Senior Product Manager

  • Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
  • Full-Time
  • Hybrid
  • -

Job Description:

Job Title: Senior Product Manager

Position Overview:

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Product Manager. The ideal candidate is a passionate product leader with a deep understanding of SaaS and AI/ML technologies. You will be responsible for the entire product lifecycle, from conception to launch and beyond. You will translate complex user needs and market opportunities into a clear product vision and a deliverable roadmap, working closely with a cross-functional team to bring innovative solutions to market.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Product Strategy & Roadmap: Define and articulate a clear, long-term product vision and strategy for your product area, aligned with company objectives. Develop and maintain a data-driven product roadmap, prioritising features and initiatives based on user needs, technical feasibility, and business impact.
  • Market & User Research: Conduct continuous market analysis and competitive research to identify emerging trends and opportunities in the AI and customer service space. Become the voice of the user by leading customer interviews, analysing user feedback, and synthesising data to uncover core needs and pain points.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as the product leader within a dedicated squad, working seamlessly with engineering, data science, UX/UI design, marketing, and sales teams to deliver high-quality products. Foster a collaborative environment and ensure clear communication and alignment across all departments.
  • Product Development & Execution: Translate product strategy into detailed requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria. Manage the product backlog, lead agile development processes, and ensure timely delivery of product releases.
  • Launch & Go-to-Market: Partner with product marketing to develop and execute comprehensive go-to-market strategies for new features and products. Support the sales and customer success teams with product training, documentation, and positioning.
  • Data-Driven Decisions: Define, monitor, and analyse key product metrics and KPIs to measure success, user adoption, and business impact. Utilise data to inform product decisions and drive continuous improvement and optimisation.

Qualifications & Skills:

Required:

  • Experience: 5+ years of product management experience, preferably within a B2B SaaS environment.
  • Proven Track Record: Demonstrated success in launching and scaling SaaS products from concept to market-fit and beyond.
  • AI/ML Knowledge: A strong understanding of core AI and Machine Learning concepts and their practical applications in software products. You should be comfortable discussing technical possibilities and limitations with engineering teams.
  • Agile Methodologies: Deep proficiency in Agile/Scrum development methodologies and modern product management frameworks.
  • Leadership: Natural leadership qualities with the ability to influence and inspire cross-functional teams without direct authority.

Preferred:

  • Technical Acumen: Experience with data analysis tools and proficiency in SQL for querying and exploring large datasets.
  • Educational Background: A degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
  • Customer Service Domain: Experience working on products within the customer service, contact centre, or CRM space is a significant advantage.

Soft Skills:

  • Exceptional Communicator: You can clearly articulate a vision, translate complex ideas into simple terms, and communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Strategic Thinker: You can balance long-term vision with short-term execution and make difficult prioritisation decisions.
  • Problem-Solver: You are intellectually curious, data-driven, and possess a strong analytical approach to solving complex problems.
  • User-Centric: You have a deep empathy for users and are passionate about building products that solve real-world problems and deliver exceptional experiences.