Assistant Manager PBV Product Planning – Kia Europe GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Job Overview

Kia Europe GmbH is hiring an Assistant Manager PBV Product Planning for the Product & Pricing department at its European headquarters in Frankfurt am Main. The role is full-time and open to applicants of all genders.

The context is Kia’s entry into the European electric light commercial vehicle market. The employer notes that its first model in the segment, the PV5, has won the International Van of the Year 2026 award, and that the company intends to build a full PBV line-up over the coming years and become a leading player in electric LCVs.

The post supports Kia’s short- and mid-term PBV product strategy for Europe: shaping product characteristics, finding selling points, keeping the line-up strategically coherent and strengthening its positioning. EUJOBHUB summarises the vacancy for jobseekers; Kia Europe GmbH manages the hiring.

About the Role

Kia describes the profile it wants as systemic and analytical. The work involves turning market intelligence into concrete product direction — defining core vehicle characteristics and features from EU market and segment trends, from Hyundai Motor Group and Kia technology and development strategies covering platforms, all-electric range, charging performance and vehicle efficiency, and from platform and charging roadmaps, with a planning horizon of three to five years.

Solid light commercial vehicle knowledge underpins all of it: customer needs by segment, body-type portfolio strategy, EV technologies and EU regulatory frameworks. The role also requires working across regional and global stakeholders to reach alignment on a single coherent product strategy.

Job Summary

Key Responsibilities

• Product planning and launch support: work closely with Kia Europe Pricing, Marketing Communication, PR, Online Marketing and Sales, plus Kia headquarters in Seoul, to support new PBV launches.
• Market and customer insight: turn industry trends and customer analysis into product characteristics, features and selling points; run competitive positioning analysis, pricing assessments and basket proposals to guide portfolio lifecycle management.
• Data and compliance: gather and consolidate product specification and regional or local regulatory data for PBVs, including e-LCVs, from NVEs and partners.
• Stakeholder support: act as a contact point for internal teams, National Sales Companies and distributors with competitor benchmarking, internal product surveys and feedback on product topics.
• Strategic analysis: analyse the competitive landscape to inform a pan-European PBV trimline strategy and make recommendations that fit vehicle specifications.
• Benchmarking: support on-site competitor product benchmarking and evaluation events.

Candidate Requirements

Education

• Not specified by the employer.

Professional Experience

• At least three years in product planning, product management or EV technology.
• Exposure to automotive product management and product development is described as highly desirable.

Technical Skills

• Excellent quantitative and analytical ability, with data used to support decisions.
• Experience with automotive databases and tools — the employer names S&P, JATO and NVES — as well as quantitative and qualitative research and AI-based productivity tools.
• Understanding of EV technologies and EU regulatory frameworks, plus LCV customer needs by segment and body-type portfolio strategy.

Language Skills

• Fluent written and spoken English; further European languages are a plus.

Other Qualifications

• Self-confidence, positive thinking, resilience and flexibility in a multicultural, fast-moving setting.
• A cooperative approach that keeps information flowing between teams.

Salary

Not publicly specified by the employer.

International Candidates

Candidates should independently verify work authorization, visa, and relocation requirements with the employer.

How to Apply

Applications are made through Kia Europe’s online recruitment portal, which also offers a LinkedIn application option. The employer asks interested candidates to apply online. See the original listing: Assistant Manager PBV Product Planning – Kia Europe GmbH.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does PBV mean in this role?

PBV covers Kia’s platform-based commercial vehicle business, including electric light commercial vehicles such as the PV5.

How much experience is needed?

A minimum of three years in product planning or management or in EV technology, with automotive product management and development experience highly desirable.

Which tools should candidates know?

The employer names automotive databases and tools such as S&P, JATO and NVES, along with quantitative and qualitative research methods and AI-based productivity tools.

Does the job involve working with Korea?

Yes. Product launch support includes collaboration with Kia headquarters in Seoul alongside Kia Europe functions.

How far ahead does the planning run?

The listing describes strategic foresight over a three- to five-year planning horizon.

Is a salary published?

No salary figure appears in the employer’s advertisement.

EUJOBHUB Disclaimer

EUJOBHUB is an independent jobs website. We are not a recruitment agency and we are not affiliated with, nor do we represent, Kia Europe GmbH. This article is an original editorial summary of a vacancy published by Kia Europe GmbH on its own careers portal. Applications, selection and candidate communication are the employer’s responsibility, and listing details may change or be withdrawn without notice. Please confirm on the official posting before applying.