Strategy Analyst Jobs in Michigan

INTRODUCTION

The Performance Parts Commercial Strategy Analyst is responsible for driving data‑backed decision‑making across the performance parts business. This role analyzes market trends, product performance, pricing, sales channels, customer behavior, and competitive activity to develop strategies that grow revenue, expand market share, and strengthen Direct Connection presence in the performance aftermarket. The analyst partners closely with Product, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, and Sales to optimize the commercial success of performance parts and accessories.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Responsibilities:

Market & Competitive Intelligence:

- Research performance‑aftermarket trends, motorsports demand, enthusiast behavior, and competitive offerings.
- Track competitor pricing, new product releases, promotional activity, and brand positioning.
- Build market models that identify high‑growth performance categories (engine, suspension, tuning, power adders, etc.).

Commercial Performance Analysis:

- Analyze product‑level sales, mix, profitability, and channel performance (dealers, distributors, e‑commerce).
- Deliver dashboards and KPIs to leadership—revenue, margin, volume, SKU velocity, attach rates, etc.
- Identify underperforming product lines and recommend corrective actions.

Pricing & Margin Optimization:

- Support development of performance‑parts pricing strategies, including MSRP, dealer pricing, and promotions.
- Conduct margin analysis, elasticity modeling, and competitive pricing comparisons.
- Recommend price changes or incentive programs to maximize profitability and sales growth.

Product Strategy & Business Case Support:

- Build financial models for new performance parts: volume forecast, ROI, cost analysis, and break‑even.
- Analyze historical data to support decisions on product launches, discontinuations, or line expansions.
- Partner with engineering and product teams to align specs, costs, and performance requirements with market demand.

Channel & Dealer Strategy:

- Evaluate performance across direct retail, dealer networks, upfitters, and online marketplaces.
- Assess dealer stocking levels, ordering patterns, and promotional participation.
- Support creation of dealer programs, incentives, and training materials to strengthen wholesale performance.

Go‑to‑Market & Commercial Planning:

- Assist Marketing with campaign planning using data‑driven targeting and category insights.
- Provide input for catalog updates, new product introductions, and performance‑brand messaging.
- Support annual commercial plans including volume forecasts, pricing schedules, and budget inputs.

Reporting & Executive Communication:

- Prepare clear, concise executive level presentations that convert complex analysis into actionable recommendations.
- Deliver insights to senior leadership on risks, opportunities, and strategic paths forward.
- Maintain accuracy and consistency across reporting tools and commercial datasets.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

- Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Marketing, Economics, Data Analytics, or related field
- 5 or more years of experience in commercial strategy, business analytics, pricing, product strategy, or performance aftermarket
- Strong data skills: Excel, Power BI/Tableau, SQL
- Understanding of performance‑parts categories, enthusiast segments, and motorsports culture (preferred)
- Excellent communication and storytelling skills with the ability to influence decision‑makers

SUCCESS METRICS

- Revenue and margin improvement across performance‑parts portfolio
- Accuracy of forecasts, pricing analysis, and business models
- Growth in key categories (e.g., engine, forced induction, tuning, suspension)
- Dealer channel performance and program adoption