Director, Business Growth & Strategy Leader

Role Overview

The Director, Business Growth & Strategy Leader will lead the Software Products Business Growth & Strategy organization, enabling HARMAN to compete in the pure software market. This is a global, multi-function leadership role with direct accountability across Business Strategy & Portfolio Management, Business Growth OPDM / Pre-Sales, Solution Management, Customer Success, Pursuit & Account Management, and Partner Strategy.

What You Will Do

The role will set the vision, operating agenda, and performance expectations for the Software Products Business Growth & Strategy organization, ensuring the function operates as one accountable growth engine rather than a collection of support activities. The Director will lead senior functional leaders across Business Strategy & Portfolio Management, Business Growth OPDM / Pre-Sales, Technical Solution Management, Customer Success/Program Management, Pursuit & Account Management, and Strategic Partner Strategy.

Why It Might Be a Fit

The ideal candidate will have 18+ years of progressive hands-on leadership experience across automotive software, connected vehicle, SDV, product strategy, business development, commercial operations, portfolio management, or enterprise software growth. They will have demonstrated ability to lead senior functional leaders and multi-disciplinary global teams, through transformation, ambiguity, organizational change, and high-stakes executive decision making.

Requirements

• 18+ years of progressive hands-on leadership experience across automotive software, connected vehicle, SDV, product strategy, business development, commercial operations, portfolio management, or enterprise software growth
• Demonstrated ability to lead senior functional leaders and multi-disciplinary global teams, through transformation, ambiguity, organizational change, and high-stakes executive decision making
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence senior stakeholders across Product Management, Engineering, Finance, Legal, Sales, CAMs, Business Development, SBU leadership, Sales Excellence, and enterprise strategy functions
• Deep understanding of software business models, recurring revenue, licensing, services, platform economics, solution selling, commercial governance, and the shift from product-centric lifecycle value models
• Strong financial acumen across revenue planning, EBIT, business cases, pricing, budget allocation, margin improvement, portfolio trade-offs, and investment governance
• Experience leading complex customer-facing software pursuits, RFQ/RFX strategy, executive customer engagement, account expansion, renewals, contract continuity, and cross-functional deal governance
• Ability to establish operating models, governance forums, KPI systems, dashboards, and management routines that improve decision quality, transparency, accountability, and execution speed
• Strategic communication capability, including the ability to distill complex software, commercial, technical, and financial topics into crisp executive recommendations and decision papers
• Bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in engineering, Business, Strategy, Finance, or a related field; advanced degree is strongly preferred

Benefits

• Access to employee discounts on HARMAN and Samsung products (including JBL, Harman / Kardon, AKG, and others)
• Learning and development opportunities through our award-winning HARMAN University programs
• Wellness benefits designed to support your overall well-being
• Tuition reimbursement support
• Access to the HARMAN campus fitness center and cafeteria, where available
• An inclusive and diverse work environment that supports both your professional and personal development