Product Manager (ITS)

Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA); Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 82,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Vision, Dental, Supplemental&

Paid Parental Leave

Tuition Reimbursement

COTA Bus Pass

Public Pension OPERS

Job summary

Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is seeking a Product Manager to lead product strategy and drive roadmaps across the lifecycle. You will align requirements, work with cross-functional teams, and shape investment decisions while supporting the mission of Moving Every Life Forward.

The role emphasizes governance of product features, profitability analyses, and delivering data-driven solutions that improve customer workflows and service delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a scientific, technological or business-related field; advanced degree and MBA strongly preferred.
• Five (5) years relevant work experience in product management, project management, or strategy roles; strong lifecycle knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Product Lifecycle Management: manage lifecycle from idea to sunset and develop roadmaps.
• Strategic Roadmap: align with company strategy and justify feature priorities.
• Product Requirements: write clear requirements with trade-offs.
• Product Delivery: lead development and launch of new features.
• Business Plan/Profitability: justify budgets and KPIs for features.
• Leadership: hire, train, and evaluate staff; ensure compliance with policies.
• Regular, predictable attendance and other duties as assigned.

Skills

Product lifecycle management

Strategic roadmap

Product requirements

Product delivery

Business case / profitability

Staff leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in science/tech/business

Five years in product/strategy roles

Job description

SALARY: $81,702.40 – $96,137.60

LOCATION: 33 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43215

Benefits

• Medical, Vision, Dental, Supplemental and Life Insurance
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Discounts
• COTA Bus Pass
• Wellness Initiatives
• On-Site Chair Massage
• On-Site Health Coach
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Student Loan Repayment Program
• Public Pension through OPERS & Ohio Deferred Compensation

Position Summary

COTA's Product Manager is responsible for developing and leading product strategy and provide business leadership through all stages of the product lifecycle. Leverage deep understanding of customer workflows in order to solve meaningful problems through information-driven solutions. This role will and will be responsible for driving alignment across the organization on roadmap development, prioritization and investment decisions. Performs duties that advance COTA's Strategic Plan and reflect the organization's core values of safety, empowerment, accountability, teamwork, and service, and support the mission of Moving Every Life Forward.

Essential Job Functions

• Product Lifecycle Management – Understands priorities and opportunities, and works with others to manage the lifecycle of key products, systems, and solutions, from initial idea through implementation to operations and maintenance to sunsetting. Identifies solutions to solve problems. Develops compelling and actionable product roadmaps. Prioritizes and sequences product features and technology enhancements given needs and expectations. Leads feature and roadmap definition. Delivers prioritized recommendations and business cases;
• Strategic Roadmap – Develops strategy to mature and evolve key products or systems to effectively support the organization. Internalizes overall company strategy such that it informs requirements and feature prioritization, while also ensuring stability and reliability. Creates and justifies product strategy, conceives new opportunities for major feature/function enhancements;
• Product Requirements - Documents clear and measurable product requirements, makes data-driven prioritization recommendations, and understands practical trade-offs between implementation and functionality and stability and scalability. Creates detailed product specifications using written requirements, business rules, process flows and use cases; incorporates user experience generated deliverables such as prototypes, wireframes and design and copy documents;
• Product Delivery - Manages the development and launch of new features and functionality from concept through implementation and release. Authors requirements and manages the trade-off between meeting timelines or meeting feature sets.
• Business Plan/Product Profitability – Constructs and justifies business plan for approval, including both direct and indirect costs. Defines key performance indicators for existing and future product or system features and functionality. Establishes reliable timelines, resource needs, and budgets.
• Manages and provides leadership for their staff. Hires, trains, develops, and appraises staff effectively. Ensures the organization meets its EEO responsibilities by assisting in identifying problem areas, participating in local minority organizations, participating in review of complaints alleging discrimination, and supporting career counseling for employees. Takes corrective action as necessary, on a timely basis, and in accordance with policy;
• Performs other duties as assigned; and
• Regular, predictable and punctual attendance required.

Minimum Education & Experience Required

• Bachelor's Degree in a scientific, technological or business-related field, or equivalent work experience. Advanced degree in a scientific discipline and/or MBA strongly preferred. Five (5) years relevant work experience in product management, project management, or strategy roles. Strong working knowledge of product and/or systems lifecycle management.

License And Certifications

• PMP or ITIL certification preferred.

COTA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions are based on job needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.