Product Lead

Internal GDers: please make sure to apply to this role using your GD email.

Role Overview

We are looking for several new Product Leads to support our newly launched Product function. This is an exciting role that will be responsible for assembling and leading cross-functional teams to drive product development optimization and scale. They may oversee single products if large and/or complex or a portfolio of products at different stages of development.

Product leads must:

• Be deeply curious about our programs and open-minded about areas to improve and drive quality

• Have excellent follow through - be as eager to start something new as maintain something great

• Track record for mobilizing resources (financial human) around big ideas and opportunities (programmatic research etc)

• Be data driven with excellent altitude awareness - Product leads should be able to flex between  big picture vision and “in the weeds” data-driven problem solving

• Look laterally / know the market - Product leads should know the market (donors and competition) well building relationships externally to keep on top of innovations and new developments (intel)

• Have excellent communication and project management skills and be able to bring key stakeholders together around a common goal

• Have discernment and conviction to make the hard decisions to say no to things and drive focus -- an exceptional product owner strips things down to the most core things to focus on

• Have track record of driving impact without direct formal authority

Level: Director / Senior Director

Reports To: VP Product

Responsibilities:

Set vision and define success for their products

• Product leads must set multi-year vision and annual/quarterly goals for their products as well as defining interim milestones to track progress

• They should have a clear sense of their products’ value proposition and competitive advantage (what makes this product better than the next best alternative?)

• They should streamline product development and implementation across tech and research functions using key levers for efficiency including but not limited to survey builds design adaptations and tech-enabled innovations (e.g. AI/LLMs new operational frameworks etc)

Drive program quality

Product leads must set minimum standards for their products in close consultation with the Programs teams and closely monitor implementation to identify gaps and areas of concern

• Product leads must partner with programs teams to troubleshoot implementation leveraging ops and program data to identify pain points and drill down into solutions

Support fundraising

• Product leads will conduct or oversee robust market assessments for their products and be propositional on how GiveDirectly positions those products

• They will also support fundraising efforts primarily by supporting existing relationship owners but occasionally owning their own relationships with key funders (e.g. anchor funders)

Manage high performing cross-functional teams

• Product leads are responsible for assembling (with the VP of Product) and motivating cross-functional teams toward a common goal

• Drive for alignment with their product teams establishing key operational principles and ways of working early (given they will not manage direct reports)

• “Clean escalate” as needed to VP of Product if and when there is misalignment between key product stakeholders

Qualifications:

• Exceptional alignment to GD values passion for our mission and commitment to recipient dignity and empowerment

• 8+ years of professional work experience in similar role or function (product programs business development partnerships)

• Proven leadership ability and management experience in building high performing teams

• Experience working with a distributed team in a multicultural environment

• Interest in working as part of a growing company with awareness about the opportunities and challenges that come with a highly adaptive environment

• Strong succinct communications: Skilled in speaking writing presenting and negotiating across multiple stakeholders

• Analytical problem solver: Looks at problems w/ analytical and iterative mindset with strong framework for prioritization

Compensation

• The base salary for a Director-level role based in the US is $128000.

• The base salary for a Director-level role based in Kenya us $101221.

If you are outside those locations or if you are being considered for Senior Director level we will share the salary with you during the hiring process.