Product Management Transformation and AI Excellence Director

Xylem; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision plans

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Xylem is seeking a visionary and execution-oriented leader to serve as Global Process Owner for Product Management, driving a multi-year transformation across segments, regions, and business units. This role will architect a future-state operating model that simplifies work and embeds AI-enabled capabilities throughout the product lifecycle.

Initially, focus will be on design and implementation of the future-state process, tools, governance, and operating model, followed by long-term ownership,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Technology or related field.
• MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years in product management, process excellence, or business transformation.
• Experience leading large-scale cross-functional transformation initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and delivery of the future-state Product Management operating model.
• Reimagine end-to-end processes from concept through retirement.
• Define governance, roles, and performance metrics for global adoption.
• Integrate AI-enabled capabilities across the PM lifecycle.
• Drive cross-functional alignment with senior stakeholders.
• Establish global standards and measure business impact.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Executive influence

Facilitation & communication

Strategic thinking

Change management

Cross-functional leadership

Process design

Transformation programs

Lean/Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Engineering/Technology

MBA or advanced degree

Tools

PLM

Workflow technologies

Job description

## Product Management Transformation and AI Excellence DirectorApply: Hybrid: Charlotte, North Carolina: Full time: Posted 5 Days Ago: R51022Xylem is a Fortune 500 global water solutions company dedicated to advancing sustainable impact and empowering the people who make water work every day. As a leading water technology company with 23,000 employees operating in over 150 countries, Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the world's most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team, dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions.**THE ROLE:**We are seeking a visionary and execution-oriented leader to serve as the Global Process Owner for Product Management, responsible for defining, designing, and institutionalizing Xylem's next-generation Product Management operating model. This role will lead a multi-year transformation to reimagine the end-to-end product management process, from idea generation through commercialization, lifecycle management, and retirement. Working across segments, divisions/business units, functions, and external partners, the Global Process Owner will architect a future-state framework that simplifies work, improves business outcomes, and embeds AI-enabled capabilities throughout the product lifecycle. Initially, this role will focus on designing and implementing the future-state process, tools, governance, and operating model. Following implementation, the role will assume long-term ownership of the process, driving adoption, optimization, performance management, and continuous innovation. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape how Product Management operates at Xylem for years to come.**CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:** To perform the job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. ## **Enterprise Product Management Transformation**· Lead the design and delivery of Xylem's future-state Product Management operating model.· Reimagine end-to-end product management processes from concept through retirement, challenging legacy assumptions and identifying opportunities for simplification and acceleration.· Develop a scalable framework that can be adopted consistently across segments, regions, and business units while accommodating necessary business differences.· Define future-state workflows, decision points, governance structures, roles, responsibilities, and performance measures.## **AI-Enabled Process Innovation**· Identify and integrate AI-enabled capabilities across the Product Management lifecycle.· Partner with Digital, Data & Analytics, Product Management Excellence, and external experts to incorporate automation, predictive insights, and generative AI into core workflows.· Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend investments that enhance decision quality, productivity, and business outcomes.· Establish a roadmap for continuous advancement of AI-powered product management capabilities.## **Cross-Functional Leadership**· Lead a diverse network of stakeholders spanning Product Management, Engineering, R&D, Commercial, Finance, Operations, IT, Data & Analytics, PLM, and executive leadership.· Facilitate workshops, design sessions, and alignment activities to build consensus around future-state processes.· Partner with external consultants, technology providers, and industry experts to leverage best practices and accelerate transformation.· Drive enterprise-wide engagement and sponsorship to ensure successful adoption.## **Process Governance & Ownership**· Establish global standards, policies, governance mechanisms, and decision frameworks supporting product management excellence.· Define process performance metrics and business outcome measures.· Ensure alignment between Product Management processes and enterprise initiatives, including PLM, ERP, digital transformation, innovation management, and portfolio governance.· Serve as the long-term owner of the Product Management operating model after implementation.## **Change Management & Capability Building**· Develop and execute enterprise change management strategies supporting process adoption.· Partner with Product Management Academy and Community of Practice leaders to embed new ways of working.· Create training, communication, and enablement approaches to scale adoption globally.· Champion a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.## **Continuous Improvement**· Monitor process effectiveness, user experience, compliance, and business impact.· Establish mechanisms for ongoing feedback and optimization.· Maintain a strategic roadmap for future enhancements and capability expansion.· Benchmark against industry-leading organizations and emerging best practices.**Success Measures**Success in this role will be measured by:· Successful design and implementation of the future-state Product Management operating model.· Adoption of standardized processes across business units.· Measurable productivity improvements enabled by AI capabilities.· Simplification of product management workflows and reduction of administrative burden.· Improved portfolio decision-making and execution effectiveness.· Increased user satisfaction and process adoption.· Establishment of sustainable governance and continuous improvement mechanisms.· Demonstrated business impact from the transformation effort.**QUALIFICATIONS:****Required:**· Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Technology, or a related field.· 10+ years of experience in Product Management, Product Development, Process Excellence, Business Transformation, or related disciplines.· Experience leading large-scale cross-functional transformation initiatives.· Demonstrated ability to design and implement enterprise processes and operating models.· Strong stakeholder management and executive influence skills.· Experience driving organizational change across global organizations.· Excellent facilitation, communication, and strategic thinking capabilities.**Preferred**· MBA or advanced degree.· Experience with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Innovation Management, Portfolio Management, or Product Development processes.· Experience incorporating AI, automation, digital capabilities, or workflow technologies into business processes.· Experience working with consulting firms or leading enterprise transformation programs.· Familiarity with process excellence methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, Business Process Management, or Design Thinking The salary range for this position is $160,000 to $175,000 plus bonus. Starting pay is dependent on multiple factors, such as skills, experience, and work location, and is not typically at the top of the range. At Xylem, we offer a competitive compensation package with a generous benefit package, including Medical, Dental, and Vision plans, 401(k) with company contribution, paid time off, paid parental leave, and tuition reimbursement.