Strategic Planning Director

Company

Cox Automotive - USA

Strategy & Corporate Development

Strategic Planning Director

DirectorHybrid - Ability to work remotely part of the week

No

Day

Compensation

Compensation includes a base salary of $156,200.00 - $260,400.00. The base salary may vary within the anticipated base pay range based on factors such as the ultimate location of the position and the selected candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Position may be eligible for additional compensation that may include an incentive program.

General Description:

The Director, Corporate Strategy will lead projects and initiatives to create and facilitate development of key strategic initiatives that enable our businesses to make better decisions regarding where to play, how to win and what to do (e.g. strategic execution).  This role will be critical in helping Cox Automotive prioritize focus areas and help ensure the solution groups achieve their financial and strategic objectives. 

The Director will work closely with the strategy team, operational VP’s and general managers of Cox Automotive’s various business groups to accomplish organizational goals and strategies. This role will lead strategy projects and initiatives to ensure successful completion.  The role understands the Cox Automotive portfolio which includes key solution areas.  This role will focus on opportunities across the US, and may support international businesses.  The position is responsible to partner, provide thought leadership and the execution of strategic initiatives across all lines of business within Cox Automotive that will help grow the Cox Automotive business portfolio and increase its value.  This position requires creative problem-solving and comfort with uncertainty to help drive effective strategic planning in an industry experiencing disruption and rapid change. This position requires the candidate to possess core strategy and analysis skills, as well as the project definition and execution skills.  Candidate should have ability to lead and influence others by acting as a strategic partner to business leaders.  The position demands frequent interactions with all levels of the organization, both in the business unit itself and within corporate. 

Specific Responsiblities:

Strategy

• Utilize core strategy skills and framework to conduct assessments for CAI and business groups
  • Market assessments and profit pool implications
  • Customer and competitive assessments
• Leverage strategic planning methodology
  • Understand how internal and external assessments shape our opportunities, risks & ability to win
  • Recommend choices
  • Articulate our strategy for “where to play”, “how to win” & “what to do “ (for Cox Automotive & BUs)
  • Proficiency with hypothesis-driven analysis
  • Ability to quickly drive towards insights relevant for strategic decision-making in the absence of complete data

Analysis

• Incorporate quantitative analyses through data, market studies and strategic frameworks & assessments
• Identify root causes, drivers, or critical assumptions related to a specific topic of inquiry
• Rapidly develop initial perspectives and assess relative importance of potential areas for further analysis
• Ability to build financial models with key drivers to align on sensitivities
• Synthesize detailed analysis into highlights actionable insights and key implications

Leadership & Influence

• Lead, partner and advise “clients” & teams
• Define projects, scope and success measures
• Be a thought leader/partner, bringing new insight and perspective to our “clients”
• Utilize strategic thinking and analyses to guide recommendations
• Develop and sustain effective relationships
• Influence outcome with a Cox Automotive lens (and BU lens when applicable)

Work Deliverable Examples Include but not Limited to:

• Develop portfolio assessment for Cox Automotive and collective solution groups
• Develop total addressable market and profit pool analyses for automotive marketplace
• Work with solution group strategy leaders to define business unit strategic plans
• Work with solution group strategy leaders to develop strategic and/or financial assessments and key analysis that will drive strategic decision making and execution
• Lead the preparation of communications, meeting materials and formal meeting summary deliverables that drive the strategic planning process forward
• Support the strategic planning process and ideation sessions across assigned Cox Automotive divisions to explore strategies to grow business
• Provide thorough and value-added analysis, followed by insightful and relevant recommendations.  This includes the creation of financial models, industry/market research, and analysis of trends to support business decisions
• Work across multi-functional teams in order to leverage expertise from the broader organization, gathering strategic feedback and support necessary to coordinate efforts in deploying initiatives. 
• Ability to leverage strategic and analytical skills to effectively consult/communicate with leadership on strategic initiatives
• Plan meeting logistics and facilitation approaches that yield productive executive planning sessions.
• Support industry and customer-facing strategy communication.
• Assist development of strategic analysis for decision support that drives successful investment decisions and operational efficiencies
• Support the budget planning process
• Support the gathering, curation, analysis and communication of marketplace trends to the broader organization

Required Qualifications:

Minimum:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and 10 years’ experience in Strategic Planning and/or Management Consulting. Automotive industry experience preferred.  
• The right candidate could also have a different combination, such as a master’s degree and 8 years’ experience; a Ph.D. and 5 years’ experience in a related field; or in lieu of a degree, 14 years of experience in a Strategic Planning and/or management consulting field will be considered.
• Strong analytical, modeling, and research skills. Excellent organization and project management skills. Concise and clear verbal and written communication skills.
• Comfort challenging, in a respectful manner, positions or perspectives using both analysis and judgement
• Utilize critical thinking to apply findings to make recommendations and articulate next steps in ambiguous or emerging opportunities
• Ability to establish credibility as an internal thought leader on strategic and business issues.
• Ability to work cross-functionally and collaboratively.
• Ability to interact with leadership at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to interpret complex data and distill it into concise relevant documents and presentations for an executive audience
• Ability to think strategically, abstractly, in broad concepts and terms and apply to tangible business plans.
• Passion for storytelling, developing concepts for fresh ideas, and translating market insights into compelling pitches.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced growth-company environment (sense of urgency, adaptable, champion of change)
• Proficient in MS Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Travel as needed (<20%)

Preferred:

• Automotive industry experience
• MBA or relevant certifications preferred.

To be employed in this role, you’ll need to clear a pre-employment drug test. Cox Automotive does not currently administer a pre-employment drug test for marijuana for this position. However, we are a drug-free workplace, so the possession, use or being under the influence of drugs illegal under federal or state law during work hours, on company property and/or in company vehicles is prohibited.

The Company offers eligible employees the flexibility to take as much vacation with pay as they deem consistent with their duties, the company’s needs, and its obligations; seven paid holidays throughout the calendar year; and up to 160 hours of paid wellness annually for their own wellness or that of family members. Employees are also eligible for additional paid time off in the form of bereavement leave, time off to vote, jury duty leave, volunteer time off, military leave, parental leave, and COVID-19 vaccination leave.Through groundbreaking technology and a commitment to stellar experiences for drivers and dealers alike, Cox Automotive employees are transforming the way the world buys, owns, sells – or simply uses – cars. Cox Automotive employees get to work on iconic consumer brands like Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book and industry-leading dealer-facing companies like vAuto and Manheim, all while enjoying the people-centered atmosphere that is central to our life at Cox. Benefits of working at Cox may include health care insurance (medical, dental, vision), retirement planning (401(k)), and paid days off (sick leave, parental leave, flexible vacation/wellness days, and/or PTO). For more details on what benefits you may be offered, visit our benefits page. Cox is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer – All qualified applicants/employees will receive consideration for employment without regard to that individual’s age, race, color, religion or creed, national origin or ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, physical or mental disability, veteran status, genetic information, ethnicity, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by law. Cox provides reasonable accommodations when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with disability, unless such accommodations would cause an undue hardship.

Salary : $156,200 - $260,400