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Director, Product Management

New York, NY

About Understood

Understood is a nonprofit focused on shaping the world for difference. We raise awareness of the challenges and strengths of people who learn and think differently. Our resources help people navigate challenges, gain confidence, and find support and community so they can thrive. 

Having a shared commitment to our values is a key factor in any hire we make. We have five core values: 

  1. Continuously learn.
    2. Act with intention.
    3. Champion difference.
    4. Inspire change.
    5. Grow together. 

Come be part of an organization with an entrepreneurial spirit that’s helping to shape the world for difference. Together, we can build a world where everyone can reach their full potential. 

To learn more about Understood, please visit: www.understood.org.

Who you are 

To advance Understood’s mission and to further our impact, we’re hiring a Director of Product Management, reporting to our VP Product. 

Millions of people, who navigate neurodivergence or support someone who does, come to Understood.org to find accessible and trustworthy resources grounded in clinical expertise and evidence. 

We are seeking a product leader to set the product direction for how artificial intelligence intersects with our users' everyday lives and lead the strategy, definition, and execution of our AI-based consumer products. This is a high-impact, player-coach role that combines hands-on product leadership with leading and developing other product managers (PMs). You will influence the organization through product strategy leadership, deep technical fluency, and a strong focus on the consumer. 

You have a track record of leveraging AI to drive positive consumer and business outcomes, managing PMs and partnering cross-functionally to iteratively deliver effective and engaging product experiences. 

This is a hybrid role that requires a minimum of three (3) days a week in our NYC office, with a focus on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. We are a Mac-based environment, and team members are provided a Mac laptop for their work.

What you’ll do

  • Drive the AI-enabled product vision: Define and own the strategy and roadmap for our AI-enabled platform that powers a portfolio of personalized consumer solutions, making platform-level tradeoffs based on the needs of the broader portfolio. Additionally, own both the strategy and execution of our flagship consumer-facing AI-chat. Work closely with internal and external subject matter experts to identify and execute on opportunities where machine learning and generative AI can uniquely solve user problems or create new behaviors. 
  • Lead the PM team: Inspire and lead a team of product managers to identify, plan, and deliver high-impact initiatives from zero to one and one and through product-market fit (PMF), regardless of how deeply they leverage AI. Own team priorities and make decisions about talent, resourcing, and how work is allocated across the team.
  • Navigate AI UX challenges: Design products that effectively handle the non-deterministic nature of AI. Champion solutions for latency, model hallucinations, trust, and privacy while maintaining a frictionless consumer experience. Push the boundaries of what is feasible while managing tradeoffs between model size, cost, and speed, while ensuring we use AI safely and responsibly.
  • Establish data flywheels: Design intuitive mechanisms for continuous model improvement, ensuring that user interactions create feedback loops that make the product smarter over time.
  • Build strong cross-functional partnerships with Design, UX Research, Engineering, Subject Matter Experts (e.g., AI researchers, data scientists, clinical experts), Marketing, and Content teams. Make tradeoffs across teams and initiatives when priorities compete.
  • Define and measure success: Refine and own KPIs that evaluate both the underlying AI performance (accuracy, speed) and the consumer outcome (retention, engagement, and other measures of user value). Use data and insights to shape product strategy, priorities, and investment decisions.
  • Be an advocate for our product, team, and values

Minimum qualifications

In this role, you bring leadership experience and the ability to set direction across a capability. You also own team-level priorities, manage multiple direct reports, including hiring and resourcing decisions, own the team budget, and communicate directly with the leadership and executive leadership teams.

We don't expect a perfect match across every category. What matters is relevant experience, genuine interest in the work, and a mindset for growth.

Leadership and people

  • Experience: 10+ years of product management experience in consumer-facing technology, including 3+ years leading a team or area of the business in a fast-moving or complex environment. You have owned team-level priorities and delivered results that have had an impact across the organization.
  • People leadership and development: You have 3+ years of experience managing product managers and managing multiple direct reports. You make decisions on hiring, team structure, and resourcing for the team. You coach and develop people. You build a culture where people feel they belong, stay engaged, and hold themselves accountable. You keep the team motivated through change and resistance.
  • Stakeholder and cross-functional partnership: You work effectively with leaders in other functions, senior leaders, and direct reports. You make tradeoffs across teams when priorities compete. You build strong working relationships up, down, and across the organization, including in a hybrid setting.

Strategy, execution, and data

  • Domain expertise: You have deep expertise in consumer product management, including experience building and shipping AI/ML-driven consumer products. You have a track record of leveraging AI to drive positive consumer and business outcomes and creating intuitive consumer experiences from complex technology.
  • Strategic thinking and execution: You turn company strategy, user needs, and emerging technology into clear product plans and priorities. You balance long-term thinking with hands-on execution and adjust the plan when conditions change.
  • Project management: You plan and run multiple product initiatives across the team and functions. You set clear milestones, manage risk and dependencies, and keep the team on track to deliver.
  • Data and analytics: You develop insights to shape product strategy and priorities. You decide what data and success measures are needed. You use analysis to test ideas, evaluate outcomes, and make better product decisions.

Communication, collaboration, and technology fluency

  • Communication: You communicate clearly and confidently with leadership and executive leadership teams, peer leaders, direct reports, and external partners. You translate complex AI concepts for technical and non-technical audiences, adapt your message to the audience, and build trust through consistent, inclusive communication.
  • Collaboration and ways of working: You work collaboratively without letting hierarchy or personal credit drive decisions. You work with integrity, emotional awareness, and resilience through change. You advocate for users, employees, and the organization in decision-making.
  • AI fluency: You have strong technical fluency in machine learning and generative AI, including the concepts and considerations required to build and scale AI-enabled consumer products safely and responsibly. You use AI tools to improve the team’s output, speed, or decisions and set expectations for how the team uses them responsibly.

Mission alignment

  • You are committed to Understood’s mission and to creating accessible, trustworthy products for people who learn and think differently.

Nice-to-haves

  • Experience in health tech, behavioral health, wellbeing or education products
  • Experience using modern AI frameworks and APIs to explore and test product concepts.

The base salary range for this role is $235,000 - $250,000, depending on years of experience and qualifications. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that supports wellness for our team members and their families. You can learn more about our benefits and offerings.

Understood.org does not sponsor applicants for work visas or legal permanent residence, including providing assistance with STEM OPT extensions.

Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Understood encourages individuals of all learning styles and ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds, including those whose life experiences may include the challenge of access due to a disability, to apply for this position. We are committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization, as we want to engage all those who can contribute to supporting this work.

Understood is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, alienage or citizenship status, marital or familial status, domestic partnership status, caregiver status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, change of sex or transgender status, genetic information, medical condition, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, physical or mental disability (where the applicant or employee is qualified to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation), any protected military or veteran status, or status as a victim of domestic or dating violence, sexual assault or offense, stalking, or any other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local law or that of persons with whom that individual associates, or any other legally protected characteristics.

For additional information on learning and thinking differences, including ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, executive function challenges, nonverbal learning disabilities, processing issues, and more, please visit www.understood.org.

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