Strategic Partnerships Principal

American Honda’s Sustainability & Business Development (SBD) business unit exists to lead Honda’s Second Founding in the areas of sustainability and new business , creating businesses that renew the foundation of our future, so Honda can prosper while ensuring a sustainable planet.

The Strategic Partnerships Principal plays a critical role in enabling strategic partnerships and alliances that drive growth, innovation, and value creation.

Key Accountabilities:

• Shape and drive the partnership strategy by analyzing market trends, competitive intelligence, and emerging technologies to identify new areas for growth and innovation.
• Proactively source, evaluate, and champion new partnership opportunities in collaboration with the Intelligence Analyst, leveraging data, industry insights, and stakeholder input to build a robust pipeline.
• Serve as a thought leader and internal consultant on partnership strategy, providing guidance, market intelligence, and actionable insights to business units and leadership.
• Design and propose innovative partnership structures that maximize business value, support long-term objectives, and differentiate the organization in the marketplace.
• Develop and continuously refine operational frameworks for partnership intake, evaluation, governance, and performance management, ensuring transparency, scalability, and efficiency.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement by identifying process gaps, implementing best practices, and fostering agility in partnership management.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives to align partnership strategies with business priorities, streamline operational workflows, and accelerate execution across teams.
• Establish and manage advanced performance measurement systems using KPIs, dashboards, and analytics to monitor partnership impact, inform strategic decisions, and drive accountability.
• Deliver executive-level reporting and strategic recommendations on partnership performance, risks, opportunities, and market developments to senior leadership.
• Support and influence high-stakes negotiations and contract structuring to secure agreements that reflect strategic priorities, mitigate risks, and ensure compliance.

Qualifications, Experience, and Skills:

• BA/BS in business, economics, marketing, finance or equivalent work experience.
• MBA is a plus.
• 7+ years of experience in business development, strategic partnerships, or finance, with a proven track record in partnership management or business development, preferably within the automotive or technology sectors.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience in M&A activities, including leading cross-functional project teams.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and scale partnership channels, collaborating effectively with legal, finance, and marketing teams.
• Strong background in complex project development and execution.
• Exceptional negotiation and contract management skills, with the ability to drive favorable outcomes.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, capable of influencing stakeholders at all levels.
• Proven ability to analyze, review, and oversee complex contracts, agreements, and detailed scopes of work with precision and strategic insight.

Working Conditions:

• 40% desk work using laptop and phone, including conference calls, communicating, reading and responding to emails, reading contracts, etc.
• 30% meetings.
• 15% preparing for and reporting to management.
• 15% Business travel.
• 20% Remote / 80% Office.

Total Rewards:

• Competitive Base Salary (pay will be based on several variables that include, but not limited to geographic location, work experience, etc.)
• Regional Bonus (when applicable)
• Manager Lease Car Program (No Cost - Car, Maintenance, and Insurance included)
• Industry-leading Benefit Plans (Medical, Dental, Vision, Rx)
• Paid time off, including vacation, holidays, shutdown
• Company Paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• 401K Plan with company match + additional contribution
• Relocation assistance (if eligible)