Assistant Manager PBV Product Planning (all genders welcome)

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We have an exciting opportunity as:

Assistant Manager PBV Product Planning (all genders welcome) in the Product & Pricing department at the Kia Europe Headquarters in Frankfurt/Main, Germany.

Kia has entered the European e-LCV market with its first model, the PV5, and has already won the prestigious International Van of the Year 2026 award. The company aims to build a full lineup of PBVs in the coming years and establish itself as a leading player in the electric light commercial vehicle segment.

Job mission:

• We are seeking a Systemic & Analytical Thinking Assistant Manager to support the PBV Product Team in defining Kia’s mid- to short-term PBV product strategy for Europe. This role plays a key part in shaping product characteristics, identifying compelling USPs, ensuring strategic consistency across the PBV line-up, and strengthening product positioning within the European market.

• The successful candidate will contribute to vehicle definition by translating market intelligence into actionable product direction. This includes defining core vehicle characteristics and features based on:

  • In-depth understanding of EU market and segment trends

  • Deployment of HMG and Kia technology and development strategies (platforms, AER, charging performance, vehicle efficiency)

  • Alignment with platform and charging technology roadmaps

  • Strategic foresight with a 3–5 year planning horizon

• This role requires a strong foundation in Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) knowledge, including customer needs by segment and body type portfolio strategy. A solid understanding of EV technologies and EU regulatory frameworks is essential.

• The ideal candidate combines analytical rigor with systemic thinking and can effectively collaborate and communicate across regional and global stakeholders to drive alignment and deliver cohesive product strategies.

Your responsibilities:

• Product Planning & Launch Support: Collaborate closely with KEU Pricing, Marketing Communication, PR, Online Marketing, Sales, and Kia HQ (Seoul, S. Korea) to support new PBV product launches.

• Market & Customer Insights: Translate industry trends and customer analysis into actionable product characteristics, features, and USPs. Conduct competitive positioning analysis, pricing assessments, and basket proposals to guide portfolio lifecycle management.

• Data Aggregation & Compliance: Regularly gather and consolidate data from NVEs and partners regarding product specifications and regional/local regulations for PBVs (including e-LCVs).

• Stakeholder Support: Act as a key contact for internal teams, NSCs, and Distributors by providing competitor benchmarking, internal product surveys, and feedback on product-related topics.

• Strategic Analysis: Analyze the competitive landscape to inform a Pan-European PBV Trimline Strategy, providing recommendations aligned with vehicle specifications.

• Competitor Benchmarking: Support on-site competitor product benchmarking and evaluation events to ensure informed decision-making.

Your talents:

• Excellent quantitative and analytical skills to interpret data and support decision-making.

• Self-confidence, positive thinking, resilience, flexibility and ability to adapt in a multicultural and fast-moving environment

• Cooperative nature to ensure smooth information flow and a good collaboration

• Minimum 3+ years of experience in Product Planning/Management or EV Technology domains

• Exposure to Automotive Product Management and Product Development is highly desirable.

• Experience with automotive database and tools [e.g. S&P, Jato, NVES], quantitative and qualitative research, AI-based productivity tools

• Fluent in English (written and spoken); additional European languages are a plus.

Who are we?

Kia is a global mobility brand driven by a clear ambition: to create sustainable mobility solutions for people, communities, and societies around the world. Since 1944, we’ve continuously evolved - from manufacturing bicycles and motorcycles to shaping today’s electric vehicles and mobility landscape.

Today, Kia is spearheading the shift toward electrified and battery electric mobility, expanding innovative services, and inspiring millions to explore new ways of moving. Our brand slogan, Movement that inspires, reflects our belief that progress and innovation should spark new ideas, new possibilities, and a better future for all.

Kia Europe is the regional sales and manufacturing arm of Kia Corporation. From our headquarters in Frankfurt, we support 39 markets across Europe and the Caucasus, powered by a diverse team of more than 5,000 colleagues representing 50+ nationalities - including around 3,500 blue collar employees at our state of the art plant in Žilina, Slovakia.

At Kia, every day is an opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to the future of mobility. Our international, ambitious, and collaborative teams are the driving force behind our success - and we believe that the right people, empowered and inspired, can make extraordinary things happen.

Ready to move your career forward with us?

We look forward to getting to know you.

You will enjoy working with us if you like these things:

• A pulsating international environment. Our workforce is composed of people from 37 nations.

• Playing an active and important part in the development of Kia in Europe.

• Developing new frameworks and solutions.

• Demanding challenges to which you can creatively contribute.

• A competitive compensation package; private leasing offer; systematic off and on-the-job training, free staff restaurant, support as concerns Health Management and more.

  
  

If you’re interested to become part of our Kia team, please apply via our online portal. We are looking forward to getting to know you.