Strategic Planning Principal Specialist

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

The New Business Strategic Planning Lead is pivotal in driving new business growth, innovation and development.  This role directly influences PS&T strategic direction, operational efficiency, competitive position, profitability, and long-term sustainability of the organization.

This function is key to leading PS&T strategic initiatives, aligning the North American organization with its strategic goals, and drive change.  The New Business Strategic Planning Lead ensures the successful implementation of critical changes, improve organization efficiency, and adapt to evolving market conditions.

The New Business Strategic Planning Lead is responsible for the on-time and on-budget development and deployment of New Business PST technology/digital solutions, cross divisional system infrastrucure integration, and innovative business processes to ensure PS&T can meet current and future customer needs. 

Key Accountabilities

New Business Strategic Initiatives

• Drive innovation. Generate new business opportunities ideas. 
• Identify, evaluate new business opportunities.  Develop and implement strategies.
• Develop PS&T business unit vision and strategic goals. Set new business direction. 
• Build business unit roadmap to achieve Honda future vision.  
• Utilize market research to assess competitive landscapes and feasibility, develop strategies to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
• Lead the team to ensure successful and quality implementation.
• Present strategic initiatives information & recommendations to Honda and PS&T Executives, Regional Planning, etc.. 

Business Solutioning Expertise

• Create overall business system solution to solve business problems.  
• Partner & collaborate with project team key roles (project leads, business analysts, consulting companies, technology partners, etc) to create and implement solutions timely and efficiently.
• Build long-term solution strategy to ensure PS&T meet future growth and sustainability.

Financial Cost/Benefit Analysis

• Evaluate various financial aspects for PS&T strategic initiatives.
• Conduct comprehensive cost/benefit analysis for each new business initiative. 
• Provide recommendations to PS&T executive management based on analysis results.
• Evaluate post launch results and identify improvement opportunities, utilizing Business Intelligence (BI), qualitative, and quantitative analysis tools.
• Ensure SOX compliance.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Drive innovation and organizational success.  
• Create alignment across the enterprise for business solutions.
• Promote collaboration and knowledge-sharing among Honda Motor and Honda subsidiaries and AHM divisions such as CX, ADR, SBD & HED and Auto Sales.
• Develop collaboration strategies. Partner with each entity (across the horizontal and vertical organization) to ensure universal business requirements are reflected in strategic direction.  
• Collaborate in the development of business systems infrastructure that meet current and future customer demands.  

Change Management

• Drive new business model transformation. 
• Set change management methodologies and plans.  Ensure successful execution of new business strategies. 
• Lead PS&T in technology and organizational readiness for business changes.

Qualifications, Experience, and Skills

• B.S. or B.A. with Business Administration or Economics or equivalent work experience
• MBA preferred
• Minimum 5 years in developing and executing business strategies. 
• 3-5 years in business development, strategic planning and project management
• In-depth understanding of automotive business landscape.
• 7-10 years in Parts, Service & Technical business functions with in-depth understanding of business operations.
• 7-10 years in supervision/leadership positions.
• 7-10 years of program management experience.  Ability to manage multiple strategic projects in parallel.
• Strong leadership skills and organizational skills
• Effective presentation, negotiation and communication skills 
• Exceptional problem-solving and data-driven decision analysis skills
• Strong stakeholder management (understanding success factors and managing deliverables & expectations)
• Highly organized in managing resources/timelines/priorities.
• High-proficiency in project management and software tools, and change management (successful transition and smooth adoption of new process/system/practice)
• Strong risk management skill: identifying and mitigating risks
• In-depth knowledge of customer and market trends
• Results oriented
• Data visualization: proficiency with tools like Tableau, Power BI, etc.
• Data analysis & interpretation: familiarity with programming for analytics (e.g., Python, R) and advanced Excel (VBA/macros)

What differentiates Honda and make 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, etc.)
•    Regional Bonus (when applicable)
•    Manager Lease Car Program (No Cost - Car, Maintenance, and Insurance included)
•    Industry-leading Benefit Plans (Medical, Dental, Vision, Rx)
•    Paid time off, including vacation, holidays, shutdown
•    Company Paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability 
•    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:
•    Lifestyle Account
•    Childcare Reimbursement Account
•    Elder Care Support
•    Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Repayment
•    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.