Automotive Product Development & Innovation Manager

AAA National•Lake Mary, FL

About The Position

The Automotive Product Development & Innovation Manager designs, develops, incubates, and delivers product ideas across the Automotive ecosystem that create value for AAA Clubs, Members, and the Association. The role collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to advance innovative products that drive revenue growth, member engagement, and market exposure, while expanding AAA’s automotive relevance beyond traditional roadside assistance. The Manager supports the Automotive Strategic Partnerships Leadership Team with innovation, growth strategy, industry expertise, and insights, and helps elevate AAA’s strategic relationships with OEMs and automotive clients. The position identifies and advances growth opportunities, develops products and pilots, and oversees delivery and ongoing product lifecycle activities. It also provides automotive industry expertise, develops relationships with OEMs and industry partners, manages RFP responses, and translates market intelligence into product opportunities and recommendations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing, product management, product development, automotive management, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
Five to seven years of experience in product development, innovation, strategic partnerships, automotive industry strategy, or related growth-focused roles.
Strong written and oral communication skills.
Strong time management and organizational skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills; self-motivation and adaptability in a fast-paced, dynamic, deadline-driven environment.
Ability to build stakeholder consensus on strategy, partnerships, and programs, including new and innovative business initiatives.
Proven ability to develop and foster productive relationships with industry insiders and analysts, partners, executives, peers, and subordinates.
Demonstrated success negotiating partnership and sourcing agreements with senior executives.
Proven ability to create, evaluate, and advance innovation-led growth strategies, product concepts, pilots, and new revenue opportunities.
Strong automotive industry knowledge, including OEM priorities, emerging mobility trends, customer experience expectations, and opportunities beyond traditional roadside assistance.
Ability to collaborate across AAA, Inc., AAA Clubs, OEMs, and industry partners to incubate ideas, align stakeholders, and move concepts from insight to execution.
Ability to manage product lifecycle activities, including requirements gathering, implementation coordination, launch support, maintenance planning, performance review, and continuous improvement.
Ability to represent AAA in professional organizations, trade groups, and industry events.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree is desirable.
Experience delivering, launching, maintaining, or improving products, programs, or services in a cross-functional environment is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Identify and evaluate revenue growth opportunities through innovation, product development, market insights, and collaboration with AAA Clubs and internal AAA, Inc. stakeholders.
Design, develop, and incubate products, pilots, and concepts that generate revenue, increase member value, and expand exposure for AAA Clubs.
Lead product delivery and ongoing maintenance, including implementation planning, launch readiness, performance monitoring, issue resolution, and continuous improvement.
Collaborate with AAA Clubs, business lines, governance units, and cross-functional teams to shape innovative programs and align concepts with Association priorities and Club needs.
Serve as an OEM and automotive industry subject matter expert, providing insights, trend analysis, and strategic guidance to the Automotive Strategic Partnerships Leadership Team and AAA stakeholders.
Develop strategic relationships with OEMs and automotive industry partners to expand opportunities beyond traditional roadside assistance.
Attend trade shows, conferences, and industry events to identify trends, build relationships, gather market intelligence, and translate insights into client-facing product opportunities.
Manage RFP responses for new business and support pursuit of new clients and industries where appropriate.
Develop market intelligence, business cases, product concepts, and recommendations to support growth initiatives and strengthen AAA’s relevance in the automotive ecosystem.
Provide guidance and support to RAP Leadership Team initiatives related to innovation, growth, automotive industry expertise, and strategic opportunities with OEMs and partners.