F&I Manager Jobs
F&I (finance and insurance) managers arrange vehicle financing and present protection products when a customer buys a vehicle.
An F&I manager is the last stop in a vehicle sale: you arrange the financing or lease, present optional protection products and produce a compliant contract. The job pays on what the finance office earns, so the pay plan matters as much as the title. Most people arrive from the sales floor.
Data as of October 20, 2026.
Open F&I Manager positions
Also known as automotive finance manager, dealership F&I manager and business manager.
No Open F&I Manager Jobs Right Now
New openings are posted regularly. Browse every open role, or create a profile so employers can find you.
A day as an F&I Manager
A salesperson walks a customer to your office with an agreed price on a vehicle. You gather the credit application, pull a credit report where that is part of your process, send the application to lenders and read back the approvals, which often come with conditions. Then you present the menu: service contracts, protection plans and other products, one price sheet for every customer. Then the contract goes to signature, and the packet goes to the business office.
Your time is spread over lenders who answer slowly, customers who have waited a long time and a deal that has to be right on the first pass. A stipulation missed today becomes a funding delay next week. On a busy Saturday the sales manager outside your door is watching the clock.
The role suits people who can explain a monthly payment plainly and follow compliance steps when nobody is checking. It does not suit anyone who treats the paperwork as someone else's problem.
How to get in
Move Over from Sales
The most common route. Salespeople who deliver cleanly, keep their own deal jackets tidy and ask the F&I manager how each deal was structured get noticed. Say you want a seat, and ask about a relief or assistant role. Expect training on lender systems, menu software and compliance first.
Come from Lending or a Credit Union
Loan officers already understand credit, debt-to-income and lender policy. What you lack is the dealership side: selling products to someone who came to buy a car, and the dealer management system. Be honest about that gap.
Start in the Business Office
Title clerks and office staff see how deals fund, which lenders pay quickly and which paperwork causes rejections. That knowledge shortens training. Ask the F&I manager to let you sit in on deals after hours.
Skills and credentials
Lending
- Building a deal from a credit application and understanding lender approvals
- Working with several lenders and knowing which like which customers
- Preparing retail and lease contracts accurately
- Clearing stipulations quickly
Products and Menu
- Explaining service contracts and protection plans in plain terms
- Presenting the same menu to every customer
- Handling a customer who says no without pressure
- Knowing each product's cancellation terms
Compliance and Records
- Following federal and state rules on disclosures, checking what your state requires
- Employers commonly train finance managers on federal areas such as TILA and Regulation Z, ECOA and the FTC Safeguards Rule, though the exact training varies by store
- Holding any state license or training your employer requires
- Keeping deal files complete and consistent
- Using the dealer management system and menu tools
How the job is paid
F&I pay is usually a percentage of the income the finance office produces, sometimes with a per-deal component, a minimum guarantee or a draw against commission for the first period, and bonuses tied to targets such as product sales or customer satisfaction. Plans differ widely between stores. Read the written plan, then compare the structure.
Ask about chargebacks first. If a customer cancels a product or pays off a loan early, the commission tied to it can be taken back. Some plans deduct the full amount from later pay and others cap or share it. Ask how long the chargeback window lasts, whether it applies after you leave and whether the store sets menu pricing.
This role has no exact BLS occupation, so no official wage figure is shown on this page. Ask for the current guarantee and the lender mix.
Build your AutoHire profile
- Put F&I Manager in the headline with your brand and the kind of stores you worked in, for example F&I Manager, domestic franchise, new and used.
- In work history duties, describe the actual work: lenders you worked with, products you presented, compliance steps you followed and if you ran the desk alone.
- Add brand experience for each franchise you worked, with years. Employers can filter on brand.
- Add any state license, product provider training or compliance course to certifications. If you hold none, say plainly that you are willing to complete what the state requires.
- Set a target salary and willingness to relocate. Employers filter on both.
- Apply from each job page and answer a Spark or message quickly. Complete ID verification for the Verified badge, which counts in a role that handles customer financial data.
Interview questions to expect
- Q1
Walk me through a deal from the moment the customer sits down.
How to answerCover collecting the application, choosing lenders, reading approvals and stipulations, presenting the menu, then contract signing and the handoff to the office. Mention where you could lose a deal and what you did to prevent it.
- Q2
How do you present the product menu?
How to answerDescribe showing the same menu to every customer, explaining what each product covers and costs in plain language, and accepting a no without repeating it. Avoid sounding like a script.
- Q3
A customer says the payment is higher than the salesperson quoted. What do you do?
How to answerStop, review the terms with the customer, call the sales manager if the quote was wrong and do not close until the customer understands the actual numbers. Name a time you found a mistake yourself.
- Q4
What happens when a customer cancels a product?
How to answerExplain the refund process, the chargeback on your pay and how you handle that conversation with the customer and the sales manager. This shows you read your plan.
- Q5
How do you keep your deals compliant?
How to answerName your steps: complete disclosures, signed forms, consistent menu, accurate records and following your store's compliance process. Do not claim legal rules you are unsure of.
Where the career goes
- 01
Finance Director
Larger stores and groups have a director who oversees several F&I managers, sets menu standards and handles lender relationships.
- 02
Sales Manager or General Sales Manager
Because you see every deal, you can move to a sales desk. Many sales managers started in F&I.
- 03
General Manager Track
F&I managers with lender, compliance and staffing experience are considered for assistant GM and GM roles.
Terms you will hear
- Menu Selling
- Presenting every product and price in one format so the customer picks what fits.
- Chargeback
- Money taken back from your commission when a customer cancels a product or pays off early.
- Reserve
- The portion of finance charge a lender may share with the store, sometimes called participation.
- Stipulation
- A lender condition before funding, such as proof of income.
- Service Contract
- An optional plan covering certain repairs after the factory warranty.
- Spot Delivery
- Delivering a vehicle before the lender finalizes the financing. If it fails, the deal may be unwound.
- Penetration
- The share of deals on which a product is sold, used to measure the desk.
F&I Manager jobs: questions job seekers ask
How do I become an F&I manager?
Most start in dealership sales, learn the finance process and compliance rules, and are promoted or trained into the role. Lending or business office experience also works.
Do F&I managers need a license?
It depends on your state and the products sold. Check your state regulator and ask the employer what they require.
Is F&I a good job for a salesperson who wants to move up?
Often. You stay close to the deal and earn from the finance office, but the work is more detailed and the compliance burden is real.
How is an F&I manager paid?
Usually a percentage of finance income, sometimes with a guarantee or draw and bonuses. Get chargeback terms in writing.
Is F&I stressful?
It can be. You work between customers, lenders and sales managers, often on busy days, and errors cost money. Clear process helps.
What is the difference between an F&I manager and a business manager?
Many stores use the terms interchangeably. Some use business manager for the back office. Read the duties in the posting.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (data as of October 20, 2026)
Data as of October 20, 2026.
Browse other roles
Browse jobs by city
Hiring an F&I Manager?
Post your opening on AutoHire and reach automotive professionals who are ready to work.