Lead Product Manager

New Jersey Innovation Authority; Trenton (NJ); On-site; USD 149,000 - 183,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid leave

Retirement plan

Job summary

The New Jersey Innovation Authority seeks experienced product managers to lead cross-functional, data-driven teams embedded with a state agency in New Jersey. You will drive end-to-end product and project management, champion user needs with equity and accessibility in mind, and guide agile ceremonies to deliver modern digital services.

You will build and communicate product vision, roadmaps, and release plans, while partnering with agency staff to ensure long-term success and measurable impact

Qualifications

• 7+ years leading the development of multiple digital products or services, preferably civic tech.
• Experience leading organizational change with executive stakeholders.
• Experience with iterative, user-centered, continuous delivery methodologies.
• Ability to translate product vision into detailed requirements and prototypes.
• Experience conducting rapid evidence reviews, user data analysis, and field scans.
• Ability to scope tasks, manage delivery plans, and facilitate sprint ceremonies.
• Proven track record of intrapreneurial initiatives delivering measurable impact.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end product and project management to deliver modern solutions for diverse users in New Jersey.
• Advocate for all end users, ensuring equity, accessibility, and inclusion from the outset.
• Facilitate agile ceremonies (backlog grooming, sprint planning, retrospectives) and oversee iterative design and delivery.
• Translate ambiguous problems into concrete solutions, evaluating custom vs. SAAS options.
• Engage external experts to inform and accelerate product development.

Skills

Product leadership

Agile practices

User-centered design

Stakeholder management

Change management

Data-driven decisions

Executive engagement

Job description

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 work has decreased the amount of time it takes to apply for Unemployment Insurance, made it easier to start, operate, and grow a business in the Garden State, and connected millions of New Jerseyans to government programs, services, and benefits.

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. To learn more about NJIA read our impact report and visit our About Us page.

We are seeking product managers with at least 7 years of experience leading cross-functional teams using data-driven decision making, equitable human-centered design, agile methodologies, and modern practices. You should have demonstrable success solving complex and highly-ambiguous problems in bureaucratic settings, yet preserve an agile and adaptive approach to this role. You should be comfortable working in a startup environment where you think independently and operate with a high degree of autonomy. We’re looking for self-starters who are skilled at driving projects forward while communicating and collaborating closely with the team.

In this role you will be embedded directly with a state agency to employ evidence-based, human-centered, and participatory methodologies and co-create solutions alongside agency staff, transferring skills and methodologies. This position reports to NJIA’s Product Director and will be embedded directly with an agency partner. Responsibilities may include:

Delivering solutions that meet the needs of diverse users across New Jersey

• Lead end-to-end product and project management activities to enable the delivery of modern solutions that meet the needs of users.

• Champion and advocate for all end users of our solutions, ensuring equity, diversity, and accessibility needs are considered from the outset.

• Lead agile ceremonies including backlog grooming, sprint planning, and team retrospectives as needed to support iterative design and delivery goals.

• Take problems that may be poorly specified and find the best solutions, including evaluating custom developed vs. SAAS options.

• Identify and engage with external experts and resources that can inform, improve, and accelerate our products.

Establishing or refining the project environment necessary to operate in partnership with diverse stakeholders

• Develop and communicate the vision, strategy, and product roadmap.

• Develop and maintain documentation such as product outlines, briefs, and release plans.

• Manage state requirements in the delivery of products and services.

• Support team members by helping them clear any challenges they may encounter.

Communicating and collaborating with partners to ensure we are enabling their long-term success

• Drive open communication regarding the project with the public (e.g., blog posts).

• Take part in office-wide initiatives to enable collaboration and support across projects.

Do what’s needed for the team

Execute additional duties and responsibilities to advance our mission and work.

Preferred Technical Experience, Skills and Abilities:

• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience leading the development of multiple digital products or services, or leading the development of multiple features in large products; prior experience in civic technology strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated experience leading organizational change management initiatives with a proven ability to build trusted advisor relationships with executive stakeholders.

• Experience leading teams using modern iterative, user-centered, continuous delivery methodologies.

• Experience creating and managing the product vision based on user research and metrics.

• Proven skill in translating product strategy into detailed requirements and prototypes.

• Experience facilitating the delivery and iteration of digital services by conducting rapid evidence reviews, research, and field scans and effectively analyzing qualitative and quantitative user data.

• Experience scoping and prioritizing technical and design tasks into delivery plans, conducting and supporting regular sprint ceremonies, and facilitating work management and tracking.

• Experience leading products with multiple dependencies requiring joint releases to achieve measurable and demonstrated business objectives.

• Experience leading teams through the adoption of new tools, technologies, or methodologies.

• Proven track record of leading intrapreneurial initiatives that have delivered measurable and significant impact to the organization.

• Skilled in collaborating closely with stakeholders across government to gather their input and enable their success, with experience in reporting progress to them in a clear and concise manner.

• Dedicated to advancing the mission of the New Jersey Innovation Authority and public service, with a strong commitment to accessibility and fostering a more inclusive society.

Term structure

Commitment: Initial 1-year term, with opportunity to renew for additional annual terms.

We welcome applicants from a broad range of backgrounds. If you have any questions, please contact [e-mail].

Compensation: Annual salary of $165,994 commensurate with experience. 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 proud to be an equal opportunity employer

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.

Eligibility

You must be authorized to work in the United States. Candidates may be required to pass a background check and complete additional steps as part of the application and onboarding process. You will be considered an “at-will” employee, meaning both employer and employee have the right to terminate employment with or without cause or notice.