Assistant Manager PBV Product Planning (all genders welcome)

Join the movement and find new inspiration

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 with a vision to create sustainable mobility solutions for consumers, communities, and societies around the world. Founded in 1944, Kia has been building motorcycles, cars and trucks for more than 75 years. Kia is now spearheading the popularization of electrified and battery electric vehicles, developing a growing range of mobility services while encouraging millions of people to explore the best ways of getting around. Our brand slogan – ‘Movement that inspires’ – reflects our commitment to inspire consumers through our products and services. Kia Europe is the European sales and manufacturing arm of Kia Corporation. From our headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, we lead 39 markets across Europe and the Caucasus, employing more than 5,500 persons, including about 3,500 blue collar workers in our state of the art car plant in Zilina, Slovakia. Our headquarter is home to 40 different nationalities and this diversity is truly inspiring! This means that every day at Kia is an opportunity to learn something new and to grow personally and professionally. The mix of ambitious and dynamic employees from all over the world is the fuel to our success. Do you have what it takes to join our team? We are looking 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.