Principal Specialist - Business Commercial Counsel

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.

Introduction: A Career at HARMAN Automotive

We’re a global, multi-disciplinary team that’s putting the innovative power of technology to work and transforming tomorrow. At HARMAN Automotive, we give you the keys to fast-track your career.

• Engineer audio systems and integrated technology platforms that augment the driving experience
• Combine ingenuity, in-depth research, and a spirit of collaboration with design and engineering excellence
• Advance in-vehicle infotainment, safety, efficiency, and enjoyment

About the Role

The India Business Commercial Counsel is responsible for providing legal and/or business support across India to the Automotive business division Customer Account Management (“CAM”) Groups and its Strategic Business Units (“SBU”).This role will advise on regional customer contracting issues and interface with the related business functions including but not limited to sales, engineering, product, customer service, finance, procurement, and/or supply chain function This position will report directly to and work closely and strategically with ​the Director, Corporate Counsel for the Automotive Division, North America and/or legal leadership to support with senior operational, functional and/or division clients on significant matters impacting the global enterprise.  The successful candidate must be able to handle complex negotiations and establish/maintain systems or structures to deliver necessary legal support and successfully and timely complete critical assignments with little to no supervision.  The Business Commercial Counsel must also have a broad understanding of Harman’s business objectives, products and the impact of external factors on the division and its CAMs and SBUs.

What You Will Do

• Managing Legal and Business Risk Across the functions for the division and its CAMs and SBUs:  

• Sales: strategic business partner reviewing, drafting, and negotiating a wide variety of commercial agreements and amendments, including terms and conditions, master services, delivery, cooperation, licensing, professional services, and vendor agreements. Advise business team members on HARMAN’s automotive RFQ process, including updating and maintaining RFQ offer templates used by the Automotive Division. Support resolution of commercial disputes with customers and suppliers, including management of automotive-related litigation, arbitration and mediation proceedings and guidance of external counsel.
• Prepare and conduct training for managers and employees on relevant legal topics.

• Compliance: Identifying legal and regulatory issues in product initiatives and customer agreements, including awareness of privacy and data security issues, and working cross-functionally with the appropriate teams to create solutions and minimize risk. Interface with the various compliance teams on regulatory issues and workstreams that arise from the CAM & SBU. This includes working with global trade compliance on global automotive trade issues.  Partner with the product certification teams working on regional regulatory requirements for product certifications.

• Engaging strategically in risk assessment/mitigation and developing innovative approaches to legal issues in support of business objectives. 

• Engage with legal procurement and supply chain management to address global supply chain issues. 

• Promptly and effectively addresses unforeseen legal risks if they arise and communicates to legal leadership within the legal department and/or to the CAM & SBU leaders within the division or function in a timely manner; process complex, uncertain, or incomplete information quickly to identify potential implications for the business. 

• Advise the Automotive warranty and quality teams on recall campaigns, customer disputes, claims, and settlements.

• Works with business divisions, SBU, or functional teams and helps them understand, assess, and appropriately address business risks and implications and helps to influence business decisions. 

• Directs and/or collaborates with other legal and compliance staff and organizational partners to develop, update, and maintain templates, negotiation resources, and playbooks. 

What You Need to Be Successful

• 8+ years of relevant (generally in-house or law firm) experience and a law degree from law school. 
• Contract Review & Negotiation: Experience with reviewing and negotiating complex commercial agreements, including: commercial and technology matters involving automotive OEMs, OEM general terms and conditions, purchase and supply agreements, and licensing agreements,
• Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarity with industry certifications and regulations, including safety standards (e.g. ISO 26262, NHTSA FMVSS 111) data privacy laws (e.g., GDPR and CCPA), cybersecurity (e.g. ISO/SAE 21434).
• Industry Knowledge: Understanding of the relevant industry and country laws.  Automotive electronics industry, especially in-cabin user-experience technologies, infotainment, ADAS, and connectivity.
• Dispute Resolution and Litigation: Experience with negotiation and mediation to resolve contract and other commercial disputes, managing litigation and overseeing outside counsel; Ability to advise leadership on matter resolution decisions, GAR and other approval escalations.  
• Contract Lifecycle Management: Experience in managing contracts from negotiation to execution and enforcement, ensuring compliance and addressing performance issues; familiarity with contract management systems and legal technology tools for streamlining contract workflows and compliance processes; ability to manage agreement templates and updates; ability to conduct contracts training for stakeholders.  
• The candidate should have Juris Doctor and Bar admission (or equivalent in jurisdiction). 

Critical skills required to perform the core responsibilities of the position:  

Operational Effectiveness and Efficiency 

• Effectively prioritizes, delegates, supervises, and monitors work carried out by external legal resources or non-legal project teams to ensure high quality and timely delivery. 

• Identifies potential legal and compliance issues and consults with appropriate stakeholders to identify a solution.  

• Takes initiative to develop or improve internal company guidance documents, using legal expertise for the benefit of the entire business or function.  

Influencing and Communicating  

• Able to translate legal issues for primary business client and explain in a comprehensible manner; possesses diplomacy skills. 

• Able to communicate effectively at all legal levels and enable the sharing of information and resources across the legal team for the collective benefit of at least one division or function.    

• Always considers the commercial impact when applying legal and regulatory principles and seeks workable solutions for at least one division or function. 

• Networks in the legal industry. 

• Is approachable and is available to support junior colleagues. 

• Has developed sustainable and effective networks both inside the legal team and across the primary client SBU or function they serve. 

Commercial Awareness and Effectiveness 

• Seeks regular feedback and discusses primary client business needs to fully understand business drivers from the beginning. 

• Prioritizes resource and effort around key client business deliverables. 

• Uses legal experience and knowledge to anticipate client business need and seeks to add value.

Bonus Points if You Have

• A legal degree from an accredited law school
• Strong analytic and communication skills, task-focused, risk and compliance awareness, works on own initiative to get things done, can work under pressure and manage multiple stakeholders, well-developed project management skills. Exercises good judgement and sound decision making.

What Makes You Eligible

• Be willing to travel up to 10%, domestic and international travel.

• Availability to work from Harman office, Bangalore

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 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.

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HARMAN is proud to be an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. 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.