Director, Products

Job Description:

We are seeking an experienced Agile Product Owner to bridge strategic vision and tactical execution across a complex digital transformation initiative. This role will translate strategic outputs including North Star Vision, Experience Strategy, Content Strategy, and Design artifacts into actionable, sequenced execution plans for implementation across design, technology, and content workstreams.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Translation & Execution Planning

- Transform strategic deliverables (North Star Vision, Experience Strategy, Content Strategy, Designs) into detailed, actionable execution plans across all workstreams
- Create and maintain product roadmaps that connect strategic vision to tactical implementation milestones
- Develop sprint planning frameworks that align with overarching strategic objectives
- Define, track, and report on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) to measure progress against strategic goals and initiative success

Cross-Functional Dependency Management

- Identify, document, and manage dependencies across design, technology, and content workstreams
- Sequence work to optimize parallel progress while respecting technical and creative dependencies
- Proactively surface risks and blockers that could impact cross-team delivery
- Facilitate dependency resolution sessions and ensure alignment on critical path items

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

- Serve as primary liaison with client stakeholders for scheduling, feedback cycles, and status communication
- Optimize stakeholder communication cadences to balance transparency with team productivity
- Manage feedback intake, prioritization, and integration into sprint cycles
- Facilitate effective decision-making processes with client leadership

Design & Technology Coordination

- Coordinate handoffs and collaboration between design and development teams as Figma components are created
- Manage Storybook implementation progress and ensure design-development alignment
- Track component development lifecycle from design through implementation and testing
- Ensure design system governance and quality standards are maintained
- Ability to coordinate across frontend, backend, and infrastructure teams to ensure end-to-end solution delivery

Brand & Design System Alignment

- Work with brand stakeholders to prioritize token development, component creation, and design system evolution
- Align multi-brand usage expectations and requirements with design system capabilities
- Manage brand-specific customization requests within design system architecture
- Balance standardization needs with brand differentiation requirements

Backlog & Sprint Management

- Maintain and strategically prioritize product backlogs across all workstreams based on business value, strategic alignment, dependencies, and risk
- Apply prioritization frameworks (e.g., RICE, WSJF, Value vs. Effort) to make data-informed decisions on feature sequencing
- Balance competing priorities across stakeholder groups while maintaining focus on strategic objectives and long-term vision
- Conduct regular backlog refinement sessions to ensure stories are properly sized, sequenced, and aligned with strategic goals
- Make trade-off decisions between scope, timeline, and quality with clear rationale tied to strategic impact
- Lead sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives
- Define and refine user stories with clear acceptance criteria
- Ensure team velocity and capacity planning support delivery commitments

Required Qualifications

Experience

- 5+ years of experience as a Product Owner or similar role (Business Analyst) in agile environments
- Proven track record managing complex, multi-workstream digital initiatives
- Experience bridging strategy and execution in enterprise environments
- Demonstrated success managing cross-functional teams and dependencies

Technical Understanding

- Deep understanding of digital ecosystem architecture including: Headless CMS platforms and content management strategies
- AI-powered search and discovery systems
- Data platforms and analytics integration
- Design system architecture and component libraries
- Enterprise content strategy and governance

- Familiarity with modern front-end development workflows (Figma, Storybook, component libraries)
- Understanding of design tokens, atomic design principles, and design system methodology

Stakeholder Management

- Exceptional communication skills with ability to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences
- Experience managing client relationships and expectations in consulting or agency environments
- Skilled at facilitating difficult conversations and driving consensus
- Proven ability to manage competing priorities and stakeholder interests

Agile Expertise

- Strong command of agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, or hybrid approaches)
- Experience with agile tools (Jira, Azure DevOps, or similar)
- Ability to adapt agile practices to organizational context and constraints

Preferred Qualifications

- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certification
- Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) certification
- Experience with design systems at scale across multiple brands or properties
- Background in UX design, content strategy, or technical architecture
- Experience in highly regulated industries or complex organizational structures
- Previous consulting or agency experience managing client delivery
- Experience in prototyping

What Success Looks Like

- Seamless transition from strategic vision to tactical execution with clear, actionable plans
- High stakeholder satisfaction with communication, transparency, and delivery
- Efficient cross-team collaboration with minimal blocking dependencies
- On-time, high-quality delivery of design system components and digital experiences
- Strong team velocity and predictable sprint outcomes
- Effective alignment between brand requirements and technical implementation

The hourly pay range for this position is $75.00. The hourly pay rate for the successful candidate is based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and other factors permitted by law.  Temporary employees are eligible for paid holidays in accordance with dentsu policy, as well as safe and sick time. This position is not eligible for any other benefits or other compensation.

To begin the application process, please click on the “Apply” button at the top of this job posting. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and qualified candidates will be contacted for next steps.

#LI-SG1 #LI-Remote

Location:
USA - Remote - New York

Brand:
Merkle

Time Type:
Full time

Contract Type:
Temporary

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