Director, Product Design (Automotive)

TL;DR

Director, Product Design (Automotive): Leading the design organization within the Automotive Division to drive product strategy and cohesive vision with an accent on strategic alignment and customer impact. Focus on partnering with Engineering and Product Management to align customer needs with technical execution and driving experience quality.

Location: Hybrid (Mountain View, CA)

Company

A California-based division of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. focused on building innovative application experiences for mobile devices in the Hybrid and Electric Vehicle market.

What you will do

• Lead Product Design across the Automotive Division, driving experience quality, strategic alignment, and customer impact.
• Partner with Product and Engineering leadership to shape product vision, roadmap priorities, and portfolio strategy.
• Serve as a senior Design representative to Honda, building alignment and driving shared ownership across organizations.
• Lead and develop the Product Design team, providing coaching, mentorship, and opportunities for growth.
• Apply systems thinking to connect customer needs, business goals, and technical constraints across products and platforms.
• Champion organizational effectiveness and help teams navigate ambiguity and complexity.

Requirements

• Experience leading Design teams within complex product, platform, or service environments.
• Strong product and business acumen with a track record of influencing strategy and organizational outcomes.
• Experience partnering closely with senior Product and Engineering leaders.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, including experience with executive audiences.
• Ability to build alignment across organizations, disciplines, and cultures.
• Flexibility for domestic and international travel to support cross-organizational collaboration.

Nice to have

• Experience in hardware + software ecosystems, such as automotive, mobility, or consumer technology.
• Experience working with large enterprise partners or global organizations.
• Familiarity with Japanese business culture and cross-cultural collaboration.
• Japanese language proficiency.