Product Manager for Research and Discovery

Product Manager for Research & Discovery

The Product Manager for Research & Discovery is responsible for turning ambiguous business needs into clear, validated, and estimate-ready problem definitions. This role runs discovery, maps cross-channel journeys, identifies constraints, and produces the “Discovery Packet” required for IT to provide accurate estimates and for leadership to make investment decisions.

This is a hands-on discovery and research role, not a delivery role and not a people-management role.

• Convert vague business problems into fully defined opportunities with customer business regulatory framing.
• Produce “shovel-ready? Discovery Packets to support IT estimation, capital requests, and strategic prioritization.
• Works with the Senior Manager of Product to create ROI models (when needed).
• Translate scattered backlog into strategic themes.

• Lead customer research: interviews, usability tests, concept validation, and prototype creation/feedback.
• Leverage call center data, QM analytics, and operational insights to validate root causes.
• Works with Senior Manager of Product to identify regulatory constraints affecting the solution space.
• Product service blueprints, journey maps, business rule definition and low-fidelity prototypes.

• Aligns with Domain PMs to understand end-to-end journey impacts and constraints early.
• Works with Domain PMs to define MVP boundaries and ensure IT estimates are based on realistic, validated scope.
• Ensure all discovery artifacts are aligned before transitioning work to estimation or execution.

• 5 years in Discovery, UX Research, Product Strategy, and Service Design.
• Strong skills in blueprinting, journey mapping, and early-stage prototyping.
• Ability to translate user needs and operational insights into business value.
• Strong synthesis, facilitation, and problem-facing capabilities.

• Experience in large, complex, and regulated enterprises (preferred).