Strategy Manager (Europe)

Field Based UK

Team:

This role is part of the International Strategy team, a shared services function working across Cox Automotive. This role will be focused on the European market, consisting of the UK and Continental Europe, and report to the Strategy Director Europe.

Europe is a key growth region for Cox Automotive with a mature UK business of significant scale contrasting with smaller Continental European (EU) operations and software businesses selling across Europe.

The European strategy team partners with business units, provides critical and objective thought leadership, and supports the execution of strategic initiatives across all lines of business within Cox Automotive that will help grow the business portfolio and increase its value. The European strategy team leads the strategic planning process for Cox Automotive Europe, leads on assessing opportunities for growth and diversification on a corporate and business-unit level, and supports M&A activities and customer discussions.

The European strategy team is part of the wider Cox Automotive Inc (CAI) Corporate Strategy group and works within the overall portfolio plan as defined by CAI.

Role:

The Strategy Manager Europe 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 Europe prioritise focus areas. They will need to build strong relationships across all levels of the organisation and be a trusted and critical advisor to business leaders to support their strategic growth plans, at times supporting them in the execution.

This role will lead strategy projects and initiatives to ensure successful completion. This role understands the Cox Automotive portfolio which includes key solution areas.

This position requires creative problem-solving, autonomy, and comfort with uncertainty to help drive effective strategic planning in an industry and business 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.  The candidate should have ability to lead and influence stakeholders, should have experience working and leading cross-functional teams, as well as engaging and inspiring others.   The position demands frequent interactions with all levels of the organisation across business units, regions, and at times support external customer interactions.

Although the role has a European geographic focus, the role will be expected to work in an agile manner on projects, tasks and initiatives across multiple geographies and time zones. At times the team member will also need to engage with members of the wider Cox Automotive International Strategy team, namely Australia/New Zealand, and Brazil, and at times the US-parent in the Corporate Strategy and Corporate Development teams.

Skills and Experience:

• Experience in Strategic Planning and/or Management Consulting. Automotive industry experience preferred
• Strong strategy, analytical, modelling, and research skills
• Excellent organisation and project management skills
• Concise and clear verbal and written communication skills with effective storytelling to influence
• Ability to interpret complex data and synthesise into concise relevant documents and presentations for executive- and non-executive audience in an effective manner
• Experience formulating financial models and build investment cases, with support from finance functions
• Ability to quickly understand complex information and use information to drive workstreams forward
• Comfortable challenging, in a respectful manner, positions or perspectives using both analysis and judgement
• Utilise 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 organisation
• Ability to think strategically, abstractly, in broad concepts and terms and apply to tangible business plans
• Ability to thrive in an ambiguous, fast-paced growth-company environment (sense of urgency, adaptable, champion of change)
• Adept at handling multiple stakeholders and competing deadlines
• Comfortable working autonomously, with guidance
• Highly proficient in MS Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• This role will be field-based/ remote but will be required to attend meetings/ workshops across the UK if/ when required (~30-50%)

Preferred

• Experience working in an EU country or knowledge of another language (German, Dutch, Spanish, French)
• Automotive industry experience preferred
• M&A experience highly preferred
• Financial background and/or experience

STRICTLY NO AGENCIES PLEASE

We work with a carefully selected set of recruitment agencies and we're not looking to add to our PSL.

We do not accept unsolicited agency CV's sent to the recruitment team or directly to the hiring manager. We will not be responsible for any fees related to unsolicited CV's.

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