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, you'll discover that at harman you can grow, make a difference and be proud of the work you do every day.a career at harman lifestyle we're a global, multi-disciplinary team that's putting the innovative power of technology to work and transforming tomorrow.as a member of harman lifestyle, you connect consumers with the power of superior sound.contribute your talents to high-end, esteemed brands like jbl, mark levinson, and revel unite your passion for audio innovation with high-tech product development create pitch-perfect, cutting-edge technology that elevates the listening experience about the role as a category management specialist for direct materials, you will own the strategic procurement and category management of key direct material commodities that support global manufacturing.this role requires strong commercial acumen, supplier leadership, and the ability to design and execute global sourcing strategies that deliver competitive cost, quality, innovation, and supply assurance.you will guide supplier selection, performance management, contract negotiation, and long-term category strategies across multiple regions.this position is highly collaborative, engaging cross-functional partners in engineering, operations, quality, and finance.what you will do strategic category leadership develop, implement, and continuously refine category strategies that support business objectives, product roadmaps, and global manufacturing needs.manage the full lifecycle of assigned direct material categories, including supplier strategy, cost roadmaps, and risk mitigation.conduct market intelligence, benchmarking, and "should-cost" analysis to drive data-based recommendations.sourcing conduct regular business reviews focused on continuous improvement.business partnership experience with bi tools (sap bi, qlik, etc.).excellent communication skills in english and spanish; ability to work in multicultural global teams.ability to remotely manage suppliers across europe, china, and the americas.valid visa for travel to the u.s. Bonus points if you have established network within the fastener or industrial component supply base.experience using sap, ivalua, ariba, or other procurement technologies.prior experience with advanced analytics tools (qlik sense, power bi, etc.).what makes you eligible willingness to travel regionally.willingness to work in a factory environment while doing strategic sourcing work.any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen.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..#li-dp2 .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.