Product Strategy Lead

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Strategy Lead

Company: DENSO

Location: Southfield, Michigan, United States

Job Type: Full time

Category: Product Strategy / Go-to-Market Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-10

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic planning and execution of integrated product strategies, ensuring alignment between DENSO's technology portfolio and North American customer/market priorities.

• Serve as the primary liaison to the NA Product Sales Strategy team, facilitating cohesive commercialization efforts across Electrification, Thermal, Electronics, Safety, and Software domains.

• Drive cross-functional strategy formulation by leading workshops and engagements with Sales, Engineering, R&D, and Corporate Planning teams.

• Identify high-impact growth opportunities and enable data-driven decision-making to enhance DENSO's competitive position in advanced mobility markets.

• Partner with global teams to integrate regional intelligence into global product portfolio planning and commercialization initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses on the strategic intersection of product development and market execution, requiring a strong understanding of Go-to-Market (GTM) principles and the ability to translate complex technical roadmaps into commercially viable strategies. The emphasis on cross-functional leadership and matrixed environments positions this as a critical GTM operations role.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Formulate and drive robust product-strategy frameworks that translate global technology roadmaps into actionable regional commercialization plans, ensuring market readiness and adoption.

• Conduct comprehensive market, customer, and competitor analyses to identify emerging technology trends, unmet needs, and new business opportunities within the automotive sector.

• Lead and facilitate cross-functional strategy workshops with Sales, Engineering, R&D, and Corporate Planning to ensure unified business direction and optimized resource allocation.

• Collaborate closely with global teams in Japan HQ and the U.S. Innovation Center to ensure regional intelligence is effectively integrated into global product portfolio planning and strategic decision-making.

• Develop and present strategic recommendations to executive leadership regarding portfolio investments, product positioning, pricing strategies, and partnership development opportunities.

• Represent DENSO in strategic customer engagements, industry events, and trade shows to cultivate strong customer relationships and enhance brand positioning in critical markets.

• Establish standardized tools, metrics, and KPIs for tracking market competitiveness, product performance, strategic initiative progress, and overall business outcomes.

• Support continuous improvement initiatives by mentoring peers on advanced market-analysis methodologies, strategy development best practices, and effective commercialization techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong need for strategic operational planning, market intelligence gathering, and cross-functional alignment, all critical components of successful GTM operations. The emphasis on data-driven decision-making and performance tracking underscores the operational rigor expected.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Engineering, or a related analytical or technical field.

• Preferred: Master’s degree, MBA, or M.S. in Engineering Management / Technology Strategy.

Experience:

• Required: 10+ Years of Related Experience with progressive growth in product strategy, business development, or sales within OEM or Tier 1 automotive environments.

• Preferred: 12+ Years of Related Experience with direct experience managing multi-domain product portfolios (Electrification, Thermal, Electronics, Software) and advising executive leadership on market and partnership strategies.

Required Skills:

• Strong strategic-thinking and business-acumen skills with the ability to connect technology trends to commercial outcomes and revenue generation.

• Advanced analytical capability in market assessment, competitive analysis, pricing strategy, and value-based business modeling.

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and influencing skills to effectively engage executive-level stakeholders internally and externally.

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and drive consensus in a matrix organization without direct authority.

• Deep understanding of the automotive ecosystem, including electrification, connected-vehicle, and software-defined-vehicle trends.

• High proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), Business Intelligence (BI) tools, and visualization software for strategy reporting and forecasting.

• Demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity, set clear priorities, and drive progress on complex strategic programs. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in portfolio management for diverse product lines.

• Familiarity with product lifecycle management (PLM) processes.

• Expertise in developing go-to-market strategies for new product introductions.

• Experience with financial forecasting and ROI analysis for strategic investments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements point to a senior-level role demanding deep industry knowledge and proven strategic execution capabilities. The blend of technical understanding and business acumen is essential for success in this GTM-focused position.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of three (3) detailed case studies demonstrating successful product strategy development and execution, with clear articulation of market impact and business outcomes.

• Include examples of strategic frameworks developed to translate complex technology roadmaps into actionable commercialization plans.

• Provide evidence of market analysis, competitive intelligence gathering, and the derivation of actionable insights that informed strategic decisions.

• Demonstrate experience in leading cross-functional teams through strategy formulation and alignment processes, highlighting collaboration methodologies.

• Quantify the business impact of strategic recommendations, including revenue growth, market share expansion, or improved competitive positioning. Process Documentation:

• Document the methodology used for conducting in-depth market, customer, and competitor analyses, including data sources and analytical tools.

• Outline the process for facilitating cross-functional strategy workshops, including pre-workshop preparation, workshop execution, and post-workshop action planning.

• Detail the approach for partnering with global teams to integrate regional intelligence into global product portfolio planning, emphasizing communication and alignment protocols.

• Describe the framework used for establishing standardized tools and metrics to track market competitiveness, product performance, and strategic outcomes.

• Illustrate processes for providing strategic recommendations to leadership, including the format of presentations and the justification of proposals.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, emphasizing not just strategic thinking but also the ability to operationalize strategy and demonstrate tangible results. Candidates should prepare to showcase their process for developing and executing product strategies.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $162,500 - $203,000 Annually

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance plans.

• Prescription Drug coverage.

• 401K plan with a 4% Company Match.

• Generous Vacation/Paid Time Off (PTO) and 13 paid holidays.

• Annual Bonus Program.

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) / Health Savings Accounts (HSA).

• Dependent Care Programs.

• Company-provided Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment (ADD) Insurance, and Business Travel Insurance.

• Various No-Cost Wellness & Chronic Condition Management Programs.

• Optional insurance programs including legal, identity theft, and critical illness coverage.

• Tuition Reimbursement program.

• Opportunities for Career Development and Ongoing Training.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

• Employee Spotlight and Recognition Program.

• Volunteer Opportunities.

• Onsite amenities vary by location, potentially including: Fitness Center, Cafeteria and food markets, Health Clinic and Pharmacy.

• Relocation assistance is available for candidates residing 50+ miles from the work location.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, typically standard business hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a senior Product Strategy Lead role in the automotive sector in the Michigan area. The comprehensive benefits package supports employee well-being and professional development, aligning with attracting top talent for critical GTM and operations roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Automotive Manufacturing (Tier 1 Supplier)

Company Size: Large (DENSO is a global enterprise with tens of thousands of employees worldwide; the North American operations are substantial.)

Founded: 1949 (DENSO has a long-standing history and a deep foundation in automotive technology and manufacturing excellence.)

Team Structure:

• The Product Strategy team likely operates within a larger Commercial, Strategy, or Business Planning department.

• It functions as a central hub, coordinating with various global and regional departments including Sales, Engineering, R&D, Marketing, Corporate Planning, and Global Product Management.

• This role requires navigating a matrixed organizational structure, collaborating with stakeholders who may not have direct reporting lines to the Product Strategy Lead. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on market analysis, competitive intelligence, and financial modeling to inform strategic choices.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: A core operating principle, requiring strong interpersonal and facilitation skills to align diverse teams towards common goals.

• Global-Regional Integration: A structured approach to ensure that global product roadmaps are effectively localized and commercialized in North America, and that regional market insights inform global strategy.

• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to refining processes, developing talent, and staying ahead of evolving automotive technology and market trends.

Company Website: https://www.denso.com/us/en/

📝 Enhancement Note: As a global Tier 1 automotive supplier, DENSO operates with a structured, process-oriented culture. Success in this role will depend on navigating complex organizational dynamics and leveraging data to drive strategic outcomes in a competitive market.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor, requiring extensive experience and strategic leadership. It represents a significant step in a career focused on product strategy, business development, and go-to-market execution within the automotive industry.

Reporting Structure: The Product Strategy Lead will likely report to a Director or Vice President of Strategy, Product Management, or Commercial Operations