | Job Type: Full-time

What to Expect

Tesla continues to scale at breakneck speed aligned with our mission to build a world of amazing abundance. To keep pace with this growth, the North America Used Cars team is seeking a dynamic problem solver who thrives at the intersection of operations, technology, and customer experience. This team is responsible for the Tesla Used Cars business focused on the acquisition, refurbishment, and resale of all used Tesla and non-Tesla vehicles.

Tesla is seeking a Staff/Sr. Operational Lead to join our North America Used Cars leadership team to reimagine the vehicle acquisition experience end-to-end and work with our internal and external partners to ensure the operational success of the lease program.

In this role, you will drive workflow improvements and automation — leveraging AI and emerging technologies — to eliminate friction across the vehicle acquisition lifecycle, while continuing to elevate the customer journey. You will partner closely with Engineering, Product, Finance, and third-party partners to build scalable, intelligent systems that power the future of Tesla's used vehicle operations.

This role can be located in Palo Alto, CA or Austin, TX.

What You'll Do

• Own relationships with leasing partners (e.g., international banks) and drive collaboration to transform billing, documentation, dispute resolution, damage assessment, vehicle transportation, and vehicle management into a unified, highly autonomous return workflow
• Lead end-to-end workflow redesign for lease return and trade-in operations, identifying automation opportunities and deploying AI-driven solutions to reduce manual effort, cost, and cycle time
• Design and launch digital tools in the Tesla App that guide customers through every step of the vehicle acquisition process — from scheduling to final invoice — creating a seamless, transparent experience
• Scale AI/ML-powered tools that drive customer and internal workflow efficiency, accuracy, and speed
• Act as the strategic bridge between HQ and field operations teams, collaborating directly with Sales Ops and store-level teams to co-develop SOPs for high-volume vehicle intake, deploying tools that give field teams real-time visibility into incoming vehicle schedules, and driving accountability through process efficiency tracking and continuous improvement loops
• Define and monitor KPIs including return cycle time, automation adoption rates, customer satisfaction scores, damage dispute rates, and trade-in processing time and use data insights to continuously refine operations
• Produce executive-level reporting that highlights automation ROI, workflow improvements, cost savings, and customer experience gains

What You'll Bring

• 5-10+ years of professional experience in operations, product operations, or business transformation at a company of comparable complexity
• Demonstrated experience designing or deploying automation and/or AI-powered tools in an operational context (e.g., workflow automation, intelligent document processing, ML-assisted inspection tools)
• Background in lease-return, trade-in, or automotive/retail operations strongly preferred
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; comfortable working with data to drive decisions and measure impact
• Experience partnering with Engineering and Product teams to translate operational needs into scalable technical solutions
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and present complex information clearly

Benefits

Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:

• Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
• Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution
• Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays
• Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
• Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
• Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs
• Tesla Babies program
• Commuter benefits
• Employee discounts and perks program
• Earned Wage Access: Real-time pay access paid daily, subject to eligibility and schedule (applicable for below Sr. Managers levels)

Expected Compensation$108,000 - $198,000/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefitsPay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.