Senior Manager, Product Owner – Automation & AI Products

Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Office

Job Description

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Manager, Product Owner to lead the vision, strategy, and execution of enterprise Automation and AI products. This role will drive the development and adoption of innovative solutions that improve operational efficiency, enhance user experience, and accelerate business outcomes through intelligent automation, AI, machine learning, and generative AI technologies.

The ideal candidate will possess strong product management expertise, exceptional stakeholder management skills, and proven experience leading cross-functional teams consisting of employees, contractors, and external partners. This leader will serve as the bridge between business stakeholders, technology teams, and executive leadership to deliver scalable and impactful digital products.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy & Roadmap

• Define and execute the product vision, strategy, and multi-year roadmap for Automation and AI products.
• Identify opportunities to leverage AI, Generative AI, machine learning, workflow automation, and process optimization across business functions.
• Prioritize product initiatives based on business value, user needs, technical feasibility, and organizational goals.
• Develop business cases and ROI models to support product investments and prioritization decisions.

Product Ownership & Delivery

• Own and manage the product backlog, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and stakeholder priorities.
• Translate business requirements into clear user stories, acceptance criteria, and product specifications.
• Partner with engineering, architecture, data science, and UX teams to deliver high-quality solutions.
• Lead Agile product development processes, including sprint planning, backlog grooming, release planning, and product demonstrations.
• Ensure successful product launches, adoption, and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary liaison between business leaders, end users, technology teams, and executive sponsors.
• Build strong relationships with business stakeholders to understand challenges, opportunities, and evolving needs.
• Facilitate alignment across multiple functions and drive consensus on priorities and product direction.
• Present product strategy, roadmap updates, and performance metrics to senior leadership.

AI & Automation Leadership

• Drive identification and implementation of AI-powered use cases that improve productivity, decision-making, and customer experience.
• Evaluate emerging AI technologies, platforms, and industry trends to identify innovation opportunities.
• Ensure responsible AI practices, governance, compliance, and risk management are incorporated into product development.
• Partner with data and analytics teams to define AI success metrics and measure business impact.

Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead and mentor a team of product owners, business analysts, and product professionals.
• Manage a blended workforce of full-time employees, contractors, consultants, and external partners.
• Establish performance goals, provide coaching, and support career development for team members.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.

Vendor & Partner Management

• Manage relationships with technology vendors, implementation partners, and consulting organizations.
• Evaluate vendor capabilities, negotiate priorities, and ensure successful delivery of contracted services.
• Monitor vendor performance and ensure alignment with business objectives and product roadmap.

Product Performance & Governance

• Define and track KPIs, adoption metrics, business outcomes, and ROI for Automation and AI products.
• Establish governance processes for product lifecycle management, prioritization, and investment decisions.
• Ensure compliance with security, privacy, regulatory, and quality standards.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in Product Management, Product Ownership, Digital Transformation, or Technology Leadership roles.
• 5+ years of experience leading enterprise-scale Automation, AI, Machine Learning, or Digital Products.
• Proven experience managing cross-functional teams, including full-time employees, contractors, and external partners.
• Strong experience working with Agile, Scrum, and product delivery methodologies.
• Demonstrated success managing senior business stakeholders and influencing executive leadership.
• Experience building product roadmaps, business cases, and value realization frameworks.
• Strong analytical, communication, and leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree in Business, Technology, Data Science, or related discipline.
• Product Owner or Agile certifications (CSPO, SAFe POPM, PMI-ACP, or equivalent).
• Experience with Generative AI platforms, LLMs, AI copilots, conversational AI, and intelligent automation technologies.
• Knowledge of enterprise platforms such as Microsoft Power Platform, ServiceNow, Salesforce, SAP, AWS, Azure AI, or Google Cloud AI.
• Experience leading global teams and enterprise transformation initiatives.

Success Metrics

• Product adoption and user satisfaction.
• Business process efficiency improvements.
• AI and automation value realization and ROI.
• On-time and on-budget delivery of product roadmap initiatives.
• Stakeholder satisfaction and engagement.
• Team performance, growth, and retention.
• Compliance with governance, security, and responsible AI standards.