Experienced Manager Strategic Early Engagement (SME)

A Career at HARMAN

As a technology leader that is rapidly on the move HARMAN is filled with people who are focused on making life better. Innovation inclusivity and teamwork are a part of our DNA. When you add that to the challenges we take on and solve together youll discover that at HARMAN you can grow make a difference and be proud of the work you do every day.

Introduction: A Career at HARMAN Automotive

Were a global multi-disciplinary team thats putting the innovative power of technology to work and transforming tomorrow. At HARMAN Automotive we give you the keys to fast-track your career.

• Engineer audio systems and integrated technology platforms that augment the driving experience
• Combine ingenuity in-depth research and a spirit of collaboration with design and engineering excellence
• Advance in-vehicle infotainment safety efficiency and enjoyment

About the Role

As an Early Engagement Lead embedded in a CAM Pursuit management team you drive pre-RFIcustomer engagement to build trusted partnerships with OEM stakeholders and shape customerneeds early. You work with CAM Pursuit SBU Product Management and Div Tech to translateVOC competitive and market insights into clear business opportunities and customer-ready valuepropositions. You help validate new offerings with customers and support early proof pointsthrough demos/showcases. You also help teams follow standard ways of working by applyingagreed methods and tools (pipeline documentation playbooks) keeping engagement datacurrent and consistent.

What You Will Do

• Drive preRFI customer engagement activities with OEM decision-makers to shape needs requirements and architecture early.
• Build and nurture customer partnerships by expanding engagement beyond engineering/procurement to include planning pre-development tech scouting marketing and business leadership.
• Identify qualify and shape new opportunities based on market trends customer context and portfolio value propositions.
• Translate VOC market and competitive insights into clear internal input for product positioning and roadmap discussions with SBU and Div Tech.
• Validate new product offerings from SBU and Div Tech with customers (problem fit value differentiators adoption barriers) and capture actionable feedback.
• Support early opportunity enablement (e.g. demo cars showcases proof points) to mature concepts and validate feasibility.
• Co-create customer-facing narratives (storytelling value proposition content) that support early engagement and downstream pursuits.
• Contribute to innovative go-to-market models by working with OEM business teams and internal stakeholders on partnership and commercialisation concepts.
• Apply and promote standard methods and tools for early engagement execution (common templates pipeline tracking documentation discipline).
• Maintain accurate pipeline and engagement documentation in the defined tools/repositories; ensure transparency for CAM and pursuit planning.
• Lead project work impacting the sub-function (P4 expectation) and coordinate external vendors supporting showcases/events as needed.

What You Need to Be Successful:

• Bachelorsdegree (masters preferred) in business engineering or related field.
• 15 years of Automotive experience in early engagement / pre-sales / business development with confidence working with OEM stakeholders.
• Strong relationship-building skills and ability to earn access and engagement with cross-functional customer influencers.
• Ability to turn VOC and market/competitive data into clear opportunity strategies and internal actions.
• Strong execution discipline: planning prioritisation and delivery across multiple parallel initiatives in a matrix setup.
• Comfortable applying and reinforcing standard methods and tools (pipeline hygiene documentation playbooks).
• P4 level expectations: specialised depth/breadth in the field; works independently with guidance only in complex situations; leads others to solve complex problems; leads projects impacting the sub-function; manages external vendors with accountability.

What Makes You Eligible

• Be willing to travel up to 25% domestic and international travel.
• Be willing to work in an office 2 days a week and rest at the customers on-site location.
  

What We Offer

• Opportunity to collaborate with talented teams across the world.
• An inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters and encourages career development opportunities.
• Flexible work schedule with a culture encouraging a positive work-life balance.
• Professional development opportunities through HARMAN Universitys business and leadership academies and extensive course catalog.
• The opportunity to work on complex problems and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Access to employee discounts on world-class HARMAN audio products including JBL and Harman/Kardon.

HARMAN is proud to be an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard torace religion color national origin gender (including pregnancy childbirth or related medical conditions) sexual orientation gender identity gender expression age status as a protected veteran status as an individual with a disability or other applicable legally protected characteristics.