Senior Product Manager - API's

Appian Corporation; Chennai; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Tuition reimbursement

Wellness dollars

Job summary

Appian is seeking a Product Manager to lead modernization of subsystems into API-first components, owning direction and roadmap with a focus on backward compatibility, reliability, and AI-driven process automation. You will work with teams in Chennai and the US to ensure design decisions align with company goals.

Ideal candidates have 3–5 years in product management, strong API exposure, and the ability to discuss backend architectures with engineers.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in Product Management, ideally in a technical/platform domain.
• Strong technical background with APIs and backend interactions; able to discuss architectures in depth.
• Analytical mindset with ability to justify choices with data and reasoning.

Responsibilities

• Define modernization and API strategies for subsystems and ensure backward compatibility.
• Collaborate with Chennai and US stakeholders to understand backend impact on design and development.
• Own features from design through go‑to‑market with metrics-driven analysis.
• Write detailed specifications for the team and other product managers.

Skills

Product management

API design

Back-end systems

Data-driven decisions

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

BA/BS in Computer Science or Engineering

Tools

API Definition

Architecture reviews

Job description

Here at Appian, our values of Intensity and Excellence define who we are. We set high standards and live up to them, ensuring that everything we do is done with care and quality. We approach every challenge with ambition and commitment, holding ourselves and each other accountable to achieve the best results. When you join Appian, you’ll be part of a passionate team dedicated to accomplishing hard things, together.

When you join Appian, you’ll be part of a passionate team dedicated to accomplishing hard things, together.This position is based at our office in Chennai, India. Appian was built on a culture of in-person collaboration, which we believe is a key driver of our mission to be the best.

You will be the product manager working closely with the team whose mission is re-architecting existing subsystems into modern, API-first components. You will be responsible for the direction and roadmap of several of these components to ensure backward compatibility, reliability, high-performance operations, and extensibility.

This role requires a unique blend of technical curiosity and strategic reasoning: you aren’t just managing a backlog; you are analyzing how our systems should be rebuilt to support a future of AI-driven process automation.

Responsibilities:

• System Modernization & API Definition: Partner with engineering to deconstruct existing subsystems and define modern, scalable Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). You will ensure these interfaces are robust, performant, and future-proof.
• Comparative Analysis: Evaluate current architectural patterns against industry standards. You will perform trade-off analyses (latency vs. flexibility, cost vs. speed) to determine the optimal path for modernization.
• Strategic Alignment (IMP): Use the Impact-Metrics-Plans framework to ensure design decisions map to Appian’s goals for process automation, data fabric capabilities, or AI throughput.
• Collaborative Discovery: Work closely with stakeholders in both Chennai and the US to understand how backend changes will impact the development experience for designers using our platform.
• Backlog Excellence: Manage the release and sprint backlog through rigorous grooming, writing detailed specifications that leave no room for ambiguity.
• Specification Writing: Write detailed specifications for the team and fellow product managers to review and provide feedback on.
• Impact Analysis: Track adoption and usage of new features, applying appropriate metrics and analytics to evaluate whether they are having the desired impact.
• Ownership: Own features all the way through final documentation, go-to-market, prioritization of bugs, and usage analysis.

About You:

• Experienced: 3–5 years of experience in Product Management, ideally within a technical or platform-oriented domain.
• Technical at Heart: You have a strong technical background, understanding backend system interactions, and experience defining and documenting APIs. While you don’t need to write the code, you must be able to hold your own in a deep-dive architectural discussion with senior engineers.
• Analytical Reasoning: A strong ability to perform comparative analysis between different technical solutions and communicate the “why” behind a chosen path.
• Strategic Thinker: You are a problem solver with a proven ability to prioritize, negotiate, and execute in a fast-paced environment.
• Clear Communicator: You must be able to synthesize complex technical updates into actionable insights for the broader organization.
• Strive for Resolution: You don’t shy away from technical disagreements. You use data and logic to reach a resolution that serves the product, not just the consensus.
• Intensity: You take personal ownership of your subsystem’s performance and adoption metrics.
• Education: BA/BS in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.

This role is based at our Chennai office in Brigade World Trade Center Chennai. Appian was built on a culture of in-person collaboration, which we believe is a key driver of our mission to be the best. Employees hired for this position are expected to be in theoffice 5 days a weekto foster that culture and ensure we continue to thrive through shared ideas and teamwork. We believe being in the office provides more opportunities to come together and celebrate working with the exceptional people across Appian.

Tools and Resources

• Training and Development: During onboarding, we focus on equipping new hires with the skills and knowledge for success through department-specific training. Continuous learning is a central focus at Appian, with dedicated mentorship and the First-Friend program being widely utilized resources for new hires.
• Growth Opportunities: Appian provides a diverse array of growth and development opportunities, including our leadership program tailored for new and aspiring managers, a comprehensive library of specialized department training through Appian University, skills based training, and tuition reimbursement for those aiming to advance their education. This commitment ensures that employees have access to a holistic range of development opportunities.
• Community: We’ll immerse you into our community rooted in respect starting on day one. Appian fosters inclusivity through our 8 employee-led affinity groups. These groups help employees build stronger internal and external networks by planning social, educational, and outreach activities to connect with Appianites and larger initiatives throughout the company.

Benefits

Appian offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing, and financial future. Benefits may include health coverage, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free mental health support, life and disability insurance, an Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), a retirement/pension plan, wellness dollars, tuition reimbursement, family-forming benefits and more. Benefits vary by country—please ask your Talent Acquisition contact for details specific to the location you are applying to.

About Appian

Appian provides AI automation for mission-critical work. We automate complex processes in large enterprises and governments. Our platform is known for its unique reliability and scale. We’ve been automating processes for more than 25 years and understand enterprise operations like no one else. For more information, visit appian.com. [Nasdaq: APPN]

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Appian is an equal opportunity employer that strives to attract and retain the best talent. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Appian provides reasonable accommodations to applicants in accordance with all applicable laws. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at [e-mail]. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.

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