SummaryWe are seeking a
Corporate Planning Analyst to join our Corporate Planning team. This high-impact position reports directly to the planning manager and is critical to driving alignment between strategic business objectives and operational execution across the company. You will lead and coordinate various corporate planning activities, facilitate cross-functional collaboration, support executive reporting, and oversee cost control initiatives in alignment with the company's strategic goals.
This position requires at least three days of onsite work each week.POSITION SUMMARY/PURPOSE1. General: The Corporate Planning Specialist works closely with the Planning Manager, crucial in driving strategic initiatives, enhancing operational efficiency and profitability, and supporting departmental goals. This role demands analytical skills, strategic insight, and effective communication. Proficiency in mathematical concepts and bilingual skills (English and Japanese) are highly valued.
2. Strategic Planning: To assist in developing and consolidating mid-term business and profit plans for the automotive industry, ensuring they align with the company's long-term goals. Under moderate direction, analyze and predict financial, economic, and other data to offer timely and accurate information for strategic and operational decisions. Interpret financial information related to costs, prices, expenses, and revenues and provide recommendations to management.
3. Leading Internal Activities to Achieve Profit Targets: To support internal projects and initiatives to improve operational efficiency and profitability within the organization, coordinating each function through company-wide and corporate-wide meetings involving internal and external parties. This coordination ensures alignment between objectives, requirements, and business plans. Additionally, this will include facilitating company Hoshin-planning activities, planning and tracking cost control, and reporting results at multiple levels.
4. Performance Monitoring and Analysis: To track and analyze the company's performance to provide insights for continuous improvement. It includes providing summary and detailed information to management for decision-making purposes, such as follow-up reports, presentations, status of target achievements, and necessary corrective actions.
5. Departmental Support and Improvement: To provide strategic and operational support to different departments to ensure ongoing improvement and the achievement of corporate goals. The role also involves facilitating communication between the company and corporate entities to ensure alignment and clear communication of the plan details and ongoing status. This includes but is not limited to: board meetings, working groups, Hoshin reviews, and management/employee communication meetings.
6. Special Projects: Lead or support projects to support the company direction (as assigned).
KEY JOB DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIESPlanning and Consolidation of Mid-term Business and Profit Plans:- Assist in developing and consolidating strategic business and profit plans.
- Conduct market research and analysis to identify industry trends, opportunities, and threats.
- Collaborate with the Manager to define strategic goals and initiatives.
- Prepare comprehensive reports and presentations to communicate strategic plans to the Manager.
Management Reporting- Prepare executive-level reports and presentations that summarize progress against strategic targets.
- Track KPIs and propose corrective actions as needed to meet business objectives.
Internal Communications & Meetings- Support internal and corporate communications related to strategy and performance.
- Assist in planning and facilitating Board meetings, Hoshin reviews, and cross-departmental briefings.
Profitability Analysis and Reporting:- Monitor KPIs to assess the company's performance and profitability, focusing on revenue, expenses, and manufacturing costs.
- Create performance reports for managers, summarizing key insights and trends.
- Analyze data to find performance gaps and recommend actions to improve profitability.
- Compare actual performance with planned targets, especially in manufacturing costs, and suggest adjustments to improve financial outcomes.
Promotion of Internal Projects:- Assist the manager to improve operational efficiency and profitability.
- Coordinate with various departments to ensure alignment with profit targets.
- Identify and implement cost-saving measures and revenue-enhancing strategies.
- Monitor and report on the progress of profit improvement activities.
Establish a System to Evaluate Business:- Provide strategic and operational support to various departments.
- Assist in establishing systems to evaluate business performance.
- Identify areas for improvement and implement best practices.
- Support inter-departmental collaboration to achieve corporate goals.
- Support the development and implementation of departmental initiatives and projects.
QualificationsMinimum Requirements- Bachelor's degree in business or a related field.
- 3+ years of experience in corporate planning, financial analysis, or project coordination in a business environment.
- Fluent in English and Japanese (written and spoken).
- Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
- Experience with KPI tracking, policy deployment, and cross-functional coordination.
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Preferred Qualifications- Spanish language proficiency is a plus.
- Knowledge of Hoshin planning, corporate budgeting, and project management practices.
- Cross-functional leadership experience.
- Familiarity with financial systems and tools.
Travel Requirements- Primarily local travel (initially minimal).
- Occasional travel (10-30%) to other sites including Los Angeles (CA), Texas, and Mexico.
