Harman

*THIS ROLE SITS IN SHENZHEN

About the Role

The Consumer Audio Strategic Business Unit (SBU), under the Lifestyle Division, is a global leader in premium consumer audio products with annual revenues exceeding US$4B. The Senior Vice President, Operations is responsible for leading all aspects of global Operations for the Consumer Audio SBU, including Supply Chain, Quality, and Product Sourcing. This role is accountable for enabling business growth, profitability, and working capital optimization by delivering best‑in‑class cost, quality, delivery, and operational excellence. SVP Operations plays a critical strategic leadership role, partnering closely with SBU leadership and global stakeholders to drive performance, resilience, and continuous improvement across the end‑to‑end value chain.

This role will lead global teams with an overall organization size of 180+ employees. It directly manages 4–5 senior leaders across core Operations functions and aims to build strong succession pipelines and organizational capability within the global Operations function. This role reports to President, Consumer Audio SBU.

What You Will Do

• Defining and executing global Operations strategies that deliver cost competitiveness, operational excellence, and scalable growth
• Driving strategic sourcing and supplier capability development to ensure quality, delivery, sustainability, and risk resilience
• Owning end‑to‑end quality across supplier, design, and field performance, with continuous improvement mindset
• Leading supply chain performance across demand planning, order fulfillment, forecast accuracy, inventory optimization, and resilience
• Managing operational financial performance, including BOM/BOL ownership, logistics, freight, obsolescence, warranty, and fixed overhead, with strong focus on gross margin and working capital optimization
• Establishing and tracking clear KPIs to drive accountability and performance execution
• Leading transformational initiatives, including process optimization, digital/automation enablement, and advanced planning tools
• Partnering closely with BUs, Engineering, Finance, Sales, HR, Legal, regions, and executive leadership to optimize SBU outcomes

What You Need to Be Successful

• Deep functional credibility with proven multinational and cross‑regional experience; strong experience in consumer electronics or similarly fast‑paced, high‑volume global industries preferred
• Demonstrated success in driving operational excellence, cost competitiveness, and business performance at a senior leadership level
• Demonstrated senior leadership track record in strategy formulation and execution, performance delivery, and business
• Proven ability to lead large, diverse, and geographically distributed teams across functions and cultures
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to articulate complex topics clearly to senior executive audiences
• Strong analytical capability, business acumen, and decision‑making skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities, navigate ambiguity, and deliver results in a dynamic global environment
• Flexibility to collaborate across time zones and travel internationally as required (approximately 15–20%)

Leadership Capabilities

• Solid, decisive leader who navigates complexity and ambiguity with confidence and good judgment
• Guides teams through changes, motivates high performance, and builds accountability across functions and regions. Coach and develop leadership capabilities for future successors
• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and effective negotiation skills
• Recognized as a solution‑oriented leader and effective multitasker
• Ability to make fast decisions in times of crisis

Personal Attributes

• Strong ownership mindset with an enterprise‑level perspective
• Confident, composed, and effective under pressure
• Results‑driven with persistence and a strong execution focus
• Approachable and fair, with strong interpersonal and collaboration skills
• Trusted, detail‑oriented, pragmatic, and resilient in challenging situations
• Energetic and highly focused on execution and outcomes
• Improvement mindset

Bonus Points if You Have

• Consumer Audio industry in global environments and dynamic organizations
• Long‑term exposure to senior management operating models and enterprise decision environments

What Makes You Eligible

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related discipline; Master’s degree preferred
• Typically 20+ years of progressive leadership experience in Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Sourcing, or Manufacturing within complex, multinational organizations
• Willingness to travel internationally as needed
• Willingness to work in an office environment in Shenzhen, China
• Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background investigation and other applicable pre‑employment requirements

What We Offer

• Flexible work environment, allowing for full-time remote work one day per week 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
• Access to HARMAN Campus Fitness Center and Cafeteria
• “Be Brilliant” employee recognition and rewards program
• An inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters and encourages professional and personal development