Product Planning Lead

At Honda we embrace inclusion in our various policies, so whilst our contracts state that the hours are as required to fulfil the role with a minimum of 35 hours per week, we offer flexibility for when you work.  The regular office hours are 08:00 – 16:00 Monday to Thursday with a half hour lunch break & 08:00 – 13:00 on a Friday.  However, we offer flexibility of when you work with our daily flex-time start of between 07:00 and 11:00 providing that there is no business requirement.

Whilst there is no contractual right to work from home, the flexibility we offer is that you can request to work from home 2 days per week, again providing there is no business requirement to attend the office.

Role:
The Power Products Product Planning Lead plays a key role in shaping the strategy for Honda's Power Products portfolio across the European region. This role is responsible for analysing market trends, gathering customer insights, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to define and deliver product offerings that align with market demands and company objectives. The Product Planning Lead ensures the successful lifecycle management of Power Products while identifying opportunities for innovation and differentiation.

The role manages product planning and lifecycle activities from initial concept and business case through development, launch, in-market performance and discontinuation. The Product Planning Lead ensures the company’s Power Products portfolio remains competitive, compliant, and aligned with the evolving needs of the European market. 

If based in branch, the role holder will be required to travel to the UK approximately once per month, for a couple of days, for face-to-face meetings. Gemba to local branches, once per month on average is also required. 

If based in the UK - Bracknell Office, the role holder will be required to visit branches, dealers and manufacturing approx. once per month, for face-to-face meetings.

Main Responsibilities:

European Market Research and Analysis

• Conduct comprehensive market research to understand customer needs, industry trends, and competitor offerings across the whole range of Power Products.
• Analyse regulatory developments and their impact on Power Products in the European market.
• Use data-driven insights to identify growth opportunities, pricing and sales forecasts for the assigned products, in line with sales budgets and profitability.

Product Planning

• Prepare and involve relevant departments for successful product launching (SP-Flow) for Power Products in alignment with the company’s global and EU regional strategy.
• Define product specifications, positioning, and value propositions based on market needs and competitive analysis.
• Collaborate with sales, marketing, and technical teams to ensure alignment between product planning and business goals.

Product Lifecycle Management

• Oversee the lifecycle of Power Products, from concept to launch to discontinuation.
• Monitor product performance post-launch and recommend adjustments or improvements as necessary towards R&D or other related departments.
• Coordinate product updates, enhancements, and customisations based on feedback from customers and dealers.

Collaboration with R&D and Engineering

• Work closely with Global and European R&D teams to ensure product designs meet market requirements and regulatory standards.
• Provide input on technical feasibility, cost considerations, and customer-centric features.
• Act as a bridge between market needs and product development teams to ensure timely delivery of competitive products.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Collaborate with marketing teams to develop go-to-market strategies, promotional plans, and product communication materials.
• Partner with sales teams in branches to ensure they have the tools, training, and resources to effectively sell Power Products.
• Coordinate with supply chain and manufacturing teams to ensure product availability meets market demand.
• Coordinate Accessory Business throughout EU Region.

Regulatory and Environmental Considerations

• Stay updated on EU regulations related to emissions, safety, noise, vibrations, packaging, connectivity and other technologies related to ICE (Internal Combustion Engine), DC (Electrical) and Robotics products.
• Ensure that Power Products comply with applicable laws and standards in the EU region.
• Provide strategic recommendations to adapt the product portfolio to evolving regulatory environments.

Performance Monitoring and Reporting

• Track and analyse the performance of Power Products in the European market, including sales, profitability, and market share.
• Prepare reports and presentations for senior management, highlighting key insights and recommendations.
• Use performance data to support future product planning and decision-making.

Branches, Distributor and Dealer Engagement

• Gather feedback from dealers and customers to identify pain points, desired features, and opportunities for improvement.
• Organise and deliver Train-the-Trainer sessions for all branches and distributors.
• Provide product expertise to support branches and distributors in delivering dealer training.

Qualifications, skills and experience:
Required

• Knowledge of European Power Products markets, customers, competitors and distribution channels. 
• Experience in product sales, product planning or product management within a technical, engineering or manufacturing environment. 
• Strategic thinking and commercial awareness, aligning product plans to business objectives and market opportunities. 
• Proven experience analysing & interpreting market, sales and financial data to support decision-making.  
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with experience building effective relationships across multiple stakeholders and presenting findings effectively.
• Strong problem-solving skills, adapting to changing market and business requirements. 
• Project management and organisational skills, managing multiple priorities and deadlines. 
• A customer-focused approach, identifying customer needs and market opportunities. 
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications and data analysis tools. 
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Desirable

• Understanding of EU regulations affecting Power Products.
• Familiarity with ICE, DC and Robotics technologies, engineering principles, and regulatory frameworks.
• Familiarity with product lifecycle management (PLM) processes. 
• Proficiency in one or more additional European languages.

Honda is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in the workplace for all employees, temporary workers, contractors, applicants and visitors. Honda also encourages respect for the individual differences and talents of others while making full use of one's own abilities, based on Honda's philosophy of respect for the individual.

At Honda, we value and celebrate diversity and are committed to being a fair, non-discriminatory company that promotes and welcomes the uniqueness and differences of people around the world. We recognise that a diverse workforce allows for different ideas and perspectives, and we encourage everyone to share them. We strive to foster a culture of belonging that is consistent with Honda's core values and lived out in the way we work and respect each other. For us at Honda, diversifying our workforce means increasing its overall strength by providing people with equal opportunities - regardless of personal characteristics or previous careers.

This commitment flows directly from the Honda philosophy and the belief that we are all working towards a common goal. Honda recruits, hires, trains and promotes the most qualified/experienced individuals at all levels without regard to race, origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or any other protected characteristic.