Quarterly Planning and Operations Analyst
About The Position
JD Power’s Analytics team of more than 200 professionals uses a customized hybrid version of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) to coordinate and measure quarterly product development plans. The Quarterly Planning and Operations Analyst executes and continually optimizes this approach across analytics teams, including data scientists, AI and ML engineers, data engineers, software engineers, data insights analysts, data visualization and QA analysts, and data strategists. The role also works closely with Product and Technology partner teams to promote consistent approaches. It is a high-intensity, high-visibility execution role supporting the creation of data-driven, AI- and ML-based products using automotive data assets. The analyst evaluates and reports operational KPIs and conducts retrospectives for major product areas involving complex, real-time data sets and high customer expectations. Metrics include product quality, throughput, model accuracy, and other indicators. In partnership with Analytics leaders and technical teams, the role identifies and addresses root causes, improves performance, and evaluates the impact of AI use in development teams. The position sits in the Transformation Office, which orchestrates programs and initiatives supporting JD Power’s three-year strategy. It serves as a dedicated execution partner to the CDAO. The role represents the Analytics organization in communicating what has shipped, what is planned, delivery confidence, and whether quality, throughput, and accuracy meet expectations. JD Power describes itself as a virtual-first company, offering flexible work arrangements and learning and development opportunities. The position is based in North America and requires availability to work across a distributed global team. The starting salary range is $75,000–$90,000 USD or $75,000–$123,000 CAD per year. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the country where employment is offered; JD Power does not provide employment sponsorship.
Requirements
- 5–8 years of project management experience.
- Strong accountability, follow-through, and willingness to hold others to commitments.
- Ability to work independently with limited direction, identify next steps, and take initiative.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including distilling complex program status into concise updates for leadership audiences.
- Experience in technology-centric environments such as software development, IT, or data, with a history of bridging business objectives and technical execution.
- Proficiency in Agile and Waterfall methodologies.
- Experience with Jira, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, or similar SDLC and project management tools.
- Demonstrated experience applying AI tools to program and project management workflows and proactively exploring emerging AI capabilities to improve productivity and decision-making.
- Strong RAID discipline, schedule management, and budget oversight, with attention to detail and the ability to maintain a broader perspective.
- Ability to manage multiple workstreams concurrently in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
- North American based, with availability to work across a distributed global team.
- Legally authorized to work in the country where employment is offered; sponsorship is not provided.
Nice To Haves
- Proficiency in SAFe.
- Bachelor’s degree preferred.
- PMP certification a plus.
Responsibilities
- Facilitate quarterly program increment planning events to align teams on shared missions, objectives, and delivery commitments.
- Lead inspect-and-adapt workshops, including quantitative and qualitative retrospectives, and execute improvement ideas.
- Track and communicate metrics such as completion rates and program predictability to provide transparency and drive continuous improvement.
- Lead end-to-end program delivery across multiple teams and functions, adapting to Agile, hybrid, and data-platform-specific workflows as needed.
- Build, maintain, and own the committed project plan and schedule, separate from the product roadmap, and ensure milestones are met transparently and rigorously.
- Drive adoption and maturity of product planning practices across the organization.
- Apply technical project management, agile delivery, and business analysis approaches to the needs of each workstream.
- Work with technical leads and data scientists to monitor development progress and align business objectives with technical execution, including engineering and AI challenges.
- Partner with Analytics leaders to set annual KPI objectives for year-on-year improvements.
- Measure and report KPI performance, work with technical teams to identify root causes, implement retrospective actions, and identify risks and countermeasures.
- Evaluate and report operational KPIs for major product areas, including product quality, throughput, and model accuracy.
- Evaluate and measure the impact of AI use in development teams.
- Communicate Analytics delivery status, plans, confidence, and performance to leadership and partner teams.
Benefits
- Flexible work arrangements.
- Opportunities for learning and development.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
