Sr. Principal Business Development Specialist, Connectivity

What Makes a Honda, is Who makes a Honda

Honda has a clear vision for the future, and it’s a joyful one.  We are looking for individuals with the skills, courage, persistence, and dreams that will help us reach our future-focused goals. 

 At our core is innovation. Honda is constantly innovating and developing solutions to drive our business with record success.  We strive to be a company that serves as a source of “power” that supports people around the world who are trying to do things based on their own initiative and that helps people expand their own potential. To this end, Honda strives to realize “the joy and freedom of mobility” by developing new technologies and an innovative approach to achieve a “zero environmental footprint.”

We are looking for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, continuous improvement values, and a strong work ethic to join our team.

If your goals and values align with Honda’s, we want you to join our team to Bring the Future!

Job Purpose

Developing and executing product and business strategy in a world of rapid technological and social change requires a highly capable, highly knowledgeable, and highly engaged team. 

The Digital & Data Business Planning Department is tasked with navigating the strategy and execution for Honda's future digital services. The team will focus on building and sustaining Honda's core brand values and enhancing brand image and competitiveness in the marketplace by developing new businesses, features, products, and services in the digital domain with responsibility for their customer value, competitiveness, and profitability for Honda in North America. 

We are looking for a passionate and experienced Senior Principal Strategic Business Development Connectivity Specialist to lead the business aspects of vehicle connectivity. This role requires a deep understanding of the mobile network operator’s (MNO) business. As the business owner, you will be responsible for developing and executing business strategies for vehicle data plans, over-the-air (OTA) updates, and telematics control units (TCU), ensuring exceptional customer experiences and alignment with corporate initiatives. You will leverage your high-level technical understanding to collaborate effectively with technical partners. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of Honda’s Software Defined Vehicles (SDV) and digital services platform in a rapidly evolving industry.
 

Key Accountabilities

Domain Expertise:

• Deep understanding of MNOs business, technical cellular connectivity architecture, and vehicle telematics control units.
• Gather and analyze vehicle data usage requirements from cross-functional teams to provide strategic recommendation for future vehicle data plans OTA updates, and backend system.

Market Analysis:

• Conduct comprehensive market analysis to identify, synthesize, and communicate key trends across industries, segments, regions, and competitors.
• Deliver insightful, data-driven strategic recommendations to leadership.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment and provide feedback, maintaining a thorough understand of external environmental factors.

Project Management: 

• Lead the execution of strategic initiatives with precision and organization. 
• Monitor project progress and implement necessary changes using metrics, roadmaps, dashboards, and financials to ensure successful outcomes.

Strategic Partnership & Business Development:

• Identify and lead new strategic partnership opportunities that align with corporate initiatives.
• Craft and present compelling business proposals to executives, advancing the organization in line with corporate strategic direction.
• Negotiate complex agreements with partners ensuring effective collaboration and mutual success.

Roadmap Development:

• Develop and align short and long-term business connectivity strategies with the product roadmap, ensuring cohesive and forward-thinking planning.

Qualifications, Experience, and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree is required, ideally with a major in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Engineering, or related field or equivalent work experience.
• MBA preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in business development, strategic partnerships, consulting, IT, engineering, or product marketing role(s).
• 8+ years of experience as a mobile network operator or mobile virtual network operator in a B2B role.
• 8+ years in connected car and/or IoT.
• 8+ years of business model and data analysis.
• Problem Solving: Ability to thrive in ambiguous environments and work at strategic and tactical levels simultaneously.
• Self-Driven: Ability to work independently and respond rapidly in a fast-changing environment.
• Results Oriented: High level of attention to detail while maintaining vision of the larger business objectives and meeting company goals.
• Bias For Action: Strong sense of product / domain ownership and bias for action.
• Financial Literacy: Interpret financial data, evaluate ROI, and make informed decisions.
• Negotiation Skills: Negotiate contracts and partnerships.
• Sales Pitch: Articulate the value proposition of vehicle connectivity to stakeholders and leadership. 
• Technical Literacy: Understands technology design principles to collaborate with technical teams.
• Effective Communication: Clearly convey complex concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with product teams, engineers, marketing, and sales to align business goals.
• Presentation Skills: Deliver compelling tailored presentations to executives, internal teams, and external partners.
• Agile / Scrum product owner certification or experience preferred.

Workstyle

• Hybrid / Remote

Benefits and Total Rewards

• What differentiates Honda and makes us an employer of choice?

   Total Rewards:

• Competitive Base Salary:

• Pay will be based on several variables that include, but not limited to geographic location, work experience, education, etc.

• Annual Bonus
• Industry-leading Benefit Plans (Medical, Dental, Vision)
• Manager Lease Car Program (No Cost - Car, Maintenance, and Insurance included)
• Paid time off, including vacation, paid holidays, sick time, and personal days
• 401K Plan with company match + additional contribution
• Relocation assistance (if eligible)

•  Career Growth:

• Advancement opportunities
• Career mobility 
• Education reimbursement for continued learning
• Training and Development programs

•  Additional Offerings:

• Wellbeing program
• Community service and engagement programs
• Product programs
• Free drinks onsite

Honda is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.