Director of Product & Strategy, CXM Flex

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Director of Product & Strategy, CXM Flex

Company: Quadient

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Management / Strategy (with a strong GTM Operations focus)

Date Posted: September 11, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Owns the strategic vision, product roadmap, and financial outcomes for Quadient's on-premise and customer-hosted Inspire portfolio (CXM Flex).

• Leads a focused Product Management team responsible for a critical install base of enterprise customers in regulated industries.

• Drives platform modernization initiatives, including containerization, modern APIs, and AI integration, within on-premise and hybrid environments.

• Develops and operationalizes migration strategies and tooling to guide customers towards Quadient's CXM SaaS offering.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role sits at the nexus of mature product stewardship and strategic modernization. While titled "Director of Product & Strategy," the emphasis on managing an on-premise install base, driving migration paths, and ensuring customer success in regulated environments places a significant operational component on this position, demanding strong GTM Operations alignment and an understanding of customer lifecycle management in complex enterprise settings.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and articulate the long-term product vision and multi-year strategy for the CXM Flex portfolio, balancing investment in sustaining the current install base with modernization efforts and cloud migration enablement.

• Translate complex enterprise customer requirements—specifically around security, data sovereignty, regulatory residency, air-gapped environments, and FIPS/FedRAMP-adjacent expectations—into actionable product capabilities and roadmap priorities.

• Lead and develop a dedicated on-premise CXM Product Management team, ensuring clear ownership and execution across compliance, design, composition, delivery, and administration capabilities.

• Partner closely with R&D leadership to ensure a predictable release cadence, maintain high product quality, and support customers running long-running production versions of the platform.

• Drive critical platform modernization initiatives such as containerization, modern API development, identity and SSO modernization, enhanced observability, and AI integration patterns that are compatible with both on-premise and hybrid topologies.

• Develop and operationalize the migration narrative, including necessary tooling, to facilitate the transition of on-premise customers to Quadient's CXM SaaS offering at their own pace.

• Establish and enforce robust product management practices, including clear policies on backward compatibility, deprecation, and long-term support commitments for the CXM Flex portfolio.

• Integrate valuable insights from Customer Success, Professional Services, and Support teams into product prioritization and roadmap development to ensure customer needs are met.

• Protect and grow the on-premise Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) and Net Revenue Retention (NRR), while contributing to Quadient's broader cloud transition goals.

• Collaborate with Sales, Product Marketing Management (PMM), and Customer Success to craft clear product positioning, competitive enablement materials, and confident renewal motions for the CXM Flex offering.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a deep need for strategic planning that balances the needs of a mature, on-premise customer base with the company's cloud transition objectives. This requires a strong understanding of GTM strategy, revenue retention, and customer lifecycle management, all critical components of revenue and sales operations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field. Master's degree or MBA strongly preferred.

Experience: 12-15+ years of progressive product management experience in enterprise software or SaaS environments, with a minimum of 7 years in a leadership capacity, managing and mentoring product managers.

Required Skills:

• Deep expertise in Customer Communications Management (CCM), Customer Experience Management (CXM), enterprise content management, document composition, or adjacent regulated communications domains.

• Proven track record managing the full product lifecycle of a mature on-premise or self-hosted enterprise platform, including versioning, lifecycle management, deprecation strategies, and long-term support commitments.

• Strong technical fluency in enterprise architecture principles, API design and management, identity and access management (IAM), various deployment topologies (on-premise, private cloud, hybrid), and understanding of security and compliance requirements (e.g., FIPS, FedRAMP).

• Demonstrated success in guiding enterprise customers and product lines through complex cloud migration journeys while preserving and growing strategic account relationships.

• Exceptional executive-level communication, presentation, and stakeholder leadership skills, with the ability to influence across all levels of an organization and with external strategic accounts.

• Experience in highly regulated industries such as financial services, insurance, healthcare, or government agencies is a significant advantage. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with containerization technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) and their application in enterprise deployments.

• Familiarity with AI and Machine Learning integration patterns within enterprise software, particularly concerning data privacy and residency.

• Product P&L management experience, demonstrating accountability for financial outcomes.

• Experience with M&A due diligence and integration related to product portfolios.

• Familiarity with analyst relations and participation in industry evaluations (e.g., Gartner, Forrester).

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements, particularly "managing the product lifecycle of a mature on-premise or self-hosted enterprise platform," strongly suggest a need for operational expertise in managing complex software deployments, upgrade paths, and customer success for long-term contracts, aligning with GTM and Sales Operations principles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a portfolio showcasing successful product strategy development and execution for complex enterprise software, particularly in on-premise or hybrid environments.

• Include case studies that highlight your ability to define and execute product roadmaps, prioritizing features that address stringent security, compliance, and data sovereignty needs.

• Present examples of how you have managed product lifecycles for mature platforms, including strategies for modernization, deprecation, and customer migration to newer solutions.

• Showcase evidence of driving measurable business outcomes, such as ARR growth, NRR improvement, and successful customer transitions, supported by data and clear ROI. Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of documented product strategies, including market analysis, competitive positioning, and long-term vision articulation for enterprise software.

• Showcase process workflows for gathering and prioritizing customer requirements, particularly those stemming from regulated industries or unique deployment constraints.

• Illustrate processes for collaborating with R&D, Customer Success, and Sales to ensure product quality, timely delivery, and effective go-to-market execution for on-premise solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Director-level role focused on strategy and product, a portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking, roadmap execution, and tangible business impact is crucial. This includes showcasing how product decisions translate into operational success for both the company and its enterprise clients.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Director of Product & Strategy with 12-15+ years of experience in London, UK, for enterprise software, the estimated salary range is £120,000 - £170,000 per annum. This range accounts for the senior leadership level, specialized expertise in regulated industries and on-premise enterprise platforms, and the cost of living in London.

Benefits:

• Flexible Work: Hybrid work model offering a balance between remote work and in-office collaboration.

• Continuous Learning: Access to a global 24/7 online learning platform for professional development and skill enhancement.

• Community Engagement: Opportunities to participate in Empowered Communities and a dedicated Philanthropy program.

• Comprehensive Total Rewards: Competitive compensation package including wellness programs, work/life balance initiatives, and a generous referral scheme.

• Wellbeing Support: Complimentary employee assistance program providing mental health and well-being resources.

• Pension Scheme: Contribution to a workplace pension plan.

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive private medical insurance coverage.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on research from reputable sources for senior product leadership roles in London, UK, considering the specific requirements for enterprise software, regulated industries, and on-premise/hybrid management. Benefits are derived directly from the provided job description, emphasizing their relevance to work-life balance and professional growth, key considerations for operations professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / Technology (specifically Customer Communications Management - CCM, and Customer Experience Management - CXM)

Company Size: Quadient operates globally and is a significant player in its market. The company size, likely in the thousands of employees worldwide, suggests a structured environment with established processes but also opportunities for significant impact.

Founded: Quadient was founded in 2009 (as Neopost, rebranding to Quadient in 2019), indicating a company with a solid history and evolution in the digital transformation space.

Team Structure:

• The CXM Flex Product Management team is described as "small, focused," suggesting a lean and agile unit within a larger product organization.

• This role reports to the SVP of Product, indicating a senior leadership position within the product department, with direct influence on strategic direction.

• Close collaboration is expected with R&D, Customer Success, Professional Services, Sales, and Product Marketing Management (PMM), highlighting a cross-functional, GTM-aligned operational structure. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Product Strategy: Emphasis on translating enterprise customer requirements and market dynamics into a strategic roadmap.

• Platform Modernization: Focus on adopting modern technologies like containerization, APIs, and AI within existing infrastructure.

• Customer-Centric Migration: Developing clear pathways and support systems for customers transitioning from on-premise to SaaS solutions.

• Operational Excellence: Maintaining high product quality, predictable release cadences, and robust support for a mature install base.

Company Website: https://www.quadient.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of Quadient's mission to "support businesses of all sizes in their digital transformation and growth journey" and its focus on "automation processes" aligns perfectly with the operational core of GTM and Revenue Operations. The specific mention of "CXM Flex" and its on-premise nature within a larger SaaS strategy indicates a nuanced operational challenge of managing diverse customer needs and transition plans.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership role, a "Director" position, signifying significant responsibility and strategic influence. It's positioned at a level where decisions directly impact a substantial revenue stream and customer base. The role requires a blend of strategic vision, product execution oversight, and people management.

Reporting Structure: The Director reports to the SVP of Product, placing them within the executive product leadership team. This provides visibility to senior leadership and opportunities to influence broader company strategy. They will also lead a small team of Product Managers, developing their skills and guiding their contributions.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct and substantial impact on revenue retention and growth for a strategically vital segment of Quadient's business. By managing the CXM Flex portfolio, the Director influences ARR, NRR, and the success of customer migration strategies, which are critical for the company's overall cloud transition and long-term financial health. Their work also shapes customer perception and satisfaction within heavily regulated industries, impacting Quadient's reputation and market standing.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership: Opportunity to shape the future of Quadient's on-premise and hybrid CXM offerings, potentially leading to broader product leadership roles or VP-level positions within the organization.

• Cloud Migration Expertise: Developing deep expertise in managing complex customer migrations from on-premise to SaaS, a highly sought-after skill in the current enterprise software market.

• Team Development: Mentoring and growing a team of Product Managers, honing leadership and people management capabilities.

• Industry Influence: Representing Quadient externally with strategic customers and industry analysts, building personal brand and influence in the CCM/CXM space.

• P&L Management: Gaining direct experience managing product P&L, a critical skill for executive leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path for this role is clearly defined towards senior product leadership and strategic influence. The emphasis on managing a legacy install base while driving modernization and migration is a complex operational challenge that builds highly valuable experience for future GTM and revenue leadership roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, blending remote and in-office collaboration. This suggests a modern approach to work flexibility, acknowledging the need for both focused independent work and in-person team interaction.

Office Location(s): London, England, United Kingdom. This central location offers access to a diverse talent pool and a vibrant business ecosystem.

Workspace Context:

• The hybrid model implies a need for robust digital collaboration tools and well-defined processes for remote engagement.

• Office presence will likely facilitate strategic planning sessions, team building, and key stakeholder meetings where face-to-face interaction is beneficial.

• Collaboration with R&D, Customer Success, and Sales will require effective communication across different work arrangements (hybrid, potentially remote or on-site for other teams).

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) with the flexibility afforded by the hybrid arrangement. This allows for effective management of product lifecycles, release cadences, and customer engagement without strict adherence to a rigid daily schedule, beneficial for complex enterprise software operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment is a key aspect of Quadient's "Smart Work" approach, emphasizing flexibility and engagement. For operations roles, this means proficiency in digital collaboration tools and the ability to manage processes and teams effectively across different locations and work modes.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of resume and LinkedIn profile focusing on product management leadership, enterprise software, and experience with on-premise/regulated environments.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion of strategic vision, leadership philosophy, experience with product lifecycle management for mature platforms, and understanding of GTM operations. Expect questions on how you'd approach modernizing an on-premise portfolio and driving SaaS migration.

• Product Team/Peer Interviews: Deeper dive into technical fluency (architecture, APIs, security), product management methodologies, and ability to lead a team. You may be asked to discuss specific examples of overcoming technical or market challenges.

• Executive/SVP Interview: Strategic vision, P&L understanding, stakeholder management at the highest level, and alignment with Quadient's overall business objectives and culture.

• Portfolio Presentation: A key component will likely involve presenting a case study or overview of a past product initiative, demonstrating strategic thinking, execution, and business impact.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Strategic Impact: Highlight how your product strategies translated into tangible business outcomes for the company and its customers (e.g., ARR growth, improved NRR, successful migration rates).

• Showcase On-Premise Expertise: Clearly articulate your experience managing mature, on-premise enterprise platforms, including challenges related to versioning, support, and modernization.

• Demonstrate GTM Alignment: Explain how your product decisions supported sales enablement, customer success initiatives, and drove successful renewals and migrations.

• Quantify Achievements: Use metrics and data wherever possible to demonstrate the impact of your work (e.g., "Increased customer retention by X%", "Successfully migrated Y% of install base to cloud").

• Address Regulatory Nuances: If applicable, showcase your understanding of security, data sovereignty, and compliance requirements in regulated industries.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss how you would define the product vision for CXM Flex, balancing existing customer needs with future cloud strategy.

• Prepare to articulate your approach to leading a product team through modernization efforts and driving adoption of new technologies like AI in on-premise contexts.

• Think about how you would operationalize a migration strategy from on-premise to SaaS, considering customer adoption barriers and support requirements.

• Anticipate questions about managing product P&L and working with sales and customer success to achieve revenue targets.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Director-level role is rigorous, emphasizing strategic thinking, leadership, and operational execution. A well-prepared portfolio that clearly articulates success in managing complex enterprise software lifecycles and driving GTM objectives is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Product Management Platforms: Tools like Jira, Confluence, Aha!, Productboard, or similar for roadmap planning, backlog management, and requirements documentation.

• Collaboration Suites: Microsoft 365 (Teams, SharePoint, Outlook) or Google Workspace for daily communication, document sharing, and project collaboration.

• CRM Systems: Salesforce or similar CRM for understanding customer data, sales pipelines, and customer success interactions, essential for GTM alignment.

• BI & Analytics Tools: Tableau, Power BI, Looker, or internal reporting tools for analyzing product performance, customer adoption, and financial metrics (ARR, NRR).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Tools like Mixpanel, Amplitude, or Pendo for understanding user behavior within the software.

• Business Intelligence Dashboards: Custom or standard BI dashboards to monitor portfolio health, migration progress, and key performance indicators.

• Reporting Frameworks: Experience with building and presenting reports for executive leadership, covering product strategy, roadmap progress, and financial outcomes.

CRM & Automation:

• Marketing Automation: Potentially Marketo, HubSpot, or Pardot for understanding customer engagement and communication strategies.

• Customer Success Platforms: Tools like Gainsight or ChurnZero for managing customer health scores, engagement, and retention efforts.

• Integration Technologies: Familiarity with API-driven architectures and integration patterns is crucial for understanding platform modernization and hybrid deployments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with a range of product management, collaboration, CRM, and analytics tools is expected. The ability to leverage these tools to drive product strategy, operational efficiency, and GTM success is key. Emphasis on data analysis and reporting for strategic decision-making is critical.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Empowerment: Encouraging initiative and autonomy within the product team and fostering a culture where individuals feel empowered to make decisions and drive outcomes.

• Passion: A drive to deliver exceptional customer experiences and innovate within the CXM space, particularly for complex enterprise needs.

• Inspiration: Cultivating an environment that inspires creative problem-solving, strategic thinking, and a forward-looking approach to product development and modernization.

• Community: Building a strong sense of team within Product Management and fostering collaborative relationships across R&D, Sales, Customer Success, and Professional Services to achieve shared objectives.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: A highly collaborative approach is essential, working closely with R&D for development, Sales for market insight and deal support, Customer Success for retention and feedback, and PMM for market positioning.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Emphasis on using data—customer feedback, market analysis, usage metrics, financial performance—to inform product decisions and prioritize roadmaps.

• Strategic Partnership: Operating as a strategic partner to Sales and Customer Success, ensuring product strategy aligns with revenue goals and customer retention objectives.

• Agile & Iterative: Embracing agile principles in product development and strategy refinement, allowing for adaptation based on market feedback and evolving customer needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Quadient's values (Empowerment, Passion, Inspiration, Community) are directly applicable to operations roles, emphasizing a proactive, collaborative, and results-oriented approach. The "EPIC. Together." tagline reinforces the importance of teamwork and shared success.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Legacy and Modernization: The primary challenge is managing a mature, on-premise install base with demanding requirements while simultaneously investing in and driving modernization and migration to a SaaS model. This requires intricate strategic planning and execution.

• Customer Migration Inertia: Overcoming customer resistance or inertia to cloud migration, particularly for large enterprises with significant investments in their current infrastructure and strict compliance/sovereignty needs.

• Platform Modernization Complexity: Implementing modern technologies (containerization, AI, APIs) within an existing on-premise framework without disrupting critical customer operations.

• Market Dynamics: Navigating a competitive landscape where cloud-native solutions are prevalent, while maintaining leadership and value for on-premise and hybrid deployments.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Cloud Transition: Gaining invaluable experience in managing the complex transition of a significant enterprise software portfolio from on-premise to cloud, a highly sought-after skill.

• AI Integration in Enterprise: Developing expertise in implementing AI capabilities within regulated and on-premise environments, understanding the unique challenges and opportunities.

• Leadership Development: Hone leadership skills by managing a product team, influencing executive stakeholders, and driving strategic initiatives.

• Industry Recognition: Opportunity to become a thought leader in the CCM/CXM space, particularly for regulated and sovereign deployments, through external representation and contributions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are common in mature software companies undergoing digital transformation. Successfully navigating these provides significant growth opportunities and builds expertise highly valued in operations and product leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to defining a product strategy for a mature on-premise enterprise platform that needs to coexist with and eventually transition to a cloud-based SaaS offering. How would you balance investment and customer needs?"

  • Preparation: Focus on a framework that includes market analysis, competitive assessment, customer segmentation, clear articulation of value propositions for both on-premise and SaaS, and a phased migration plan.

• "How would you lead a product management team to drive modernization initiatives like containerization or AI integration for customers who operate in highly regulated, on-premise environments? What are the key operational considerations?"

  • Preparation: Emphasize understanding customer constraints (security, data sovereignty), phased rollouts, pilot programs, robust testing, and close collaboration with R&D and Customer Success.

• "Walk us through a time you successfully managed a product P&L or were accountable for the financial outcomes of a product line. What were the key drivers and how did you influence them?"

  • Preparation: Prepare a case study that quantifies ARR, NRR, renewal rates, and how your product decisions directly impacted these metrics.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What is your understanding of Quadient's mission and how does the CXM Flex portfolio fit into the company's broader digital transformation and cloud strategy?"

  • Preparation: Research Quadient's website, recent news, and investor relations materials. Understand their "Smart Work" and "EPIC" values.

• "How do you foster a collaborative environment within your product team and across other departments like R&D, Sales, and Customer Success, especially in a hybrid work setting?"

  • Preparation: Discuss your communication strategies, use of collaboration tools, and methods for building alignment and shared ownership.

• "Given Quadient's values (Empowerment, Passion, Inspiration, Community), how would you embody these in your day-to-day leadership and product management practices?"

  • Preparation: Provide specific examples of how you've demonstrated these values in previous roles.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your presentation around key themes: strategic vision, execution challenges, implemented solutions, and measurable business outcomes.

• Quantify Operations Impact: Clearly demonstrate how your product initiatives influenced revenue (ARR, NRR), customer retention, migration success rates, and operational efficiency.

• Showcase GTM Alignment: Explain how your product roadmap and features supported sales enablement, customer success efforts, and contributed to renewal motions.

• Address Technical & Operational Nuances: Be prepared to discuss the technical aspects of managing on-premise software and the operational complexities of enterprise deployments and migrations.

• Engage and Interact: Treat it as a strategic discussion, inviting questions and demonstrating your thought process rather than just presenting facts.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for this role requires a strategic mindset, a deep understanding of enterprise software operations, and the ability to articulate complex strategies and their business impact clearly and concisely.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on jobs.smartrecruiters.com.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience in enterprise software product management, leadership of product teams, and specific expertise in managing on-premise or self-hosted platforms. Emphasize achievements related to customer retention, modernization, and migration strategies.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate case studies that showcase your strategic thinking, roadmap execution, GTM alignment, and measurable business impact. Focus on examples demonstrating success in complex enterprise environments, particularly those with regulatory considerations.

• Research Quadient: Thoroughly understand Quadient's business, its products (especially CXM Flex and its relation to SaaS), its market position, and its company culture and values.

• Practice Interview Responses: Prepare thoughtful answers to potential strategy, leadership, and operational questions, practicing your portfolio presentation to ensure clarity, conciseness, and impact.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.