Product Specialist – Automotive Market

About the role

We are looking for a Product Specialist – ICAUR to join our product planning team at Chery SA. The role works closely with the Product Director to execute the product development strategy and deliver market‑relevant vehicles for the South African market.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct in‑depth research with end users, dealers and industry experts through field interviews, focus groups and on‑site observations.
• Build and maintain demand‑side databases and analyse consumer behaviour, feature preferences and price sensitivity.
• Design, distribute and monitor surveys across email, web, in‑app, social media and phone channels.
• Support the Product Director in obtaining national certifications (SABS, NRCS) and ensure emissions compliance.
• Track regulatory updates, SACU automotive standards and competitor activities (pricing, features, market share).
• Prepare and present monthly “South African Automotive Market & Competitive Landscape Analysis” reports in English.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Manufacturing and Sales to translate market requirements into technical product specifications.
• Lead local validation tests such as high‑temperature/high‑altitude adaptation and road durability testing.

Required profile

• Minimum 3 years experience in automotive OEM product development or planning, with exposure to the full vehicle lifecycle.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the South African automotive market, competitive positioning and regulatory environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Design, Business or a related field (preferred).

Required skills

• Strong analytical abilities with proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to create presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint.
• Competence in document preparation with Microsoft Word.