Product Manager

Overview

The New Jersey State Office of Innovation 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 the Office of Innovation (OOI). 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 the New Jersey State Office of Innovation, read our impact report and visit our About Us page.

We are seeking product managers with at least 5 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. This position will report to the Product Director and collaborate closely with their Initiative Director to align their team’s work with the broader Resident Experience or Business Experience portfolio strategy. Your 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 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 as a high performing cross-functional team 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 throughout the state 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 the Office of Innovation’s mission and work.

Preferred Technical Experience, Skills, and Abilities

• A minimum of 5 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.
• 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…