Lead PM 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. **Position Summary** 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 _Be aware of employment fraud. All email communications from Ascensus or its hiring managers originate from @ascensus.com_ _or @futureplan.com_ _email addresses. We will never ask you for payment or require you to purchase any equipment. If you are suspicious or unsure about validity of a job posting, we strongly encourage you to apply directly through our website._