Director of Product (InnovateNJ)

The New Jersey Innovation Authority

The New Jersey Innovation Authority (NJIA) is looking for diverse and experienced team members to deploy world-class innovative and digital services that solve pressing public interest challenges for the people of New Jersey. Our work spans numerous issue and policy areas, and is focused on making an impact in the lives of the New Jerseyans that we serve. Our team members wear many hats, contributing to both the execution of core projects and the evolution of NJIA. We use data and modern research, design, and development methods to inform our decision making, and we collaborate with stakeholders within and outside of government to understand and solve challenges. We are hiring a Director of Product to co-lead our product management team and advance the product management practice within the office. This role focuses on empowering product managers to lead their teams effectively, ensuring that our solutions deliver value to New Jersey residents and business owners. You will champion product management excellence, oversee project staffing, and mentor a diverse and talented team, while also contributing to project work. Working closely with directors in product design, engineering, and content design you will foster a culture of collaboration and innovation, driving user impact and continuous improvement in our work.
The ideal candidate will be a seasoned product manager adept at guiding end-to-end development, product planning, and execution, contributing to both product practice development and broader leadership and management functions within the office.
This role will report to the Chief Innovation Officer, co-lead the product team with the current director of product, and work closely with initiative leads and other team members across the office. Collaborate closely with their co-director of product to support the health of the organization-wide product practice.
Assess new project opportunities and collaborate with directors and initiative leads to drive project intake.
Manage project staffing and support and advise project teams in achieving outcomes.
Mentor and coach product managers, providing structure, guidance, and support for their professional growth and development.
Conduct regular one-on-one meetings to offer feedback, assist with project challenges, ensure alignment with organizational goals, and provide accountability for professional development goals.
Iterative human-centered product development
Apply leading industry development practices to solve complex problems through the use of human-centered design, open-source development and innovation, data-driven decision making, and agile development practices.
Participate actively in agile product development, including user research, analysis, and synthesis; manage a project team and coordinate activities across teammates.
Lead end-to-end product and project management activities to enable the delivery of modern solutions that meet the needs of users.
Product thought leadership and capacity building
Build the capacity of the team and State to approach government projects with product thinking, working with in-house department and agency teams to plan roadmaps and craft product strategy.
A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in agile product management, demonstrating a commitment to product excellence in your direct work and the teams you support.
Experience in guiding end-to-end product development, from initial concept through launch and ongoing iteration, ensuring products deliver tangible value to users.
Demonstrated ability to manage and scale a product team as an empathetic leader dedicated to advocating for, mentoring, and uplifting team members to help them succeed.
Experience in developing and implementing product strategies, including roadmap planning, prioritization, and execution in alignment with organizational goals.
An innovative mindset, staying up-to-date on industry trends and civic tech developments, with a willingness to share knowledge and practices both internally and externally.
Experience solving complex problems through the use of human-centered design, agile iterative development, and data-driven decision making.
If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, paid leave, and competitive retirement plan options, as well as other optional fringe benefits.
Hiring Entity

: This role will be hired by InnovateNJ - a fiscally-sponsored partner project of the National Center for Civic Innovation that exists to advance NJIA’s work and impact.
We are deeply committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusiveness and seek to create a pluralistic community for all. We strongly encourage people of color, members of racial and ethnic minority groups, women, LGBTQI+ people, those with disabilities, and Veterans to apply. We are committed to building a team that is reflective of New Jersey’s incredible diversity.
We do not discriminate against any candidate because of color, race, age, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, membership in an employee organization, pregnancy, marital status, status as a parent, ancestry, national origin, disability (physical or mental), family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, retaliation, or other non-merit based factors.
Candidates may be required to pass a background check and complete additional steps as part of the application and onboarding process.