Market and Product Intelligence Associate

<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Hankook Tire &amp; Technology is a global leader in high-performance tire manufacturing, founded in 1941 and headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. As&nbsp;<strong>the world’s seventh-largest tire producer,</strong>&nbsp;Hankook operates advanced manufacturing facilities and offices in North America, including its U.S. headquarters in downtown Nashville, TN, and a state-of-the-art production plant in Clarksville, TN. The company delivers innovative tire solutions for passenger vehicles, trucks, motorsports, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Global Innovation: </strong>Pioneering innovative technologies and eco-friendly manufacturing practices.&nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Career Growth: </strong>Opportunities for internal mobility, leadership development, and continued learning.</li> <li><strong>Employee-Focused Benefits: </strong>Competitive health coverage, 401(k) with match, paid time off, ten paid holidays per year and employee discounts on tires.</li> <li><strong>Inclusive Culture: </strong>Committed to diversity, teamwork, and sustainability.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Location:</strong> The Market and Product Intelligence position is located at our North American Headquarters in the AT&amp;T (Batman) Building in downtown Nashville, TN. Enjoy a collaborative work environment from Nashville's most iconic building featuring company-paid on-site parking, a cafe, gym, dry-cleaning services, and more.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Work Style: </strong>In-person, Monday - Friday</p> <p><strong>Job Purpose</strong></p> <p>The Market &amp; Product Intelligence Associate&nbsp;is a strategic storyteller and analyst who bridges raw industry data and product lineup strategies for the North American tire market.</p> <p>This position is responsible for analyzing macro-level industry metrics (internal sales, USTMA, and GFK retail data) and conducting competitive product benchmarks (SKU structure, sizing strategies).</p> <p>The ideal candidate will possess a customer-centric mindset, transforming complex engineering and market data into actionable insights to help optimize our product portfolio and drive brand pull.</p> <p><strong>Key Accountabilities &amp; Responsibilities</strong></p> <ol> <li><strong> Market Data Analytics &amp; GFK Management&nbsp;</strong></li> </ol> <ul> <li>Lead the analysis of <strong>GFK sell-out/retail market data</strong>&nbsp;to track brand shares, size-level growth trends, and shifting consumer preferences in the US tire industry.</li> <li>Synthesize macro trends, automotive industry shifts (such as EV and new mobility solutions), and internal sales figures to extract actionable business intelligence.</li> <li>Serve as the primary operational liaison for the <strong>USTMA (U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association)</strong>, ensuring data compliance and uploading relevant datasets into <strong>SAP</strong>.</li> <li>Continuously search for and evaluate new secondary data sources and publications to improve the accuracy of market forecasting.</li> </ul> <ol> <li><strong> Product Benchmarking &amp; SKU Lineup Strategy&nbsp;</strong></li> </ol> <ul> <li>Conduct comprehensive <strong>competitor product benchmarking</strong>, analyzing technical product positioning, tread pattern categories, and performance attributes.</li> <li>Audit and analyze competitor <strong>SKU lineups and sizing strategies</strong>&nbsp;to identify market gaps, high-demand size availability, and portfolio optimization opportunities.</li> <li>Monitor OE (Original Equipment) fitment and vehicle registration trends to predict future replacement tire (RE) market demands by segment (PCR, SUV, LT).</li> </ul> <ol> <li><strong> Executive Reporting &amp; Presentation</strong></li> </ol> <ul> <li>Synthesize complex market data, GFK reports, and product benchmark findings into clean, visual, and highly comprehensive internal reports.</li> <li>Present market dynamics, structural trend shifts, and proactive strategic proposals to top management on a regular and ad-hoc basis.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Level of Accountabilities</strong></p> <ul> <li>Individual contributor working with a high degree of ownership and curiosity.</li> <li>Works with limited supervision, demonstrating proactive problem-solving and analytical acumen.</li> <li>Cross-functional collaboration with Senior Planning Manager, Product Managers, Sales &amp; Marketing teams, and external industry associations.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Qualifications &amp; Skills</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Education:</strong>&nbsp;Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Statistics, or a related analytical field required.</li> <li><strong>Experience:</strong>&nbsp;0 to 3 years of experience in market research, business intelligence, data analysis, or product marketing. (High-potential fresh graduates with strong analytical skills are welcome).</li> <li><strong>Technical Skills:</strong></li> <ul> <li><strong>Advanced Excel skills (Required):</strong>&nbsp;High proficiency in Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/INDEX-MATCH, and data manipulation is mandatory.</li> <li><strong>Proficiency in MS Office:</strong>&nbsp;Advanced skills in PowerPoint (ability to create executive-ready presentation decks) and Word.</li> <li>Experience with <strong>GFK data systems</strong>&nbsp;or market research databases is a strong plus.</li> <li>Proficiency or familiarity with <strong>SAP</strong>&nbsp;or ERP systems is preferred.</li> </ul> <li><strong>Soft Skills &amp; Attributes:</strong></li> <ul> <li>Exceptional communication skills (verbal and written) to articulate complex market/technical information to diverse internal audiences.</li> <li>Superior organizational and time management skills with a keen eye for data accuracy.</li> <li>Comfortable with domestic travel for field product observations, dealer interviews, and industry conferences (approx. 10%).</li> <li>Tire or automotive industry experience is a plus, but a passion for mobility and analytical curiosity is required.</li> </ul> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>DISCLAIMER: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position.&nbsp; They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.</em></p> <p><em>Hankook Tire is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.</em></p>