Senior Model Line Business Manager

At Kia, we’re creating award-winning products and redefining what value means in the automotive industry. It takes a special group of individuals to do what we do, and we do it together. Our culture is fast-paced, collaborative, and innovative. Our people thrive on thinking differently and challenging the status quo. We are creating something special here, a culture of learning and opportunity, where you can help Kia achieve big things and most importantly, feel passionate and connected to your work every day.

Kia provides team members with competitive benefits including premium paid medical, dental and vision coverage for you and your dependents, 401(k) plan matching of 100% up to 6% of the salary deferral, and time off starting at 14 days per year. Kia also offers company lease and purchase programs, company-wide holiday shutdown, paid volunteer hours, and premium lifestyle amenities at our corporate campus in Irvine, California.

Status

Exempt

Summary

The Senior Model Line Business Manager will act as the vehicle’s chief advocate, championing and marshaling resources to support, promote and strengthen the model for maximum marketplace success and profitability.   As the go-to person for the assigned model, they will maintain comprehensive knowledge of the vehicle, its target customers, dealer engagement levels and the competitive segment marketplace dynamics to provide input for collaborative development of the near-term sales, marketing and product plans.  Key responsibilities include leading the collaboration with Marketing on the product-market positioning strategy for the assigned model, serving as the messaging subject matter expert, and providing strategic input on messaging to achieve sales and marketing goals. The Senior Manager will generally manage up to four assigned vehicle lines with focus on 12-18 forward-looking months.  They are also responsible to manage a direct report. 

Major Responsibilities

1st Priority - 15%

Expertise: Maintain continuous, 360-degree understanding of assigned model’s marketplace dynamics, segment trends, target customers behavior, key competitor actions, model advantages / vulnerabilities, and unserved market opportunities/white space. 

2nd Priority - 15%

Strategy:  Provide upstream strategic guidance to position vehicle in optimal manner for relevant market differentiation and launch success.

3rd Priority - 25%

Market Messaging:  As vehicle messaging expert, work upstream cross-functionally, to ensure consistent vehicle positioning and salient messaging of model in all communication touch points (Marketing, Sales, PR, Sales Training, etc.)

4th Priority - 15%

Sales Operations: Operate closely with field leadership to collaborate, manage and optimize media messaging and provide strategic/ tactical inputs to drive the monthly go-to-market plan. 

5th Priority - 5%

Training: Collaborate with Sales Training team to ensure key product points / competitive advantages are clearly communicated (ensure consistency of key marketing messages, positioning, proper competitor comparisons used)

6th Priority - 15%

Business Unit Management:  Collaborate with Product, Sales and Marketing in jointly setting the quantitative and qualitative objectives for each model; and in identifying the key product, marketing and sales programs required to achieve the set objectives.

7th Priority - 10%

Product: Collaborate with PPD and Product Quality (PQ) to provide immediate and upstream input (up to 18 months prior to new model year change over) so as to ensure assigned product meets Sales and Marketing channel marketplace needs.
 

Education/Certification

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required
• Master’s degree in business or related field preferred    
   

Overall Experience

• Minimum 12+ years OEM Marketing, Sales Operations or Field Sales Experience . Experience in at least one of these fields required. Experience in 2-3 fields preferred. 

Directly Related Experience

• Strong understanding of the Auto Business and Landscape
• Ability to quickly react to and manage change
• Ability to work well with cross-functional teams
• Ability to effectively manage multiple assignments
• Occasional travel may be required domestically and/or internationally 
• Perform other duties as assigned
   

Skills

Ability to clearly convey (written and oral) learnings as well as recommendation that will results towards action.Ability to solve multi-dimensional / cross-discipline problemsExcellent presentation skills. Abilit