Global RFQ Lead, SBU Connectivity

Harman
life insurance, sick time, long term disability, tuition reimbursement, remote work
United States, Michigan, Novi
Jan 06, 2026
Description & Requirements About the Role We are seeking a thought leader to join SBU Connectivity as the RFQ Management Lead. This role is critical in driving growth through strategic RFQ (Request for Quotation) management, ensuring alignment with HARMAN Automotive's SBU Connectivity business objectives. The ideal candidate will combine strategic insight, operational excellence, product mindset, and cross-functional collaboration to enable our transformative vision of a product-first approach to simplify our go-to-market (GTM) approach to enable seamless connected mobility ecosystem. You will thrive in a dynamic, results-oriented environment - formulating, organizing, and executing strategic plans that drive business success. As a key interface between product management, business development, customer delivery, and customer management teams, you will ensure the quality, timeliness, and competitiveness of our global RFQ responses leveraging the tools and resources at your disposal. You will be expected to lead with influence and work with 5-6 direct reports globally and a cross-functional team members drawn from all relevant functions within the business. This team will be empowered and aligned around Automotive and SBU Connectivity strategic imperatives. What You Will Do Lead Global RFQ Management: Own and drive the end-to-end RFQ process for the SBU Connectivity, ensuring quality and timely responses aligned with business targets. Product Evangelism: Champion the SBU Connectivity product roadmap (Ready Connect, Ready Aware, Ready Ride, etc...) - translating technology capabilities into customer-relevant solutions. Requirements Gathering: Understand high level requirements defined by customers at bidding/ RFQ stage and translate them into functional requirements understood by cross functional teams. Roadmap Influencing: Managing early and long-term engagement with key OEM accounts to influence product requirements and influence product/platform roadmaps. GTM Transformation: Leverage available products/platforms to make proposal for product/derivate based GTM approach while limiting the amount of bespoke engagements to drive reuse/R&D efficiency. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with business development, product line management, engineering, finance, and supply chain teams to deliver compelling and feasible proposals on time and high quality while compliant to GAR guidelines. Market & Trend Analysis: Continuously monitor global and regional market dynamics, competitive landscapes, and emerging technologies to inform RFQ strategies and long-term business planning. Strategic Planning: Formulate and execute growth strategies to expand HARMAN's footprint in the global connectivity domain. Govern pursuit planning and PoC with early OEM engagements to align with portfolio strategy. Governance & Process Excellence: Ensure adherence to HARMAN's Global RFQ process and establish best practices and tools for continuous improvement. Stakeholder Management: Engage with executive leadership and customers to communicate status, risks, and strategic recommendations. Performance Tracking: Establish KPIs and dashboards to measure RFQ success, response efficiency, and win rates including lessons learned from win/loss analysis. What You Need to Be Successful Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or related field. 8+ years of experience in RFQ, program management, product management, or business development within the automotive or technology industry. At least 5 years of experience in customer product delivery and sales in automotive or related industries. Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional projects and managing multiple RFQs simultaneously. Understanding of connectivity technologies (Telematics, V2X, 5G, Cloud, Edge, etc.) and automotive product lifecycles. Financial acumen and in-depth automotive business understanding. Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to translate market trends and customer needs into actionable business strategies. Experience in managing global team members, stakeholders and working across diverse cultural and functional teams. Strong knowledge of the HARMAN product portfolio and the technology roadmap. Bonus Points if You Have MBA with Master's in Engineering or Computer Science or related field. Strategic thinker with a data-driven mindset and strong business acumen. High degree of empathy for both customers and cross-functional stakeholders. Passion for innovation and emerging technologies shaping the future of mobility. What Makes You Eligible You are willing to travel up to 30% domestic and international travel. Due to the nature of global teams and customer base, you understand that flexibility in working hours is required. What We Offer Flexible work environment, allowing for full-time remote work globally for positions that can be performed outside a HARMAN or customer location. 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. "Be Brilliant" employee recognition and rewards program. An inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters and encourages professional and personal development. You Belong Here HARMAN is committed to making every employee feel welcomed, valued, and empowered. No matter what role you play, we encourage you to share your ideas, voice your distinct perspective, and bring your whole self with you - all within a support-minded culture that celebrates what makes each of us unique. We also recognize that learning is a lifelong pursuit and want you to flourish. We proudly offer added opportunities for training, development, and continuing education, further empowering you to live the career you want. About HARMAN: Where Innovation Unleashes Next-Level Technology Ever since the 1920s, we've been amplifying the sense of sound. Today, that legacy endures, with integrated technology platforms that make the world smarter, safer, and more connected. Across automotive, lifestyle, and digital transformation solutions, we create innovative technologies that turn ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences. Our renowned automotive and lifestyle solutions can be found everywhere, from the music we play in our cars and homes to venues that feature today's most sought-after performers, while our digital transformation solutions serve humanity by addressing the world's ever-evolving needs and demands. Marketing our award-winning portfolio under 16 iconic brands, such as JBL, Mark Levinson, and Revel, we set ourselves apart by exceeding the highest engineering and design standards for our customers, our partners and each other. If you're ready to innovate and do work that makes a lasting impact, join our talent community today! +++ HARMAN is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or Protected Veterans status. HARMAN offers a great work environment, challenging career opportunities, professional training, and competitive compensation. (www.harman.com) #LI-DPWHITE1 #LI-Hybrid Pay Transparency $ 161,250 - $ 236,500 Dependent on the position offered, other forms of compensation are also available, such as bonuses or commission. Pay is based on a wide range of factors, including, without limitation, skill set, experience, training, location, and business need. While the above range is a reasonable estimate of the wage range for this position, please note the disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographical differential associated with the location where the position may be filled. Benefits HARMAN is interested in the health and wellbeing of you and your family and offers a range of benefits designed to support your needs for holistic wellbeing. Benefits and perks may vary depending on the nature of your employment with HARMAN, and may include paid vacation and holidays, paid sick leave, volunteer leave, and paid bonding and care giver leave. Employees may also be eligible to participate in comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, fertility support and adoption assistance, Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement savings plan with employer match, short and long term disability coverage, life insurance, and more. You Belong Here HARMAN is committed to making every employee feel welcomed, valued, and empowered. No matter what role you play, we encourage you to share your ideas, voice your distinct perspective, and bring your whole self with you - all within a support-minded culture that celebrates what makes each of us unique. We also recognize that learning is a lifelong pursuit and want you to flourish. We proudly offer added opportunities for training, development, and continuing education, further empowering you to live the career you want. About HARMAN: Where Innovation Unleashes Next-Level Technology Ever since the 1920s, we've been amplifying the sense of sound. Today, that legacy endures, with integrated technology platforms that make the world smarter, safer, and more connected. Across automotive, lifestyle, and digital transformation solutions, we create innovative technologies that turn ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences. Our renowned automotive and lifestyle solutions can be found everywhere, from the music we play in our cars and homes to venues that feature today's most sought-after performers, while our digital transformation solutions serve humanity by addressing the world's ever-evolving needs and demands. Marketing our award-winning portfolio under 16 iconic brands, such as JBL, Mark Levinson, and Revel, we set ourselves apart by exceeding the highest engineering and design standards for our customers, our partners and each other. If you're ready to innovate and do work that makes a lasting impact, join our talent community today! Important Notice: Recruitment Scams Please be aware that HARMAN recruiters will always communicate with you from an '@harman.com' email address. We will never ask for payments, banking, credit card, personal financial information or access to your LinkedIn/email account during the screening, interview, or recruitment process. If you are asked for such information or receive communication from an email address not ending in '@harman.com' about a job with HARMAN, please cease communication immediately and report the incident to us through: harmancareers@harman.com. HARMAN is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. HARMAN strives to hire the best qualified candidates and is committed to building a workforce representative of the diverse marketplaces and communities of our global colleagues and customers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, 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.HARMAN attracts, hires, and develops employees based on merit, qualifications and job-related performance.(www.harman.com) Apply