Director, Product Managment

The Director of Product Management oversees the entire lifecycle of new products, features, and enhancements from concept to release in areas such as Service and Repair, Vehicle Conditions, Electrification of Vehicles, Vehicle Telematics, and Fleet Management Optimizations. Leading a team of Product Owners and Managers, the Director is responsible for developing, managing, and optimizing large, complex products with significant business impact. This role evaluates technical options and ensures business and customer requirements are effectively communicated to the engineering team. Additionally, the Director manages the product roadmap.
Recognized company-wide as a thought leader in Product, this role demands extensive expertise in advanced theories, techniques, and technologies. As a key member of the Ownership Intelligence Release Train leadership team, the Director collaborates with Engineering, Data Science, Solution Delivery, Product Analytics, and Architecture to contribute to both product and overall business strategy development.
Primary Duties / Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for the overall management of designated product lines through the full lifecycle, including the creation, enhancement, extension, and retirement of products. Ensure the mission and the values of the client are represented and incorporated throughout the product lifecycle.
• Take part in creating an operating model that ensures agile product delivery teams have the clarity and support they need to maximize product value and overall return on investment.
• Collaborate with leaders, business owners, Technology, Marketing, Client Success, Sales, Operations Support, and other CAPG leaders to ensure successful product strategy, design, delivery, and implementation.
• Ensure their team is delivering on targeted financial, strategic, and operational short to mid-term commitments.
• Oversee short to mid-term workforce and staffing plans and ensure availability of team capacity necessary to accomplish planned business results.
• Maintain an understanding of competitive position, target market and overall industry landscape that supports the work to define and create product(s).
• Leverage specialized understanding of our product capabilities and product offerings as well as marketplace trends to inform and help guide our overall product strategy in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
• Use influence and contribute to Cox Automotive Product thought leadership within department/area leadership regarding operational matters.
• Foster effective business relationships with all internal and external partners, vendors and stakeholders.
• Develop talent within the product organization and build bench strength for all product teams, including succession planning.
• Directs, monitors and evaluates the activities of professional employees performing Product Management.
• Lead and resolve business issues or problems that have business-wide impact for short to mid-term operational goals.
• Provide end-to-end visibility across all Product Management activities, including focus areas, issues, budget, priorities, and business impact.
• Oversees messaging for new products and the development and implementation of a successful go-to-market/adoption strategy.

Functional Skills

• Business Acumen: Applies knowledge of economic, financial, market, and industry trends to improve results. Understands major business functions and industry trends to contribute to effective strategies. Analyzes information to identify trends and evaluate opportunities, articulating implications for the organization.
• Analytical Thinking: Uses effective analytical techniques to evaluate challenges, identify root causes, and devise solutions. Tackles issues by defining them, assessing significance, and recognizing involved factors. Utilizes logic and intuition to interpret data and draw conclusions.
• Project Administration & Management: Uses organizational methods and tools for managing projects, including time and resource estimation, task assignments, and reporting. Documents meetings, develops cost-benefit analyses, and ensures problems are surfaced and reported.
• Requirements Analysis: Elicits, analyzes, and records business requirements to ensure project success. Engages stakeholders to gather requirements and uses organizational methods for analysis. Prepares models and documentation to confirm deliverables and expectations.
• Technology Savvy: Uses technology to improve work processes and results. Solves work-related problems, enhances productivity, and creates new business opportunities. Keeps informed about technology innovations and helps others understand their impact.

Foundational Skills

• Fosters Partnerships: Cultivates and enhances long-term business relationships with internal and external partners. Adapts partnerships to meet broader objectives and collaborates across boundaries to achieve outcomes.
• Engages Others: Seeks and builds on others' ideas to reach solutions. Respects alternative approaches and empathizes with concerns.
• Guides Team Success: Defines and clarifies the team's purpose and goals. Helps the team set and achieve measurable goals, fostering task ownership and self-confidence.
• Leads Change: Drives organizational change to meet business objectives. Implements new methods, helps others overcome resistance, and engages commitment by using their ideas.
• Leads with Vision: Communicates the organization's purpose, strategy, and culture. Inspires action by linking work to the broader vision and rewarding supportive behavior.

Education, Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related discipline and 10 years' experience in a related field. The right candidate could also have a different combination, such as a master's degree and 8 years' experience; a Ph.D. and 5 years' experience in a related field; or 14 years' experience in a related field
• 5+ years' experience in a management or leadership role
• Working experience in full product lifecycle methodologies.
• Working knowledge for SAFe Agile Methodology preferred.
• Working experience in design, development and implementation of product plans.
• Working experience in creating, prioritizing and recommending epics and features among many conflicting goals and diverse groups.
• Working experience in conducting competitive research and analysis.
• Working experience in identifying KPI's and other analytics to measure product value.
• Working experience with executive presentations.
• Working experience in working with a collaborative, cross-functional team environment.
• Working experience building and leading high performing teams that consistently meet or exceed team and business goals in a fast-paced, high change, matrixed organization.

Specializations

• Knowledge of the automotive industry, especially in vehicle repairs, electric vehicles, and telematics a plus.
• Deep understanding of automotive manufacturers (OEMs) and dealership operations a plus.
• Familiarity of AI/ML techniques a plus.

USD 144,900.00 - 241,500.00 per year
Compensation:
Compensation includes a base salary of $144,900.00 - $241,500.00. The base salary may vary within the anticipated base pay range based on factors such as the ultimate location of the position and the selected candidate's knowledge, skills, and abilities. Position may be eligible for additional compensation that may include an incentive program.
Benefits:
The Company offers eligible employees the flexibility to take as much vacation with pay as they deem consistent with their duties, the company's needs, and its obligations; seven paid holidays throughout the calendar year; and up to 160 hours of paid wellness annually for their own wellness or that of family members. Employees are also eligible for additional paid time off in the form of bereavement leave, time off to vote, jury duty leave, volunteer time off, military leave, and parental leave.
Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States for any employer without current or future sponsorship.
About Cox Automotive
At Cox Automotive, people of every background are driven by their passion for mobility, innovation and community. We transform the way the world buys, sells, owns and uses cars, accelerating the industry with global powerhouse brands like Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, Manheim and more. What's more, we do it all with an emphasis on employee growth and happiness. Drive your future forward and join Cox Automotive today!
About Cox
Cox empowers employees to build a better future and has been doing so for over 120 years. With exciting investments and innovations across transportation, communications, cleantech and healthcare, our family of businesses - which includes Cox Automotive and Cox Communications - is forging a better future for us all. Ready to make your mark? Join us today!
Benefits of working at Cox may include health care insurance (medical, dental, vision), retirement planning (401(k)), and paid days off (sick leave, parental leave, flexible vacation/wellness days, and/or PTO). For more details on what benefits you may be offered, visit our benefits page .
Cox is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer - All qualified applicants/employees will receive consideration for employment without regard to that individual's age, race, color, religion or creed, national origin or ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, physical or mental disability, veteran status, genetic information, ethnicity, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by law. Cox provides reasonable accommodations when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with disability, unless such accommodations would cause an undue hardship.
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