Director, Product Management

About Understood Understood is a nonprofit focused on shaping the world for difference. We raise awareness of the challenges and strengths of people who learn and think differently. Our resources help people navigate challenges, gain confidence, and find support and community so they can thrive.  Having a shared commitment to our values is a key factor in any hire we make. We have five core values:  Continuously learn. 2. Act with intention. 3. Champion difference. 4. Inspire change. 5. Grow together.  Come be part of an organization with an entrepreneurial spirit that’s helping to shape the world for difference. Together, we can build a world where everyone can reach their full potential.  To learn more about Understood, please visit: www.understood.org . Who you are  To advance Understood’s mission and to further our impact, we’re hiring a Director of Product Management, reporting to our VP Product .  Millions of people, who navigate neurodivergence or support someone who does, come to Understood.org to find accessible and trustworthy resources grounded in clinical expertise and evidence.  We are seeking a product leader to set the product direction for how artificial intelligence intersects with our users' everyday lives and lead the strategy, definition, and execution of our AI-based consumer products. This is a high-impact, player-coach role that combines hands-on product leadership with leading and developing other product managers (PMs). You will influence the organization through product strategy leadership, deep technical fluency, and a strong focus on the consumer.  You have a track record of leveraging AI to drive positive consumer and business outcomes, managing PMs and partnering cross-functionally to iteratively deliver effective and engaging product experiences.  This is a hybrid role that requires a minimum of three (3) days a week in our NYC office, with a focus on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. We are a Mac-based environment, and team members are provided a Mac laptop for their work. What you’ll do Drive the AI-enabled product vision: Define and own the strategy and roadmap for our AI-enabled platform that powers a portfolio of personalized consumer solutions, making platform-level tradeoffs based on the needs of the broader portfolio. Additionally, own both the strategy and execution of our flagship consumer-facing AI-chat. Work closely with internal and external subject matter experts to identify and execute on opportunities where machine learning and generative AI can uniquely solve user problems or create new behaviors.  Lead the PM team: Inspire and lead a team of product managers to identify, plan, and deliver high-impact initiatives from zero to one and one and through product-market fit (PMF), regardless of how deeply they leverage AI. Own team priorities and make decisions about talent, resourcing, and how work is allocated across the team. Navigate AI UX challenges: Design products that effectively handle the non-deterministic nature of AI. Champion solutions for latency, model hallucinations, trust, and privacy while maintaining a frictionless consumer experience. Push the boundaries of what is feasible while managing tradeoffs between model size, cost, and speed, while ensuring we use AI safely and responsibly. Establish data flywheels: Design intuitive mechanisms for continuous model improvement, ensuring that user interactions create feedback loops that make the product smarter over time. Build strong cross-functional partnerships with Design, UX Research, Engineering, Subject Matter Experts (e.g., AI researchers, data scientists, clinical experts), Marketing, and Content teams. Make tradeoffs across teams and initiatives when priorities compete. Define and measure success: Refine and own KPIs that evaluate both the underlying AI performance (accuracy, speed) and the consumer outcome (retention, engagement, and other measures of user value). Use data and insights to shape product strategy, priorities, and investment decisions . Be an advocate for our product, team, and values Minimum qualifications In this role, you bring leadership experience and the ability to set direction across a capability. You also own team-level priorities, manage multiple direct reports, including hiring and resourcing decisions, own the team budget, and communicate directly with the leadership and executive leadership teams. We don't expect a perfect match across every category. What matters is relevant experience, genuine interest in the work, and a mindset for growth. Leadership and people Experience: 10+ years of product management experience in consumer-facing technology, including 3+ years leading a team or area of the business in a fast-moving or complex environment. You have owned team-level priorities and delivered results that have had an impact across the organization. People leadership and development: You have 3+ years of experience managing product managers and managing multiple direct reports. You make decisions on hiring, team structure, and resourcing for the team. You coach and develop people. You build a culture where people feel they belong, stay engaged, and hold themselves accountable. You keep the team motivated through change and resistance. Stakeholder and cross-functional partnership: You work effectively with leaders in other functions, senior leaders, and direct reports. You make tradeoffs across teams when priorities compete. You build strong working relationships up, down, and across the organization, including in a hybrid setting. Strategy, execution, and data Domain expertise: You have deep expertise in consumer product management, including experience building and shipping AI/ML-driven consumer products. You have a track record of leveraging AI to drive positive consumer and business outcomes and creating intuitive consumer experiences from complex technology. Strategic thinking and e