Connected Customer Experience Future Product Planning Manager

SUMMARY

Leads the strategy, planning, and development of Subaru's future connected vehicle (CV) ecosystem, including infotainment, telematics, digital cockpit, customer experience (CX), and emerging connected services across the Subaru vehicle portfolio. Partners closely with Subaru Corporation (SBR), North American Subaru, Inc. (NASI), Subaru of America (SOA) business teams, and external technology partners to define and champion future product roadmaps, business requirements, user experiences, and technology initiatives that support Subaru's long-term CV vision. Directly manages one (1) full-time Future Product Planning Analyst and is responsible for guiding research, business planning, and product proposal activities that influence future vehicle programs and customer experiences.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Researches and studies the automotive and technology landscape. Creates strategic proposals to achieve competitive connected vehicle (CV) products and services that satisfy customer needs and expectations while strengthening Subaru of America’s (SOA’s) position in the U.S. market. Drives alignment of CV proposals across business and engineering teams to ensure feasibility, prioritization, and successful execution.

• Facilitates and manages user clinics, focus groups, and surveys to capture critical research.
• Maintains strong relationships with external business partners, vendors, and industry trade groups to facilitate identification of future products and technical trends.
• Collaborates with Product Management and Marketing Departments to identify customer and business opportunities, evaluate concepts, establish priorities, and ensure successful integration into vehicle development programs. Ensures that technology proposals and concepts are evaluated holistically with the rest of the vehicle development.
• Develops and maintains product requirements, business cases, feature definitions, and customer experience (CX) objectives for CV products and services. Ensures requirements maturity throughout the product lifecycle and alignment with cross-functional stakeholders. Leads Business Request Document (BRD) creation and Specification Description Document (SDD) review, alignment, negotiation, maintenance, and finalization with Subaru Corporation (SBR), ensuring development teams receive approved and actionable requirements.
• In conjunction with SBR and North American Subaru, Inc. (NASI), leads the definition and evolution of the CX, user experience (UX), and feature requirements for infotainment, telematics, and connected service products, ensuring alignment with SOA customer, business, and market needs.
• Owns the transition of CV concepts, requirements, and CX strategies from Future Product Planning into Product Development. Ensure seamless handoff of approved Next Generation initiatives to Product Development teams and associated stakeholders, enabling effective execution and delivery.    

REQUIRED SKILLS & PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong analytic and decision-making skills, especially with incomplete information.

• Ability to produce results effectively under significantly restricted time and resource constraints.
• Ability to be flexible with constantly changing and challenging business and technology conditions.
• Ability to identify gaps and opportunities in the Subaru technology roadmap and propose solutions.
• Strong understanding of the Subaru brand and how technology can strengthen its core values.
• Passion for all things technology and automotive.
• Capacity for independent thinking and idea generation.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for a diversity of audiences and competency in cultural sensitivity, in part due to extensive interaction and coordination with Subaru Corporation (SBR) staff (at Subaru of America [SOA] and in Japan), multi-national suppliers, and executive members at SOA and SBR.
• Ability to build consensus across multiple departments with different business priorities and objectives.
• Strong understanding of SOA business operations, the automotive industry, and consumer electronics.
• Creativity and insight to manage short- and long-range planning cycles.
• Advanced technical skills and experience in order to effectively communicate with SBR and partner development engineers.
• Detailed operational knowledge of product planning and Microsoft Office software.
• Japanese language skills Preferred
• Effective Team Management: Ability to provide effective coaching, feedback, and development opportunities that foster individual and team success. 

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: Bachelor's Degree required And Master's Degree preferred with at least 6-8 years of relevant experience.    

• Office Location: Camden, NJ apart of the Greater Philadelphia Area (Philly)

• Hybrid Role: Hybrid Role - Remote work 2 days per week (after 90 days) [Wednesdays & Fridays]   

• Effective Team Management: Ability to provide effective coaching, feedback, and development opportunities that foster individual and team success.

• Travel Requirements: International & Domestic 20%

COMPENSATION: The recruiting base salary range for this full-time position is $105,000 - $135,400 / year. Within the range, individual pay is determined by factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Additionally, this role is bonus-eligible, with a target bonus percentage that provides an opportunity to earn even more based on your performance. (Internal Job Grade: M1)

WHY JOIN US? In addition to competitive salary, Subaru offers an amazing benefits package that includes: 

   Total Rewards & Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, Vision Plans

• Pension, Profit Sharing, and 401K Match Offerings

• 15 Vacation days, 5 Floating Holidays, 5 Sick days, and 9 Company Holidays

• Tuition Reimbursement Program: $15,000 yearly benefit

• Vehicle Discount Programs

   Learning & Development:

• Professional growth and development opportunities

• Direct partnership with senior leadership

• Formal Mentorship Program

• LinkedIn Learning License 

Visit our careers landing page for additional information about our compensation and benefit programs.

ABOUT SUBARU

Love. It’s what makes Subaru, Subaru®. As a leading auto brand in the US, we strive to be More Than a Car Company®. Subaru believes in being a positive force in the communities in which we live and work, not just with donations but with actions that set an example for others to follow. That’s what we call our Subaru Love Promise®.

Subaru is a globally renowned automobile manufacturer known for its commitment to innovation, safety, and sustainability. With a rich history dating back to 1953, Subaru has consistently pushed the boundaries of automotive engineering to deliver vehicles that offer not only exceptional performance but also a unique blend of utility and adventure.

Subaru's company culture is built on collaboration, diversity, and a shared passion for our product. We foster an inclusive environment that encourages employees to bring their unique perspectives and talents to the table. Our team members are driven by a common goal: to create exceptional vehicles that inspire and delight our customers.

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S. For more information on E-Verify, please refer to the official E-Verify Participation Notice.