Director of Product Management

At the MBTA, we envision a thriving region enabled by a best-in-class transit system. Our mission is to serve the public by providing safe, reliable, and accessible transportation. MBTA’s Core Values are built around safety, service, equity, sustainability, and culture. Each employee that works for the MBTA performs their roles based on our vision, mission, and values. This includes attendance, participation, and contribution in local safety committee meetings as needed.

Job Summary

The Technology Innovation Department (TID) at the MBTA is a technology team focused on making our transit system easy for all riders to use. The Director of Product Management sets product strategy and oversees its implementation within a TID program and all the products within its scope, including identifying risks to and enabling product management, product development, and cross-functional collaboration.

The Director supports the Senior Director of Product in articulating a vision for how TID practices the craft of product development. The Director supports the product managers and deputy directors that report into them by setting and iterating on product management best practices, and contributes to TID-wide strategic roadmapping, visioning, and outcome-setting.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead the product management function for a TID Program, supporting multiple rider- or operations-facing products that are critical to the TID mission and are deeply technical in nature.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to define program-level vision, strategy, and goals aligned with Program leads' goals.
• Ensure product teams are equipped to deliver outcomes that serve broader departmental priorities, including providing coaching and support in day-to-day product management to translate vision into execution.
• Build strong relationships within the assigned Program area, with relevant stakeholders at the MBTA, and in the industry to ensure that our work is aligned with the agency’s mission and industry best practices.
• Define Program-level strategy in collaboration with cross-functional peers in Program, Research, UX Design, and Engineering to shape Program-level vision, outcomes, and investment priorities.
• Work with Program leadership and cross-functional peers on new project ideas/proposals, program-level prioritization, and long-term roadmapping in accordance with defined strategy.
• Support product managers in translating high-level goals into actionable team-level outcomes, KPIs, and roadmaps.
• Inform and incorporate strategic goals into individual team priorities and roadmaps, monitor product development initiatives, and collaborate with stakeholders within the department and across the authority.
• Mitigate risk for product development initiatives by coaching product managers to proactively identify potential risks, develop mitigation strategies, and incorporate risk planning into their product development process.
• Lead and develop product management staff (including contracted staff) within a Program area, including organizational planning, performance management, position descriptions, hiring, and professional growth as applicable.
  • Determine staffing strategy and resource allocation to meet program outcomes.
  • Administer performance review processes.
  • Mentor and coach staff on product management processes and best practices.
  • Investigate performance concerns and implement corrective actions.
• Uphold high standards of execution quality and help product managers and teams reflect on and learn from their delivery processes.
  • Support day-to-day operations of cross-functional (i.e., combined design, engineering, product) teams within one TID Program area to help them efficiently deliver value to MBTA riders and front-line staff.
  • Act as an escalation and support point for product teams experiencing delivery issues and partner with cross-functional peers to resolve these issues.
  • Manage the financial and human resources processes for the product management function, including:
    • Reconciling financial statements for accuracy, participating in developing pro forma, informing operating budget, supporting development of capital improvement project budgets, and approving budgeted procurements.
    • Establishing best practices for people management, managing staff concerns and conduct issues, and administering performance appraisals and evaluations.
• Direct the recruitment process for the product management function within a Program, including:
  • Creating and revising position descriptions, reviewing applicant resumes from recruiter, and interviewing applicants
  • When required, collaborate with other projects and programs on joint recruitment efforts
• Inform and incorporate strategic plan goals into team processes, monitor status of action items and report status to stakeholders within the department and across the authority
• Support the professional development of individual contributors and product management deputy directors, helping them navigate their challenges, and ensuring they have the necessary skills and resources.
• Foster collaboration between different functional groups and ensure that technical staff work effectively with user-experience designers, researchers, software engineers and project teams across the department and MBTA.
• As a member of TID leadership, this role is responsible for leading, practicing and upholding TID’sworking agreements, which are essential to the department’s success.
• Perform all other duties and projects that may be assigned.

Supervision

• Supervises up to seven (7) Product Managers and/or Deputy Directors of Product.

Minimum Requirements & Qualifications

• Seven (7) years of progressive experience in product development and/or product management, including demonstrated success in defining product strategy, building multi-year roadmaps, and implementing standardized product management processes.
• Five (5) years of leadership, managerial, and/or supervisory experience.
• Experience developing a product roadmap, quarterly roadmapping process, and/or standardized product management processes.
• Proven ability to translate vision into actionable outcomes, mitigate delivery risks, and coach teams on best practices.
• Strong communication, organizational, and stakeholder management skills.
• Familiarity with tools and methodologies for outcome-driven product development.

Substitutions Include

• A high school diploma or GED with an additional seven (7) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor’s degree requirement.
• An associate’s degree from an accredited institution and an additional three (3) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor’s degree requirement.
• A master’s degree in a related subject substitutes for two (2) years of general experience.
• A nationally recognized certification, or statewide/professional certification in a related field substitutes for one (1) year of experience.

Preferred Experience

• Experience in public sector, transportation agency, and/or civic technology team.

Job Conditions:

• Ability to effectively read, comprehend, communicate, and respond to instructions, orders, signs, notices, inquiries, etc. in English.
• Be at least eighteen (18) years of age, except if participating in an approved high school internship / co-op program.
• Ability to commute to assigned work locations in the Boston, MA metro area, as required by the role.
• Ability to provide internal and external customers with courteous and professional experiences.
• Ability to work effectively, independently, and as part of a diverse workforce team (or supervise, if required).
• Ability to uphold the rights and interests of the MBTA while building and maintaining effective relationships with employees and co-workers.
• Ability to adhere to rules, regulations, collective bargaining agreements (if applicable), and policies of the MBTA, including the EEO, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, and anti-retaliation policies.
• Have a satisfactory work record for the two (2) years immediately prior to the closing date of this posting (unless if current student or recent graduate), including overall employment, job performance, discipline, and safety records (infractions and/or offenses occurring after the closing of the posting and before the filling of a vacancy may preclude a candidate from consideration for selection).
• Ability to pass a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, comprehensive background screening, and / or medical Clinic screening, potentially including physical examination and drug and alcohol screenings.
• Ability to work all shifts and / or locations assigned, directed, or necessary for this position, including (for some transit / operations roles) up to twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week as necessary to accommodate severe weather conditions, emergencies, or any other circumstances that may potentially impact service or the safety of service.
• Intern / co-op staff must be enrolled full or part-time in an accredited educational program and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 for the entire duration of the internship / co-op. Additionally, interns / co-ops must have valid work authorization and U.S. Social Security Number prior to starting pre-employment screenings / pre-boarding, working in their positions, and throughout the duration of their program.

Disclaimers and Definitions: