Harman

About the Role

The Senior Category Manager will develop, drive and own the global category sourcing strategy and savings objectives specifically for SoCs and Memories. The successful candidate will manage all activities relating to global supply base including contracts, commercial/ pricing, supply assurance, innovation, cost reduction initiatives, and conflict resolution.  The successful candidate will implement category strategies through alignment with HARMAN business units, engineering, quality, and manufacturing activities.  Requires knowledge of the business unit's technology and product roadmaps and specific expertise in the procurement of Electronics and associated manufacturing cost structure.

What You Will Do

• Develop, drive and own the global strategy for complex categories and align with business objectives and support growth and profitability.
• Build and own appropriate supplier relationships with category supply base and present a single unified HARMAN International interface to the supply base.
• Works with Best Cost Analytics & HW & Component Engineering on technology roadmap plans and ensure long-term competitive cost of components.
• Manage difficult supplier negotiations and event driven cost reductions to meet annual cost reduction goals and Should Cost targets.
• Conduct consistent commercial terms/ conditions including a long-term capacity outlook commitment for high priority suppliers.
• Drive supply base optimization and new supplier development to maximize category leverage.
• Lead the source board preparation and create sourcing proposal for management decision.
• Oversee the execution of RFx efforts into the supply base, prepare the response evaluation and proposal for sourcing decisions.
• Coordinate the supplier performance management, including quarterly business reviews and escalation support.
• High Potential as successor for category directors. Acting as backup for category directors.
• Support category directors to coordinate cross-category initiative/strategies.
• Coaching and providing guidance to category managers.

What You Need

• Bachelor’s Degree in business or technical related field
• Minimum 10 years of procurement experience.
• Prior experience in Electronics Purchasing including commodity sourcing and negotiating direct materials using strategic category management techniques to achieve results.
• Proven ability to lead and achieve cost, quality, and time-to-market commitments.
• Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills
• Success in collaborating with key work partners and able to maintain relationships at the working level.
• An effective team player committed to organizational goals; fostering collaboration among team members

What is Nice to Have

• Experience in an automotive environment

What Makes You Eligible

• Be willing to travel up to 30%, domestic and international travel
• Be willing to work in an in Novi, MI (Hybrid)
• Successfully complete a background investigation and drug screen as a condition of employment

What We Offer

• Access to employee discounts on world-class Harman and Samsung products (JBL, HARMAN Kardon, AKG, etc.)

• Extensive training opportunities through our own HARMAN University

• Competitive wellness benefits

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Access to HARMAN Campus Fitness Center and Cafeteria

• An inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters and encourages professional and personal development

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