Senior Strategy & Operations Manager– EMEA

Hitachi Vantara Corporation; Stone Cross, Slough, Datchet; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000

Job description

Description

Our Company

Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society through the use of data and technology. We are a climate change innovator, partnering with cities, governments and companies to cut carbon. We are working to connect solutions with the help of Hitachi’s Green Energy and Mobility both physically and digitally to deliver net-zero. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2023 (ended March 31, 2024) totalled 8,564.3 billion yen, and approximately 268,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at https://www.hitachi.com.

About Hitachi EMEA

Hitachi is positioned as a leader in Climate Change Innovation, finding new pathways to net zero through our world-leading businesses in key sectors including Energy, Transportation, Manufacturing and Digital. Since our inception in 1910, our mission has been centred around Social Innovation – making society better through advanced technology – supported by our R&D centres across the world. Some examples of our contribution to Climate Change Innovation include:

• Battery hybrid trains – decarbonising rail transport even in areas where the rail infrastructure is only partially electrified

• Electric vehicle fleet charging – delivering sophisticated smart charging and battery management technology for charging fleets of electric trucks, buses and vans

• Utility scale grid infrastructure – including our HVDC technology that connects Dogger Bank to the UK mainland grid and enables the UK to trade green energy with Norway via the North Sea Link

• Microgrid solutions – enabling large energy consumers such as marine ports, factories and data centres, to engineer additional green power ‘behind-the-meter’ for their net zero transition using on-site renewable generation and energy storage

• Marine Port solutions – enabling ships to plug into the onshore power system when they arrive in port, to avoid burning fuel to generate their own electricity

• AI & IoT based solutions – using Digital technology to unlock new pathways in Energy, Transportation and Manufacturing to drive efficiency and decarbonisation

Hitachi EMEA represents all the businesses in the Hitachi Group and drives growth by taking a regional approach and focusing on opportunities for ‘One Hitachi’ to help drive the energy transition and net zero.

What you’ll be doing

The Senior Strategy & Operations Manager supports the EMEA CSO in executing strategic priorities and driving the implementation of a business change program. This role is critical to ensuring that Hitachi’s regional growth and transformation agenda is effectively monitored, reported, and managed. This role requires a proven ability to oversee large-scale transformation initiatives, deliver actionable insights through management reporting, and ensure seamless communication with stakeholders, including Hitachi’s Japanese governing bodies.

This role will also provide market analysis and strategic direction to support in driving market analysis, competitive intelligence, and strategic planning across the region. This role is instrumental in evaluating market trends, identifying opportunities, and providing data-driven insights that inform Hitachi’s regional growth and transformation strategies.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy Implementation and Change Program Management

  • Planning: Assist in developing and delivering the regional strategic planning process, including data gathering, analysis, and presentation preparation.

  • Program Governance: Establish and maintain governance structures to monitor the execution of key transformation initiatives.

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with functional and regional leaders to ensure consistent progress and alignment across all workstreams.

• Market Analysis and Insights

  • Market Trends Evaluation: Research and analyse market trends, competitive landscapes, and emerging opportunities to inform strategy and decision-making.

  • Industry Monitoring: Track industry developments, regulatory changes, and technological advancements that impact Hitachi’s markets.

  • Competitor Analysis: Monitor competitors’ strategies, performance, and activities to identify risks and opportunities for Hitachi.

  • Opportunity Identification: Identify whitespace markets and growth opportunities that align with Hitachi’s strategic objectives.

  • M&A and Partnerships: Conduct market research and analysis to support potential M&A, partnerships, and other strategic business opportunities.

• Support for New Market Development

  • Whitespace Markets: Assist in proving and incubating new market opportunities by conducting in-depth research and supporting go-to-market (GTM) strategy development.

  • Differentiated Playbooks: Contribute to the development of differentiated playbooks and strategic materials to support the commercialization of new markets.

  • Thought Leadership: Support the creation of thought-leadership materials to position Hitachi as a leader in key market segments.

• Management Reporting and Insights

  • Performance Metrics: Manage KPIs to track regional progress against strategic objectives with timely and accurate reporting.

  • Management Reporting: Prepare comprehensive progress updates, dashboards, and executive summaries for senior management, regional stakeholders, and Japanese governing bodies.

  • Data-Driven Insights: Analyze performance data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, providing actionable recommendations to drive decision-making.

• Regional Growth and Transformation Monitoring

  • Growth Agenda Oversight: Track and monitor the execution of the region’s growth initiatives, ensuring alignment with transformation objectives.

  • Risk Management: Identify and escalate potential risks to the successful delivery of growth and transformation programs, proposing mitigation strategies.

  • Continuous Improvement: Collaborate with teams to optimize processes, remove roadblocks, and ensure efficient execution of strategic initiatives.

• Stakeholder and Governance Engagement

  • Japanese Reporting: Manage reporting processes to Japanese governing bodies, ensuring compliance with required formats, timelines, and standards.

  • Stakeholder Communication: Serve as a liaison between regional teams and global leadership, ensuring clear communication and alignment of priorities.

  • Leadership Support: Provide operational support to the CSO, enabling effective decision-making and execution of strategic responsibilities.

What you bring to the team

We’re looking for a team player, who is motivated by delivering great work and the Hitachi vision. The ideal candidate will possess the following skills and background:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, or a related field (Master’s or MBA preferred).

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in strategy execution, business operations, or program management, preferably within a global organization.

• Proven experience managing complex transformation programs and producing executive-level reporting.

Skills and Competencies

• Strategic Execution: Demonstrated ability to translate strategy into actionable plans and oversee their successful implementation.

• Operational Excellence: Expertise in program management, governance, and performance tracking.

• Analytical Skills: Strong ability to analyze data, synthesize insights, and present clear and actionable recommendations.

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience in preparing management-level reports and presentations.

• Stakeholder Management: Proven ability to engage and align with senior leaders, cross-functional teams, and external governing bodies.

• Cultural Sensitivity: Experience working in a multinational environment, with the ability to navigate diverse cultural and business contexts.

Our Values

We are proud to say we are an equal opportunity employer and welcome all applicants for employment without attention to any factor that doesn’t impact your ability to do the job, including race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. We are proud of Japanese heritage, with our values expressed through the Hitachi Spirit:

Wa – Harmony, Trust, Respect

Makoto – Sincerity, Fairness, Honesty, Integrity

Kaitakusha-Seishin – Pioneering Spirit, Challenge

At Hitachi, we are committed to fostering innovation, driving transformation, and achieving sustainable growth. This role will be critical in shaping the future of the region by ensuring the successful execution of our strategic priorities and maintaining alignment with global objectives.