Assistant IT Team Manager - Software Applications

Santa Barbara Honda; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Regional bonus

Lease car program

Medical and dental benefits

Paid time off

Disability insurance

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Santa Barbara Honda in Torrance, CA is seeking a results-driven IT Team Manager to lead the Dealer Applications Unit. You will direct design, development, and maintenance of dealer and field platforms, aligning with enterprise objectives and compliance requirements.

You will present IT strategy to executives, mentor staff, manage budgets, and ensure delivery using agile and waterfall methods. The ideal candidate brings 8+ years in IT with 5+ years leading teams, strong governance, security, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, CS, data science or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 8+ years in IT with 5+ years leading teams, managing resources and vendors.
• Experience with security, privacy, PII, SOX, governance, risk management, and audits.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Dealer Applications Unit, directing design, development, and maintenance of dealer and field platforms.
• Present IT strategy and updates to executives; collaborate with business and IT teams to deliver cost-effective technology solutions.
• Provide leadership, mentoring, and budgeting oversight for projects, enhancements, and support.

Skills

IT Leadership

Team Management

Project Management

Security & Governance

Stakeholder Management

Agile & Waterfall

Vendor Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in IT / computer science / data science

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Word

Visio

Job description

What Makes a Honda, is Who makes a Honda

Honda has a clear vision for the future, and it’s a joyful one.

We are looking for individuals with the skills, courage, persistence, and dreams that will help us reach our future-focused goals. At our core is innovation. Honda is constantly innovating and developing solutions to drive our business with record success.

We strive to be a company that serves as a source of “power” that supports people around the world who are trying to do things based on their own initiative and that helps people expand their own potential. To this end, Honda strives to realize “the joy and freedom of mobility” by developing new technologies and an innovative approach to achieve a “zero environmental footprint.”

We are looking for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, continuous improvement values, and a strong work ethic to join our team.

If your goals and values align with Honda’s, we want you to join our team to Bring the Future!

Job Purpose

The Dealer Applications Unit manages mission-critical systems providing essential connectivity and operational support for all Honda dealers, Independent Service Repair facilities, and field associates across all business lines. As a key member, the Team Manager leads the team responsible for the design, development, and maintenance of dealer and field application platforms, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives, compliance, operational excellence, and platform innovation.

Strategic Leadership: Present IT strategy and updates to executives and senior leadership. Collaborate with business, IT teams, and partners to identify, recommend, develop, implement, and support fast, modern, and cost-effective technology solutions and services.

Team Management: Provide leadership, direction, mentoring, and supervision for team members. Ensure the success of projects, enhancements, and support, including budget and QCD (Quality, Cost, and Delivery).

Project and Support Oversight: Ensure all projects, enhancements, and portfolio support follow IT methodologies. Serve as the initial point of escalation for issues, reporting to the Unit Manager as needed.

Technical Leadership: Act as Solutions Architect on multiple projects, leading technical workstreams and partnering with architects and review boards to obtain approvals. Build vision, technology roadmaps, and planning artifacts.

Governance and Compliance: Provide governance and oversight for all team activities. Define and implement IT policies, procedures, and best practices. Ensure compliance with enterprise and industry standards, security, data privacy, SOX, and PII regulations. Support audits.

Innovation and Improvement: Work with management, vendors, and partners to identify opportunities for business innovation and technology improvements. Develop relationships to ensure business requirements are met.

Budget Management: Assist and contribute to budgetary processes. Ensure budgets are adhered to and allocated correctly.

Talent Acquisition: Conduct interviews for candidates and assist with vendor/third-party agreements.

The ideal candidate is a proactive leader who drives innovation, fosters teamwork, demonstrates strong service orientation, and delivers results in a dynamic IT environment

Key Accountabilities

Vision & Strategy :

• Lead the applications team and partner with the Unit Manager to set priorities, communicate business and IT strategy, and maintain technology roadmaps aligned with department, division, and enterprise objectives.

Team Leadership:

• Build an inclusive, high-performing team through workforce planning, coaching, mentoring, engagement, performance management, clear goals, and thoughtful allocation of employees and contingent resources.

Delivery & Operations:

• Deliver projects, enhancements, production support, system and security upgrades, operational KPIs, health reporting, and audit commitments. Manage scope, schedule, quality, budget, risk, escalations, asset compliance, and continuous improvement using established IT and PDCA practices.

Technical & Solution Leadership:

• Direct solution design, architecture oversight, code and design reviews, methodologies, tooling, support models, gap analysis, and technical artifacts. Lead critical workstreams and secure Architecture Review Board approvals.

Partnerships & Influence :

• Build trusted relationships with business, IT, finance, procurement, and vendor partners. Resolve escalations, influence product roadmaps, enforce governance expectations, and promote solutions that improve operations and customer service.

Qualifications, Experience, and Skills

Minimum educational qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in information technology (IT), computer science / data science, a related field, or equivalent relevant IT industry experience.

Minimum work experience:

• At least 8 years of IT experience, including 5 or more years leading teams, managing resources and vendors, supporting technology delivery, and delivering multiple large-scale projects, platforms, or products.

Must have in-depth knowledge of security, privacy, PII, SOX, governance, risk management, and audit practices.

Demonstrated experience with application modernization, solution design, architecture governance, code and design reviews, estimation, planning, budgeting, contract negotiation, and Agile and Waterfall delivery.

Strong project management, written and verbal communication, executive presentation, stakeholder management, coaching, negotiation, conflict resolution, problem-solving, and root-cause analysis skills.

Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines, develop team members, build executive-level networks, and partner effectively across business, IT, and vendor organizations.

Experience with enterprise B2B web environments, architecture artifacts such as context and data-flow diagrams, capability and technology roadmaps, and Architecture Review Boards is preferred.

Should have prior demonstrable industry experience in both cloud environment, e.g. - AWS, Azure etc and on premise.

Proficiency with common productivity and diagramming tools, including PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Visio.

Highly desirable :

• Prior automotive industry experience.

Workstyle

This is an onsite job. One remote workday per week may be possible with prior departmental approval.

Visa sponsorship issues

This position is not eligible for work visa sponsorship.

Relocation Assistance

This position is not eligible for any relocation assistance

What differentiates Honda and makes us an employer of choice?

Total Rewards

• Competitive Base Salary (pay will be based on several variables that include, but not limited to geographic location, work experience, etc.)
• Regional Bonus (when applicable)
• Manager Lease Car Program (No Cost - Car, Maintenance, and Insurance included)
• Industry-leading Benefit Plans (Medical, Dental, Vision, Rx)
• Paid time off, including vacation, holidays, shutdown
• Company Paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• 401(K) Plan with company match + additional contribution

Career Growth

• Advancement Opportunities
• Career Mobility
• Education Reimbursement for Continued learning
• Training and Development Programs

Additional Offerings

• Lifestyle Account
• Childcare Reimbursement Account
• Elder Care Support
• Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Repayment
• Wellbeing Program
• Community Service and Engagement Programs
• Product Programs

Honda is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.