New

Director, Cost Engineering & Sustainability

Harman
life insurance, sick time, long term disability, tuition reimbursement, remote work
United States, Michigan, Novi
May 06, 2026
Description & Requirements About the Role The Director, Cost Engineering & Sustainability defines and executes cost and sustainability engineering strategy across HARMAN's Automotive division. The created strategy is used to define overall profitability, sustainability, and growth goals for HARMAN AUTOMOTIVE. The role is responsible for reaching the defined goals by driving cross-functional implementation of Technical and Commercial measures in collaboration with, mainly but not exclusively with, Procurement, Engineering, Customer Account Management, Manufacturing, and Suppliers. The role is responsible for optimizing a multibillion-dollar spend and is expected to deliver benchmark performance & defined sustainability goals over multiple years to enable divisional-level growth results. The role reports into Best Cost Analytics in the Strategic Procurement and Partnering Function of our global Operations. Your Team This position will report to the VP, Best Cost Analytics lead, and will have a global team of 15 direct reports, leading cost improvement strategy and execution from multiple stakeholder groups. What You Will Do Establish the vision, goal, framework, processes, and methods needed to enable profitability, sustainability, and growth goals with highly accurate cost/ CO2e modeling (TCO) across the entire HARMAN Automotive division (all products, regions, and customers) Establish the vision for Lifecycle Assessment of emissions (CO2e) and build capabilities to achieve carbon neutrality per Harman Automotive Sustainability objectives Define divisional profitability, sustainability goal, and execution strategy in respective areas (see above) with senior leadership of the division Develop, align, and execute division-wide strategy to assemble and enable highly effective cross-functional teams, including Procurement, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Account Management, which create overarching profitability, sustainability strategies, and deliver commercial and technical measures. Build and enroll strategy with the executive leadership team of HARMAN and Suppliers to identify a framework for reaching cost transparency and the best cost that ensures HARMAN's overall competitiveness in the market. Support the Make versus buy analysis process for Controlling, category, and the Operations organization Define and deliver advanced sourcing, design to cost, CO2e reduction & manufacturing and sourcing strategy of current and new HARMAN products in close collaboration with state-of-the-art supply chain partners Create and execute a supplier and customer cost negotiation strategy with Procurement and Customer Account teams Ensure day-to-day development and delivery of cost & CO2e models by establishing required processes and methods to drive consistent practices within the cost engineering team and reflecting industry best practices. This includes the processes necessary to keep the cost & CO2e models up to date with current information and best known methods. Develop synergy programs within the Samsung group to leverage scale in business Lead Component Engineering effort across the Division to create a component library that meets HARMAN Automotive's long-term product strategy, profitability, sustainability, and growth Build a development strategy of internal teams to reach a cost-conscious mindset across all teams of the Automotive division Lead, Coach, and Develop staff and through training and succession planning processes to maximize their potential for the benefit of the individual and company What You Need Minimum 15+ years of experience in Cost Engineering /Sustainability/ VM / Procurement or Manufacturing / Engineering, preferably in the Automotive industry Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or Economy Minimum 10+ years of experience in cost engineering / VM / design to cost/manufacturing Minimum 10+ years of experience and ability to lead diverse global teams to improve profitability, sustainability, growth, innovation, and time to market commitments Proven experience with scientific expertise in Semiconductor as it's related to chip, device, modem, memory device; more than 10 years in the Semiconductor Industry Proven track record of outstanding engaging skills in diverse, cross-functional teams, including executive stakeholders, to embrace continuous improvement in a highly competitive environment Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills. What is Nice to Have Master's degree Experience with automotive electronics is highly desirable Demonstrated ability to build cross-functional collaboration models that identify and implement improvements in the area of sourcing, design, and manufacturing in automotive electronics Experience in corporate-level design to cost/manufacturing programs Proven team player with excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills Change Orientation: Able to adapt to changing demands and conditions German, Chinese, and/or Hungarian Language skills are a plus What Makes You Eligible Be willing to travel up to 20%, domestically and internationally Be willing to work in an office in Novi, MI or work remotely full-time with occasional trips to all HARMAN locations (this could be on 24-hour notice) Successfully complete a background investigation and drug screen as a condition of employment (US Only) 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 Access to HARMAN Campus Fitness Center and Cafeteria An inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters and encourages professional and personal development #Remote 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. 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', '@careers.harman.com' or '@harmanglobal.avature.net' 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 one of the above email domains about a job with HARMAN, please cease communication immediately and report the incident to us through: harmancareers@harman.com. 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. 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) HARMAN is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process, please contact us at harmancareers@harman.com. Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law. Apply