Service Manager – Forklifts & Material Handling Equipment

Location: Thorndale, Ontario

Territory: Southwestern Ontario Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent The Opportunity Wholesale Lift Trucks Ltd. is one of Ontario’s leading independent material handling equipment dealers. We specialize in the sales, service, rental, and refurbishment of forklifts and industrial equipment. As an Authorized Hangcha Dealer, we support customers across Ontario with new and used forklifts, planned maintenance programs, emergency breakdown service, parts, tires, industrial batteries, chargers, and equipment certifications. Due to continued growth, we are looking for an experienced Service Manager to lead and advance our service department. This is a hands-on leadership position for an advanced technician who has progressed into management and understands what technicians need to complete repairs safely, accurately, and efficiently. The successful candidate will guide our in-shop and road service technicians, oversee daily scheduling, provide advanced technical support, improve departmental processes, and ensure our customers receive dependable service.

Key Responsibilities

Lead, support, and hold accountable our team of in-shop and road service technicians. Schedule and prioritize planned maintenance, emergency breakdowns, inspections, installations, and major repairs. Assign work based on technician experience, location, availability, and job requirements. Provide advanced technical guidance for difficult hydraulic, electrical, mechanical, drivetrain, steering, braking, mast, and control-system repairs. Review technician findings, repair recommendations, estimates, and completed work for accuracy and quality. Coordinate with the Parts Department to ensure required components are identified, ordered, and available before scheduled repairs. Communicate professionally with customers regarding equipment condition, repair requirements, timelines, costs, and preventative maintenance recommendations. Monitor open work orders, technician productivity, billable hours, job progress, callbacks, and outstanding repairs. Ensure digital work orders, inspection reports, time entries, parts usage, and customer approvals are completed accurately. Assist with estimating labour requirements and preparing repair quotations. Manage warranty repairs, manufacturer updates, and technical support cases. Develop consistent diagnostic, inspection, documentation, and quality-control procedures. Train, mentor, and develop technicians while identifying additional training requirements. Assist with recruiting, onboarding, and evaluating service technicians. Ensure company service vehicles, tools, diagnostic equipment, and shop resources are properly maintained. Enforce company safety policies and applicable Ontario workplace requirements. Work closely with ownership and management to improve service capacity, efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction. Provide hands-on diagnostic or repair assistance when a difficult situation requires senior technical involvement.

What We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate will have: A minimum of 10 years of progressive industry experience as an advanced technician, foreperson, shop supervisor, service manager, or similar technical leader.

Extensive experience in one or more of the following industries

Forklifts and material handling equipment Heavy truck repair Agricultural equipment repair Heavy equipment or construction equipment repair Industrial equipment repair Proven experience leading, mentoring, and managing technicians. Advanced diagnostic knowledge of hydraulic, electrical, mechanical, drivetrain, steering, braking, and electronic control systems. Strong time-management, scheduling, and organizational abilities. The ability to prioritize emergency calls while keeping scheduled work moving efficiently. Excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills. Strong customer-service and conflict-resolution abilities. The confidence to make technical decisions and hold team members accountable. Experience reviewing work orders, labour hours, repair estimates, and technician recommendations. Strong computer skills and experience with digital work-order or service-management systems. A valid Ontario G driver’s licence with a clean driving abstract.

Experience with electric forklifts, lithium-ion battery systems, industrial chargers, diagnostic software, or fleet-maintenance programs is considered a strong asset. Ontario 310T, 421A, 310S, Agricultural Equipment Technician, Heavy Equipment Technician, or Red Seal certification is preferred but may not be required for candidates with extensive relevant experience. Why Join Wholesale Lift Trucks Ltd.? We are a family-owned and operated company where experienced technical leaders have direct access to ownership and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the business.

We offer

Competitive compensation based on experience and qualifications Company-provided vehicle Company-paid fuel card Company cell phone Company uniforms and PPE Manufacturer and technical training Modern service equipment and diagnostic software Opportunities to build and improve departmental processes Support from our Parts, Sales, Rental, and Administrative teams Stable, year-round employment Long-term advancement opportunities within a growing company About Wholesale Lift Trucks Ltd. Wholesale Lift Trucks Ltd. provides complete material handling solutions throughout Ontario, including: New and used forklift sales Forklift rentals Planned maintenance programs Emergency breakdown service Fleet management Tires and press-on tire service Industrial batteries and chargers Safety training and equipment certification Parts and service for all major forklift brands

We service a wide range of equipment from Hangcha, Hyster, Yale, Toyota, Crown, Raymond, Caterpillar, Mitsubishi, Clark, Doosan, Hyundai, Komatsu, Kalmar, Taylor, Hoist, Sellick, Combilift, and more.

Schedule

Monday to Friday Additional availability may occasionally be required for urgent service issues

If you are an experienced technical leader who takes pride in developing technicians, improving service operations, and delivering dependable customer support, we would like to hear from you.

Apply through LinkedIn with your résumé and a summary of your relevant technical and management experience.