Director of Product
SkyWater Search has partnered with a growth stage, PE-backed technology company hiring its first Director of Product. This is not a backfill. Product decisions here have historically been made informally across engineering and marketing, and this hire will be the first person to own the function end to end: strategy, roadmap, and process, across a SaaS platform, a mobile app, and manufacturer-facing products used by thousands of retail locations.
The company recently took on new investment and is in the middle of professionalizing, moving from a long-running, founder-led business into a more disciplined, software-first operation. You would report to a VP of Software Engineering and work daily with engineering and marketing leadership. There are no direct reports today, but the scope and visibility are real, and the function is expected to grow as the company scales toward tripling its store footprint.
What you need to have: a background running a real PDLC or stage gate process, not an ad hoc one, direct experience shipping AI-powered product features from idea through launch, and the ability to build credibility and buy-in with people who are used to owning pieces of product themselves. You should be comfortable in a resource-constrained, fast-moving environment, including if you are coming from a larger company and want to run your own show for the first time.
This is a primarily in-office role in the Twin Cities metro. Base salary in the 160 to 180 range depending on experience.
To learn more, reach out confidentially to Zac Kallas at SkyWater Search Partners
Responsibilities
- Define and own the company's product strategy and multi-year roadmap, translating market opportunity and business goals into a plan the organization can rally around - Lead structured, ongoing customer discovery with store owners, consumers, and manufacturer partners, building a rigorous customer 360 view and ideal customer profile - Define and lead the company's AI product strategy, identifying where AI-driven features create real value and shepherding those ideas from concept through production - Tie every major product investment to a clear business outcome and track results after launch to inform the next iteration of the roadmap - Own and formalize a disciplined product development lifecycle with a stage gate methodology, including business case creation, cost-benefit analysis, and proof of concept validation - Consolidate product requests that currently flow informally through engineering and marketing into a single, prioritized roadmap - Work in close, day to day partnership with engineering leadership on delivery and with marketing leadership on go to market - Join calls with vendors, partners, and customers to build and maintain a clear view of the company's competitive positioning - Establish credibility and buy-in across a cross-functional organization for a new, centralized product process, operating with influence rather than formal authority
Desired Skills and Experience
- Several years of experience as a Product Owner or Product Manager for a software or technology-driven product - Direct experience running a PDLC or stage gate process, including business case creation and cost-benefit analysis - Demonstrated ability to run structured customer discovery and translate it into a prioritized roadmap tied to measurable business outcomes - Direct experience shipping AI-powered or AI-enabled product features from ideation through launch - A technology or software-flavored product background - Proven ability to influence and align cross-functional stakeholders without direct reports - Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, resource-constrained, entrepreneurial environment
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