Head of Product Design

Ziff Davis; Washington (IA); Remote; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company as the Head of Platform Product Management, where you will drive the strategy and development of a cutting-edge SaaS platform. You will collaborate with engineering, data science, and business teams to deliver innovative solutions that empower users with valuable insights. This role requires a visionary leader who can manage a dynamic team, prioritize features based on customer needs, and ensure the platform evolves to meet market demands. If you are passionate about data and product management, this opportunity offers a chance to make a significant impact in enhancing connectivity for all.

Benefits

401(k) matching

Unlimited PTO

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Health/dental/vision insurance

Wellness benefits

Employee Assistance Programs

Maven Fertility options

Pregnancy support

Pet insurance

Enhanced parental leave

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in relevant fields is required.
• Extensive experience in product leadership and management.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy and development of SaaS platform.
• Manage product roadmap and prioritize features.

Skills

Product Management

Data Analysis

Cloud Platforms

Agile Methodologies

Communication Skills

Project Management

Cross-Functional Leadership

Market Research

Education

Master's or PhD in Computer Science

Business Administration

Tools

APIs

Data Platforms

SDKs

Job description

Description Position at Ookla

Ookla is a global leader in connectivity intelligence, offering unparalleled network insights through the combined expertise of Speedtest, Downdetector, RootMetrics, and Ekahau. Ookla’s complementary datasets combine crowdsourced and controlled, public and private collection methods, QoS and QoE metrics, and more to unlock correlations and actionable insights — helping organizations optimize networks, enhance digital experiences, and create better connected experiences for end-users. Our team is a group of people brought together through passion and inspired by possibility. We are looking for team members who love solving problems, are motivated by challenges, and enjoy turning clever ideas into exceptional products. When you work for us, you are using Ookla data and insights to advance our mission of better connectivity for all.

Intro to the role

As the Head of Platform Product Management, you will lead the strategy, development, and launch of our SaaS platform, which supports a range of applications. Working closely with engineering, data science, and business teams, you will drive innovative solutions that help our users unlock the full value of their data. You will own the platform roadmap, prioritize features, and ensure our platform evolves to meet customer needs. In this role, you will also oversee the Ookla Platform Product Management Team, driving the infrastructure that enables our data science and applications teams to generate valuable insights from diverse data assets, including customer sentiment, quality of experience, radio network performance, and global population data, among others. These insights will empower key stakeholders like policymakers, marketers, and investment planners to make better, data-driven decisions. You will define the strategy and direction for transforming our existing portfolio, working alongside the Applications Product Management team to align with customer business needs while ensuring profitable company growth. Collaboration will be key as you work with cross-functional teams—engineering, sales, technical presales, and partners—to identify opportunities, solve complex challenges, and deliver significant business impact.

Expectations for Success

1. Define Product Vision & Strategy: Establish the long-term product vision and strategy, ensuring alignment with overall company goals.
2. Platform Roadmap: Develop and manage a comprehensive platform roadmap, collaborating with the Applications and Data Science teams to prioritize features and timelines.
3. Platform Strategy: Lead the strategy for Ookla’s platform, covering data collection (SDKs, applications, ingestion), data platform (modeling, hygiene, transformation), and data exposure (APIs, hosted data access, access control).
4. API Roadmap: Define and drive the strategy for creating and enhancing APIs that enrich crowdsourced QoS and QoE data with additional metadata from ISPs and MNOs.
5. New Metrics: Develop new QoE and QoS measurements that reflect real-world user experiences and enhance the value of Ookla’s datasets.
6. Prioritization: Prioritize features based on customer needs, business value, and technical feasibility.
7. Collaboration: Work closely with engineering, design, and data science teams to ensure smooth product development and delivery.
8. Agile Development: Lead the product development process using Agile methodologies to ensure timely and effective delivery.
9. Quality Assurance: Ensure product quality and reliability through rigorous testing and quality assurance processes.
10. Customer Insights: Understand customer needs, pain points, and preferences to drive exceptional user experiences.
11. Go-to-Market: Develop and execute a successful go-to-market strategy, including launch plans, marketing campaigns, and sales enablement.
12. Sales Enablement: Equip the sales team with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively position and sell the product.
13. Product Performance: Own product performance requirements, optimizing resource usage and maximizing profitability for each customer added to the platform.
14. Team Leadership: Manage and mentor a team of product leaders at various seniority levels. Foster strategic thinking, keep the team focused on execution, and build confidence in customer and executive interactions.
15. Vendor Strategy: Develop strategies to increase the adoption of Speedtest technology in Customer Premise Equipment and collaborate with partners to identify new capabilities and technologies that enhance consumer experiences and data.
16. Data Protection: Serve as Ookla’s Data Protection Officer (DPO), ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations, best practices, and app store policies.
17. Executive-Level Customer Engagement: Lead executive-level customer discussions to differentiate Ookla’s offerings, address customer challenges, and identify opportunities for growth.

Requirements

We are looking for the right person, not the exact list of requirements. If you believe your life experience has prepared you for similar challenges, we’d like to hear from you.

1. Advanced Degree: A Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
2. Product Leadership: Extensive experience in product leadership, with a proven track record of managing high-performing teams and delivering impactful products.
3. Product Management Expertise: Demonstrated success in product management, preferably within the SaaS or data analytics industries.
4. Data Expertise: Strong understanding of data concepts, data modeling, and data warehousing.
5. SaaS & Business Models: Deep knowledge of SaaS business models, subscription pricing, and customer lifecycle management.
6. Cloud & Data Integration: Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), APIs, and data integration technologies.
7. Data Platforms & SDKs: Expertise in data platforms, SDKs, APIs, and the complexities of data collection and transformation.
8. Product Strategy & Vision: Ability to develop and execute a clear product vision and strategy that aligns with business goals.
9. Roadmap Management: Skilled in creating, managing, and adjusting detailed product roadmaps to meet business objectives.
10. Market & Customer Insights: Expertise in conducting market research and identifying customer needs to drive product development.
11. UX Principles: Understanding of user experience (UX) principles and the ability to design intuitive, user-friendly interfaces.
12. Strategic Planning & Analysis: Proven experience in strategic planning, analysis, and resource allocation to drive product success.
13. Project Management: Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to drive complex, cross-functional initiatives.
14. Cross-Functional Leadership: Proven ability to lead and motivate cross-functional teams, working collaboratively with stakeholders across engineering, data science, marketing, and external partners.
15. Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Comfortable presenting to executive-level audiences.
16. Stakeholder Management: Skilled at managing relationships with customers, sales, engineering, and senior leadership teams.
17. Regulatory Compliance: Ability to navigate complex regulatory environments, ensuring data privacy and compliance with relevant laws.
18. Telecom Industry Knowledge: Strong understanding of the telecommunications industry and its trends, challenges, and opportunities.

Benefits

We care deeply about each other and the work we do, and our perks are just one way we demonstrate this. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including (but not limited to):

1. 401(k) matching
2. Unlimited PTO
3. Employee Stock Purchase Plan options
4. Health/dental/vision insurance coverage
5. Wellness benefits (Calm app, gym reimbursement, ERG groups, etc)
6. Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) (mental health, financial advice, legal guidance, and more)
7. Maven Fertility options
8. Pregnancy support
9. Pet insurance
10. Enhanced parental leave
11. Disability coverage

You will have the best hardware, software, and tools available for you to do your work, and we provide excellent flexibility for working remotely as time and responsibilities allow. To promote your success and growth we offer educational opportunities, and anti-racism and LGBTQIA+ resource libraries, team activities, and many more. We care deeply about each other and the work we do, and our perks are just one way we demonstrate this. Ookla has great benefits including competitive compensation and paid time off. We make sure you have the best hardware, software and tools available for you to do your work. If you’re passionate about joining the work we’re doing, we welcome your application and encourage applicants with both traditional and non-traditional experience that makes them an excellent candidate for the role. We strongly believe diversity of all kinds makes us better.

We are an equal opportunity employer actively working to build an inclusive workforce at all levels of the company.

Ookla is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.