Head of Product

Compensation: $160,000–$200,000 base + Bonus + Meaningful Equity

Washington DC, Hybrid

About the Role

We are recruiting a Head of Product on behalf of a confidential defense technology company supporting complex military exercises and operational planning for U.S. Combatant Commands.

This role sits at the intersection of Army operational planning, advanced analytics, and modern product management, translating real-world mission needs into scalable, engineer-built software solutions. The Head of Product will own product strategy and execution for a high-impact Army program focused on uncovering patterns from data and supporting the full exercise lifecycle—from concept development through execution, analysis, and after-action insights.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership role in a mission-critical environment where products directly support national security outcomes.

Day in the Life

• Lead product efforts supporting an Army program focused on data analysis, pattern discovery, and operational insight generation

• Partner directly with military stakeholders to understand exercise and operational planning needs and translate them into product requirements

• Support the full exercise lifecycle for a Combatant Command, including scenario design, planning, execution support, and post-exercise analysis

• Work closely with engineering and data teams to ship reliable, scalable, and mission-relevant software

• Balance long-term product vision with near-term operational demands in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment

• Act as the connective tissue between government customers, internal engineering teams, and executive leadership

Key Responsibilities

• Own and drive product strategy, roadmap, and execution across mission-critical platforms

• Translate operational and exercise planning workflows into clear product requirements and user stories

• Lead cross-functional teams (engineering, data, design, and stakeholders) through product discovery and delivery

• Ensure products deliver measurable value in real operational and training environments

• Guide prioritization decisions based on mission impact, technical feasibility, and user outcomes

• Serve as a senior product voice with credibility across both military and commercial technology stakeholders

Required Skills & Experience

Military & Operational Expertise

• Veteran status strongly preferred (Army background ideal)

• Direct experience with exercise planning and operational planning (e.g., MDMP, JOPP, large-scale exercises)

• Ability to understand and communicate Combatant Command needs, constraints, and decision-making processes

• Comfort operating in classified or sensitive mission environments (active clearance a plus)

Product & Technical Leadership

• Proven experience in product management or product leadership roles at a technology-forward organization

• Strong understanding of modern product development lifecycles, including discovery, MVP definition, iteration, and scaling

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with software engineers, data scientists, and technical teams

• Experience translating ambiguous, complex problems into actionable product requirements

• Familiarity with agile development practices and modern product tooling

Strategic & Communication Skills

• Ability to bridge military planning culture and commercial technology execution

• Strong stakeholder management skills across government, engineering, and executive audiences

• Clear, concise communicator capable of operating at both strategic and tactical levels

• Comfortable owning decisions in high-stakes, mission-critical contexts

Ideal Background (Not Required)

• Experience at technology-forward organizations (e.g., leading defense tech or advanced analytics companies)

• Experience building products for defense, government, or regulated environments

• Background combining military service with post-service technology or product leadership roles

Why This Role

• Direct impact on real-world military readiness and operational effectiveness

• Opportunity to shape product strategy at the intersection of national security and cutting-edge technology

• Competitive compensation with meaningful equity upside

• High ownership, high trust, and the ability to build products that are actively used in critical environments