AI Product Manager

Sabenza IT & Recruitment; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Sabenza IT & Recruitment is seeking an AI Product Manager to translate business problems into AI-enabled product bets and execute with clear governance. You will own discovery, business cases, requirements, and delivery with data science and engineering teams while ensuring accountability and measurable outcomes.

The role focuses on defining AI strategies, governance controls, data readiness, and ROI through collaboration with stakeholders across the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field is required.
• 5+ years in Product Management, Product Ownership, Business Analysis or digital product delivery.
• Proven delivery of AI, data, analytics or enterprise technology products.
• Hands-on Agile experience with roadmaps, backlogs, user stories and sprint delivery.
• Experience building business cases, ROI models and value-realisation frameworks.
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of AI, Machine Learning and Generative AI.
• Experience with AI pilots, proof of concepts, model evaluation and performance monitoring.
• Understanding of data governance, data quality, data readiness and analytics.
• Knowledge of Responsible AI, ethics, privacy and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Own product strategy, discovery, and governance for responsible AI initiatives.
• Translate business needs into clear requirements for data scientists and engineers.
• Define human oversight, fallback processes and regulatory considerations.
• Manage backlogs, priorities, milestones and releases across AI initiatives.
• Define KPIs, monitor performance and ensure business value realization.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Data Science, Business Science or a related field (Matric required)

Job description

Build products that make AI useful, not just impressive.

We are looking for an AI Product Manager who can spot real business problems, turn them into clear product bets, and deliver AI solutions that teams actually use and leaders can measure.

You will own the path from idea to impact. That means discovery, business cases, requirements, delivery with data and engineering teams, and the governance that keeps AI safe and accountable.

What you will do:

Strategy and discovery

• Find and prioritise AI opportunities based on value, feasibility, risk, cost and data readiness
  
• Set the product vision, outcomes and success measures
  
• Build business cases and prioritisation frameworks
  
• Run market research, competitor analysis and customer discovery
  

Requirements and design

• Own product requirements, user journeys, business rules and acceptance criteria.
  
• Translate business needs into clear work for technical teams.
  
• Define human oversight, exception handling and fallback processes.
  

Delivery

• Partner with data scientists, AI engineers, ML engineers and architects
  
• Support model and technology choices on quality, explainability, cost, security and scale
  
• Set data requirements, governance controls and integration needs
  
• Manage the backlog, sprint priorities, milestones and releases
  

Evaluation and performance

• Define KPIs, testing approaches, benchmarks and monitoring
  
• Track adoption, quality, cost and business outcomes
  
• Drive improvement from performance data and user feedback
  

Responsible AI and governance

• Apply Responsible AI, privacy and regulatory requirements across the lifecycle
  
• Work with Risk, Security, Legal and Compliance on approvals and controls
  
• Manage operational ownership and risk remediation
  
• Shape positioning, pricing and value propositions
  
• Assess ROI, profitability and cost recovery
  
• Support adoption, training and stakeholder engagement
  
• Measure realised value against the business case
  

Requirements

Key requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Data Science, Business Science or a related field (Matric required)
  
• 5+ years in Product Management, Product Ownership, Business Analysis or digital product delivery
  
• Proven delivery of AI, data, analytics or enterprise technology products
  
• Hands‑on Agile experience with roadmaps, backlogs, user stories and sprint delivery
  
• Experience building business cases, ROI models and value‑realisation frameworks
  
• Experience managing cross‑functional teams and senior stakeholders
  
• Working knowledge of AI, Machine Learning and Generative AI
  
• Experience with AI pilots, proof of concepts, model evaluation and performance monitoring
  
• Understanding of data governance, data quality, data readiness and analytics
  
• Knowledge of Responsible AI, ethics, privacy and compliance