Vendor Development Manager Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

About the Role

As a Supplier Ecosystem Relations Manager (P4), you will serve as a senior individual contributor responsible for managing and evolving HARMAN’s AI and digital supplier ecosystem. You will evaluate emerging vendors, technologies, and solution providers, helping ensure the organization maintains access to innovative capabilities while operating within established commercial, governance, and technology standards. This role requires a blend of vendor management, ecosystem strategy, procurement awareness, and technology acumen to identify strategic partnerships and support informed sourcing decisions. You will work closely with procurement, architecture, legal, security, and business stakeholders to strengthen HARMAN’s AI and technology ecosystem.

Your Team

You will be a senior individual contributor partnering with procurement, legal, architecture, security, product, platform, and business teams to evaluate suppliers, assess solution capabilities, and support strategic ecosystem decisions across the enterprise.

What You Will Do

• Maintain visibility into the AI, technology, and platform supplier landscape, identifying emerging vendors, capabilities, and market trends relevant to HARMAN.
• Conduct vendor and solution evaluations, assessing technical fit, platform compatibility, scalability, risk, and business value.
• Define and maintain commercial guardrails, evaluation criteria, and ecosystem standards that support consistent supplier assessment and engagement.
• Partner with procurement and legal teams to support supplier selection, due diligence, contract reviews, and commercial negotiations.
• Collaborate with architecture, security, and governance teams to ensure vendor solutions align with enterprise standards, security requirements, and technology roadmaps.
• Lead solution scouting activities to identify innovative technologies, strategic partnerships, and opportunities to accelerate AI and digital transformation initiatives.
• Develop comparative analyses, business recommendations, and executive briefings to support sourcing and investment decisions.
• Monitor supplier performance, market developments, and competitive offerings to inform ecosystem strategy and future platform investments.
• Facilitate stakeholder reviews and decision-making forums related to vendor selection, ecosystem expansion, and technology partnerships.
• Continuously improve supplier evaluation frameworks, market intelligence processes, and ecosystem management practices.

What You Need

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Procurement, Information Systems, Engineering, Technology Management, or a related field.
• 6+ years of experience in vendor management, procurement, technology partnerships, ecosystem management, or related disciplines.
• Strong understanding of supplier evaluation, sourcing processes, commercial models, contract considerations, and vendor governance practices.
• Experience assessing enterprise technology, cloud, AI, platform, or software solutions from both business and technical perspectives.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and negotiation skills with the ability to influence decisions across multiple functions.
• Proven ability to conduct market research, evaluate strategic opportunities, and develop data-driven recommendations for leadership.

What is Nice to Have

• Experience supporting AI, cloud, digital transformation, or enterprise platform ecosystems.
• Familiarity with technology procurement, software licensing, SaaS commercial models, and strategic sourcing practices.
• Experience working with global technology vendors, consulting partners, and enterprise software providers.
• Certifications in procurement, vendor management, strategic sourcing, technology management, or related disciplines.

What Makes YouEligible

• Willingness to travel 20% of the time.
• Willingness to work hybrid in the HARMAN Novi, MI office 3+ days a week.
• Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen.

What We Offer

• Access to employee discounts on world‑class products (JBL, HARMAN Kardon, AKG, and more).
• 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.

Salary Ranges:

$ 125,250 - $ 183,700

HARMAN is proud to be an Equal Opportunity / Aff… 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.