Lead Product Manager, Strategy & Innovation

Lead Product Manager, Strategy & Innovation

Ascensus is the leading independent technology and service platform powering savings plans across America, providing products and expertise that help nearly 16 million people save for a better today and tomorrow.
Under the direction of the Head of Product (and/or other product leaders as appropriate), the Lead Product Manager, Strategy & Innovation will assist the product leaders in driving the development of the product vision and roadmap for the Ascensus suite of products, features, and/or capabilities. The individual is expected to work with a great deal of autonomy and independence, be a subject matter expert regarding existing capabilities, have a comprehensive understanding of our competitive positioning, and partner closely with Product Owners and scrum teams regarding roadmap execution. This role will drive the establishment of a durable product vision, operating model, and roadmap that enables sustained participant experience innovation and long-term enterprise value creation.
Specific responsibilities include:
Product vision and roadmap: partner with Capability Leaders and product team to clearly articulate the objectives of the product, feature, and/or capability set and the path towards achieving them
Client experience: deep understanding of the manner in which the target audience engages with us and a continued focus on intuitive and delightful interactions across their entire journey
Maximize the value of assigned products, features and/or capabilities: partner with the Product Lead to maximize the value of the capability set across the business
Roadmap development and execution: partner closely with product owners and scrum teams to develop tactical 1Y roadmap development, with a particular focus on data-driven decisioning and outcomes-based roadmaps. Work with the Head of Product to develop an overarching 3Y strategic roadmap.
Main Responsibilities
Product Vision and Roadmap

Clear articulation of the objectives of the assigned product, feature, and/or capability set and the path towards achieving them:
Develop the product vision for the applicable capabilities

with a focus on the outcomes we are trying to deliver
Lead the development of roadmaps for the capability set in partnership with design, technology, and scrum teams
Identify and advance data and AI-enabled product opportunities by leveraging existing firm data assets to unlock new value propositions and growth opportunities
Partner with sales and marketing to translate our roadmap into an external message that allows for "selling futures"
Stay abreast of industry and competitor dynamics

including our positioning relative to key competitors
Identify new opportunities and areas of differentiation and growth
Work with the Head of Product to develop multi-year product vision and roadmap
Client Experience

Deep understanding of the manner in which the target audience engages with us and a continued focus on intuitive and delightful interactions that consider their entire journey:
Define and own the end-to-end view of the customer journey and their comprehensive set of interactions
Partner with the design/UX team to develop a plan for engagement with customers and gathering their feedback regarding high-value interactions
Oversee customer research and engagement for gathering feedback and determining product requirements
Relentless focus on customer ease of use through identifying and resolving their key problems
Maximize the Value of Assigned Products, Features and/or Capabilities

Partner with the capability leads to maximize the value of the capability set across the business:
Establish and manage key metrics and measures of success for the capability set and take responsibility for delivery against goals
Partner with segment leaders and other shared services to drive adoption of capabilities across our client base
Create and/or enhance documentation for internal and external audiences that demonstrates our comprehensive offering
Serve as the internal and external subject matter expert for the applicable product, feature, and/or capability set
Operationalize product management best practices, including OKRs, release planning, and execution playbooks, and ensure sustained adoption and effectiveness across teams
Roadmap Development and Execution

Partner closely with product owners and scrum teams regarding roadmap development

with a particular focus on data-driven decisioning and outcomes-based roadmaps:
Lead the development of multi-year strategic roadmap for retirement
Partner closely with Product Owners and scrum teams to translate client insights, desired outcomes, and business problems into optimal roadmaps
Act as a trusted strategic partner to senior leadership, providing additional support on board-level materials, strategic narratives, and cultural alignment as-needed
Key Skills

Skills / Capabilities
Demonstrated ability to create a compelling product vision, including key measures of success
Experience owning and driving product roadmaps and knowledge of Agile product development methodologies and practices
Strong leadership skills, including driving results through other groups
Demonstrated ability to operate and create results with limited oversight
Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to lead diverse groups to consensus
Strong stakeholder management; able to partner across business segments
An effective team player, who can work with people at all levels
High level of self-motivation, with strong integrity and ethics
Highly organized with the ability to effectively prioritize key issues and deliverables
Experience

A minimum of 10 years of product leadership experience / expertise is required
Deep understanding of the retirement industry and competitive dynamics
Personal Qualities

Adaptable and resilient
Committed and energetic
Decisive, able to operate independently
High personal and professional integrity
Results-oriented with a commitment to excellence; willing to roll up his/her sleeves
Proactive self-starter, resourceful, and flexible
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