Product Planning Officer (Automotive) – Almana Group

JOB PURPOSE:

To support the planning and management of Almana Motors’ vehicle product portfolio through market research, competitor analysis, product positioning, pricing, vehicle specifications, and ordering activities. The role coordinates with manufacturers and internal departments to ensure product offerings are competitive, aligned with market demand and customer preferences, and optimized for sales performance and profitability. It also supports product lifecycle management, inventory planning, and the timely introduction of new models and variants.

KEY RESULTS AREAS / DELIVERABLES AND KEY ACTIVITIES:

MARKET RESEARCH & COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

Provide accurate and timely market intelligence to support product planning, competitiveness, and business decisions.

• Conduct regular market research to identify automotive market trends, customer preferences, demand patterns, and emerging opportunities.

• Monitor competitor models, variants, specifications, features, pricing, promotions, and product launches.

• Prepare competitive benchmarking and product comparison reports to assess product positioning and competitiveness.

• Analyze market developments and identify potential product gaps, risks, and opportunities.

• Provide market insights and recommendations to support product selection, specifications, pricing, and positioning decisions.

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO, CONFIGURATION & SPECIFICATIONS MANAGEMENT

Ensure vehicle products are accurately defined, maintained, and aligned with market requirements and OEM standards.

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date product specifications, trims, options, packages, configurations, and product codes across all assigned automotive brands.

• Coordinate with OEM product teams on specifications, configurations, product updates, and market-specific requirements.

• Support the evaluation and selection of models, variants, features, and specifications based on market demand and competitive positioning.

• Identify opportunities to optimize the product portfolio and variant mix.

• Ensure product configurations comply with OEM build rules, regional requirements, and applicable regulations.

• Maintain updated product catalogs, specification sheets, configuration guides, and product comparison materials.

• Provide technical product information and clarification to relevant internal departments.

PRODUCT PRICING & PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS

Support competitive product pricing and profitability through accurate cost analysis, benchmarking, and pricing recommendations.

• Prepare and maintain vehicle cost build-ups, including OEM prices, freight, duties, and other applicable costs.

• Conduct competitor pricing analysis and evaluate the company’s price positioning within the market.

• Prepare selling price proposals and profitability assessments based on approved pricing policies and margin targets.

• Analyze the financial impact of pricing adjustments, discounts, promotions, and OEM support programs.

• Monitor changes in OEM pricing, freight costs, and other factors affecting vehicle costs and profitability.

• Support pricing reviews for new models, model year changes, and existing inventory.

• Provide recommendations to improve price competitiveness, sales potential, and gross profit performance.

VEHICLE ORDERING, PRODUCTION PLANNING & OEM COORDINATION

Ensure accurate and timely vehicle ordering, effective production planning, and coordination with manufacturers to meet business requirements and OEM commitments.

• Prepare and maintain forward vehicle order plans by model, variant, model year, and production month, aligned with approved sales forecasts, inventory requirements, and OEM production schedules.

• Coordinate with OEMs on order plans, production allocations, availability, production schedules, and related planning requirements.

• Prepare, validate, and submit vehicle orders through OEM and internal systems, ensuring accuracy of configurations, product codes, specifications, pricing, and quantities in compliance with OEM production rules and constraints.

• Manage order amendments, prioritization, and cancellations in accordance with approved requirements and OEM procedures.

• Monitor order confirmations, production status, and allocation fulfillment, identifying deviations from approved plans and coordinating necessary adjustments.

• Resolve order rejections, production constraints, and system discrepancies in coordination with OEM representatives and relevant internal departments.

• Maintain accurate order records and provide timely updates on order status, production schedules, and supply changes to relevant stakeholders.

SALES FORECASTING, INVENTORY & PIPELINE MANAGEMENT

Support effective demand and inventory planning by maintaining reliable sales forecasts, monitoring stock availability and vehicle supply, and aligning inventory requirements with market demand and OEM planning requirements.

• Analyze historical sales, market trends, inventory levels, and sales pipeline data to support demand forecasting and product mix planning.

• Prepare and maintain annual, monthly, and rolling sales forecasts, including OEM-required forecasts and vehicle rollout plans, by model, variant, and period, in coordination with Sales and Management.

• Align sales forecasts with current inventory, incoming shipments, and planned orders to identify future stock requirements, supply gaps, and potential overstock.

• Monitor inventory levels, stock coverage, product mix, aging stock, and slow-moving vehicles to identify risks and opportunities for inventory optimization.

• Track the vehicle pipeline from confirmed production through shipment and arrival, coordinating with relevant departments to maintain accurate availability and expected delivery information.

• Monitor actual sales, inventory movements, and vehicle arrivals against forecasts and rollout plans, identifying variances and recommending corrective actions.

• Prepare and maintain accurate inventory, pipeline, and availability reports, providing recommendations on stock requirements, product mix, and inventory optimization.

PRODUCT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT & OEM ALIGNMENT

Ensure accurate, complete, and up-to-date product information is maintained and communicated across relevant departments.

• Act as a key coordination point with OEM representatives on product information, specifications, pricing updates, and product changes.

• Obtain, verify, and maintain the latest OEM product information, including specifications, features, configurations, product codes, and model year updates.

• Maintain centralized and accessible product information records, including product catalogs, price lists, technical documents, and OEM communications.

• Ensure consistency and accuracy of product information across internal systems, ordering platforms, and reporting tools.

• Communicate relevant product updates and changes to Sales, Marketing, Aftersales, Finance, and other stakeholders.

• Support the resolution of product information discrepancies and clarification requests.

• Coordinate with IT and relevant departments to improve product data accuracy, accessibility, and information management processes.

PRODUCT LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT & NEW MODEL INTRODUCTION

Support the effective introduction, management, and phase-out of vehicle products throughout their lifecycle.

• Monitor OEM product roadmaps, upcoming models, facelifts, model year changes, and product discontinuations.

• Support new model and variant evaluations, including market suitability, competitive positioning, specifications, and pricing.

• Coordinate with OEM and internal departments to obtain product information and confirm launch readiness requirements.

• Support new model introduction planning, including product configurations, pricing, ordering, and availability.

• Coordinate with Sales, Marketing, Aftersales, and Logistics to ensure alignment on product launches and updates.

• Monitor model year transitions and identify potential inventory and pricing implications.

• Support phase-out planning for discontinued models and outgoing model years.

• Review product performance and provide recommendations for product updates, repositioning, or portfolio adjustments.

PRODUCT PERFORMANCE REPORTING & CROSS-FUNCTIONAL SUPPORT

Provide reliable product planning reports, analysis, and coordination to support operational efficiency and informed business decisions.

• Prepare regular product planning reports covering sales performance, forecasts, pricing, inventory, orders, and product availability.

• Monitor model and variant performance against forecasts, targets, and market expectations.

• Identify performance gaps, operational risks, and opportunities for improvement.

• Support Sales teams with product specifications, pricing information, availability updates, and delivery estimates.

• Coordinate with Finance on vehicle purchase planning, cost information, and expected payment requirements.

• Coordinate with Logistics on shipment schedules, vehicle arrivals, and delivery planning.

• Support Marketing with accurate product information, competitive positioning, and launch-related requirements.

• Maintain accurate records, trackers, and reports to support management reviews and decision-making.

• Identify and recommend improvements to product planning processes, reporting accuracy, and cross-functional coordination.

Job Details

Preferred Candidate

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