Director of Product Strategy ID33849

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Director of Product Strategy Company: AgileEngine Location: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (with a note for Buenos Aires in the description) Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Strategy & Design Operations (GTM Focus) Date Posted: 2025-08-12 Experience Level: 5-10 Years Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drives strategic product vision and roadmap development through deep client engagement and consultative pre-sales processes.
• Leads discovery sessions and facilitates workshops to define business problems, opportunities, and user-centered design solutions.
• Builds and mentors a Center of Excellence (CoE) for Product Management, establishing best practices and upskilling teams in product thinking and market validation.
• Acts as a trusted advisor, articulating clear product strategies and validating business value to influence stakeholder decision-making.
• Collaborates closely with cross-functional teams to align design, business strategy, and technical feasibility for optimal product execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Director of Product Strategy" and the primary location listed is Porto Alegre, Brazil, the job description explicitly mentions "We are looking for a Director of Product Strategy in Buenos Aires." This suggests the role may be primarily based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, or that the company is open to candidates in either location with a strong preference for Buenos Aires. The "remote_derived": false indicates an on-site or hybrid expectation, making the Buenos Aires location critical. For operations candidates, understanding which location is truly primary is key for logistics and potential relocation considerations. The description also heavily emphasizes client-facing and pre-sales activities, positioning this role within a Go-To-Market (GTM) operations framework, focusing on the strategic pre-sales and product definition phases.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead pre-sales engagements by acting as a trusted advisor, understanding client vision, challenges, and goals to provide strategic product consulting.
• Facilitate discovery sessions and workshops to define business problems, opportunities, and articulate clear product strategies with validated business value.
• Shape compelling proposals by providing strategic recommendations on product direction, market positioning, and user experience, and estimate design efforts.
• Guide and facilitate prototyping efforts, creating napkin/high-level prototypes or concepts in early engagement stages.
• Establish and nurture a Center of Excellence (CoE) for Product Management, developing frameworks, guidelines, and upskilling product owners in product thinking, user research, and market validation.
• Advocate for a product-driven culture, ensuring a balance between business needs, user needs, and technical execution across projects.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (design, engineering, sales) to align design decisions with business strategy and technical feasibility.
• Manage client relationships and internal stakeholder communication, effectively presenting and defending product and design decisions.
• Drive user-centered design principles throughout the product strategy and development lifecycle.
• Adapt quickly to new projects, industries, and challenges in fast-paced environments, demonstrating initiative in problem-solving and stakeholder management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic client engagement, pre-sales consulting, and internal team leadership. For operations professionals, this translates to a role focused on enabling the sales and client success teams by defining product strategy, ensuring alignment with market needs, and building internal capabilities. The "Center of Excellence" aspect points towards a need for strong process definition, standardization, and talent development within the product management function, which aligns with operational excellence principles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Business, Design, Computer Science, or a related discipline is typically expected for a Director-level role. Advanced degrees or certifications in Product Management or Design Thinking are a plus.

Experience:

• 3+ years in Executive roles (e.g., Director, Head, VP of Product Strategy).
• OR 5+ years of Managerial roles in Product Management, UX Design, Product Strategy, or a combination thereof.
• Proven experience in conducting meetings with executive stakeholders (C-level, VPs, Directors) and driving presentations that showcase strategic thinking with clear business impact.
• Hands-on experience in wireframing, prototyping, and user research methodologies.
• Experience working directly with clients, facilitating workshops, and shaping product visions.

Required Skills:

• Product Strategy: Ability to define, refine, validate, and communicate product concepts and roadmaps.
• UX Design & User Research: Deep understanding and practical application of user-centered design principles, wireframing, prototyping, and qualitative/quantitative user research methods.
• Client Engagement & Consultative Selling: Proven ability to act as a trusted advisor, understand client needs, and influence decision-making in a pre-sales context.
• Business Acumen: Strong understanding of market trends, competitive analysis, product-market fit, and the ability to translate business objectives into product strategies.
• Presentation & Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences, including executive leadership.
• Agility & Adaptability: Proven ability to thrive in fast-paced, dynamic environments and switch between projects and industries efficiently.
• Stakeholder Management: Skill in building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, internal teams, and leadership.
• Team Leadership & Development: Experience in building, mentoring, and upskilling teams, establishing best practices, and fostering a productive work environment.
• English Proficiency: Upper-Intermediate level or higher for effective client and team communication.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in building and scaling a Center of Excellence (CoE) for product management or design.
• Familiarity with various software development methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall).
• Knowledge of market validation techniques beyond traditional user research.
• Experience in the IT services or software development consulting industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement is bifurcated, allowing for either extensive executive experience or a combination of managerial experience in Product Management and UX Design. This suggests the role values both strategic leadership and deep functional expertise. The emphasis on "executive stakeholders" and "business impact" indicates a need for strong business justification skills, crucial for operations professionals aiming to demonstrate ROI.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Product Strategy Case Studies: Demonstrations of defining, refining, and validating product concepts for clients, showcasing market analysis, user research insights, and strategic roadmap development.
• UX/UI Design Examples: Wireframes, interactive prototypes, and user flow diagrams that illustrate user-centered design principles and problem-solving approaches.
• Pre-Sales & Client Engagement Artifacts: Examples of proposals, workshop outputs, or presentations delivered during client discovery and pre-sales processes.
• Process Improvement Documentation: Evidence of establishing best practices, developing frameworks, or upskilling teams in product management or UX methodologies.
• Impact Measurement: Examples of how your strategic contributions have driven tangible business outcomes, such as improved user adoption, increased conversion rates, or enhanced market positioning.

Process Documentation:

• Frameworks for product discovery and validation.
• Methodologies for user research and iterative prototyping.
• Processes for cross-functional team alignment on product strategy and execution.
• Guidelines for building and scaling a Product Management Center of Excellence (CoE).
• Best practices for stakeholder management and communication in a client-facing environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, a portfolio is crucial for demonstrating strategic thinking and execution capabilities in a client-facing context. Operations professionals should focus on showcasing how they've implemented or improved processes for product strategy development, team enablement, and client engagement within a consulting or service delivery framework.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the Director-level title, executive experience requirements, and the company's focus on Fortune 500 clients and modern solutions, a competitive salary is expected. For a Director of Product Strategy in a major South American city like Buenos Aires or Porto Alegre with 5-10 years of relevant experience, the estimated annual salary range would likely be between USD $80,000 - USD $130,000.

Benefits:

• Professional Growth: Access to mentorship programs, internal TechTalks, and personalized career development roadmaps to accelerate professional journeys.
• Competitive Compensation: USD-based compensation that is benchmarked against skills, talent, and contributions.
• Education Budget: Allocation for professional development, training, and certifications relevant to product strategy and UX.
• Fitness Budget: Support for wellness and physical health activities.
• Team Activities Budget: Funds allocated for team-building events and collaborative initiatives.
• Flextime & Hybrid Work: Options to tailor work schedules for optimal work-life balance, with the flexibility of working from home or the office.
• Exciting Projects: Opportunity to work on modern solution development with top-tier clients, including Fortune 500 enterprises and leading product brands.

Working Hours: The role implies a standard 40-hour work week, typical for full-time positions. However, the "Flextime" benefit suggests a degree of flexibility in structuring these hours, accommodating project demands and personal work-life balance, especially within a hybrid model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for Director-level product strategy roles in major South American tech hubs, considering the company's profile and the emphasis on USD-based compensation. The benefits package is comprehensive, focusing on continuous learning, well-being, and work-life integration, which are key attractors for experienced operations and product professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Information Technology and Services, specifically Software Development and IT Consulting. AgileEngine is recognized as an Inc. 5000 company and a leader in application development and AI/ML, indicating a strong focus on cutting-edge technology and delivery excellence.

Company Size: AgileEngine is an Inc. 5000 company, which typically signifies a significant growth trajectory and a medium-to-large enterprise size, likely employing several hundred to over a thousand professionals globally. This size offers opportunities for impact while also providing structure and resources.

Founded: While the exact founding date isn't provided here, its Inc. 5000 status suggests it has been operating and growing successfully for several years, establishing a solid market presence and proven methodologies.

Team Structure:

• The Product Strategy team likely operates as a specialized unit within the broader service delivery or consulting arm of AgileEngine.
• This Director will be responsible for building and managing the "Center of Excellence (CoE)" for Product Management, implying a potential team growth and management responsibility.
• Collaboration will be essential with sales, pre-sales, design, engineering, and client management teams to ensure seamless client engagement and project success.
• Reporting lines would likely be to a senior executive, such as a VP of Engineering, Head of Consulting, or Chief Product Officer.

Methodology:

• AgileEngine likely employs Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) for software development and project delivery.
• The Product Strategy function will integrate with these processes, focusing on strategic planning, discovery, and client alignment.
• Data analysis will be critical for understanding market trends, user behavior, and validating product-market fit.
• Workflow optimization will be key for the CoE, standardizing processes for product strategy development and team enablement.

Company Website: https://agileengine.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: AgileEngine's reputation as an award-winning company with a "people-first culture" suggests a supportive and growth-oriented environment. For operations professionals, this means opportunities to implement and refine processes within a structured, yet adaptable, organization that values employee development and client success. The company's focus on Fortune 500 clients indicates a need for high standards in delivery and strategic thinking.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a Director level, signifying a senior leadership position within the Product Strategy domain. It involves strategic oversight, team management, and significant influence on client engagements and internal process development. This is a key leadership role for operations professionals looking to manage strategic initiatives, build capabilities, and impact client success.

Reporting Structure: The Director of Product Strategy would likely report to a senior executive responsible for service delivery, product, or business development, such as a VP of Engineering, Head of Consulting, or Chief Product Officer. They would also be responsible for managing and mentoring a team of Product Owners and potentially UX/Product Strategists.

Operations Impact: The operations impact of this role is substantial, particularly in the pre-sales and client engagement phases. By defining clear product strategies and ensuring alignment between client needs, business value, and technical execution, this role directly influences client acquisition, project success, and customer satisfaction. The development of the Product Management CoE will also have a lasting impact on the quality and efficiency of product strategy services offered by AgileEngine.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow the Product Management CoE, manage larger teams, and take on broader strategic responsibilities within AgileEngine.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Opportunity to influence product development across multiple client projects and industries, gaining diverse experience.
• Strategic Impact: Directly contribute to the company's strategic direction and service offerings, potentially shaping new business lines or methodologies.
• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in product strategy, user research, market analysis, and team building through hands-on experience and company-provided development opportunities.
• Industry Recognition: Contribute to AgileEngine's reputation and potentially gain personal recognition through successful client engagements and thought leadership within the product community.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth from managing a specialized function to potentially leading broader product or consulting divisions. The emphasis on building a CoE provides an excellent opportunity for operations professionals to demonstrate leadership in process standardization, talent development, and strategic enablement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job description mentions "Flextime" and the option of "working from home and going to the office." This points to a hybrid work environment, offering flexibility. The office itself is likely a modern, collaborative workspace designed to foster innovation and teamwork among its employees.

Office Location(s): The primary location mentioned for the role is Buenos Aires, Argentina, with Porto Alegre, Brazil, also listed. This suggests that AgileEngine has a significant presence in both locations, and candidates would likely be expected to work from an office in Buenos Aires, or potentially split time between locations if operations require it.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model implies a need for effective remote collaboration tools and practices, alongside in-office opportunities for team building and in-depth strategy sessions.
• Technology & Tools: Expect access to modern collaboration software, design tools, and potentially project management systems to support the hybrid and client-facing nature of the work.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with product teams, design studios, engineering departments, and sales/pre-sales professionals, fostering a dynamic and cross-functional work experience.
• Client-Centric Focus: The workspace and team interactions will be geared towards supporting client needs, from initial discovery through to strategic alignment.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour week is implied, the "Flextime" benefit suggests that employees have some autonomy in structuring their working hours to balance project demands, client availability, and personal productivity, which is beneficial for operations roles that often require deep focus and availability across different time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect, requiring candidates to be comfortable with both remote and in-office collaboration. The emphasis on "people-first culture" and "flextime" suggests a supportive work environment that values employee well-being and productivity.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, resume, and potentially a brief introductory call to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.
• Technical/Skills Assessment: Likely involves in-depth discussions about your product strategy experience, UX design methodologies, client engagement examples, and team leadership capabilities. This may include scenario-based questions or a case study.
• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session to walk through your portfolio, focusing on specific case studies that demonstrate your strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and impact. Be prepared to discuss your process, decisions, and outcomes in detail.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from sales, design, and engineering teams to assess collaboration skills and alignment with company culture.
• Executive Interview: A final interview with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision, leadership philosophy, and overall fit for the Director role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest case studies that best represent your ability to define product strategy, drive user-centered design, and influence client decisions.
• Structure for Impact: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your approach (process, tools, methodologies), your role and contributions, the challenges faced, and the measurable outcomes or impact.
• Highlight Operations Excellence: Showcase how you've implemented or improved processes for efficiency, team enablement, or client satisfaction. Quantify results wherever possible.
• Focus on Strategy & Value: Emphasize the strategic thinking behind your decisions and how you've translated business needs into actionable product roadmaps and validated business value.
• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, how you handle conflicting stakeholder requirements, and how you measure success.

Challenge Preparation:

• Product Strategy Case Study: Be prepared for a case study that requires you to outline a product strategy for a hypothetical product or client. Focus on market analysis, target audience definition, key features, and a phased roadmap.
• Pre-Sales Scenario: You might be asked to role-play a client discovery session or a proposal presentation, demonstrating your consultative approach and ability to articulate value.
• Team Building/CoE Development: Prepare to discuss how you would establish and grow a Product Management Center of Excellence, including best practices, training, and mentorship strategies.
• Problem-Solving: Expect questions related to navigating ambiguity, resolving team conflicts, or addressing challenging client feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to thoroughly assess strategic acumen, client-facing skills, and leadership capabilities. Operations candidates should leverage their portfolio to demonstrate process-driven success and quantifiable impact, aligning their experience with the company's client-centric and growth-oriented culture.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Product Management Software: Tools like Jira, Confluence, Aha!, Productboard for roadmap planning, backlog management, and feature prioritization.
• UX/UI Design & Prototyping Tools: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision for wireframing, prototyping, user flow mapping, and collaborative design.
• User Research Platforms: Tools for surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform), user testing (e.g., UserTesting.com), and analytics (e.g., Google Analytics, Hotjar).
• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom for day-to-day communication and virtual meetings.
• CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar for managing client relationships and pre-sales activities.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics for tracking user behavior and website performance.
• Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Tableau, Power BI, Looker for data visualization, dashboard creation, and performance reporting on product strategy initiatives.
• A/B Testing Tools: Optimizely, VWO for testing product hypotheses and optimizing user experiences.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Primarily used for client management and pre-sales pipeline tracking.
• Automation Tools: Potentially used for marketing automation (e.g., HubSpot, Marketo) or workflow automation within product development processes.
• Integration Tools: Platforms like Zapier or custom APIs might be used to connect various tools in the tech stack.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in a range of product, design, and collaboration tools is expected. For operations professionals, understanding how these tools integrate to support efficient client engagement, product strategy development, and team collaboration is key. Familiarity with BI tools for reporting on strategy effectiveness and ROI will be advantageous.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Client-Centricity: A strong commitment to understanding and delivering on client needs and business objectives, ensuring product strategies provide tangible value.
• Excellence & Quality: Upholding high standards in strategic thinking, design execution, and client communication, reflecting the company's award-winning status.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Fostering a supportive environment where cross-functional teams work together seamlessly to achieve shared goals.
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Encouraging new ideas, embracing modern technologies, and constantly seeking ways to optimize processes and product offerings.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing data and user insights to inform product strategy, validate hypotheses, and measure impact.
• Agility & Adaptability: Remaining flexible and responsive to changing client needs, market trends, and project requirements.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Encouraging close partnerships between Product Strategy, Sales, UX/UI Design, and Engineering teams to ensure holistic product development.
• Open Communication: Promoting transparent and honest communication channels for feedback exchange, idea sharing, and problem-solving.
• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: Cultivating a culture where senior team members actively mentor junior staff, and knowledge is shared openly to build collective expertise.
• Proactive Engagement: Encouraging team members to take initiative, identify opportunities, and proactively engage with stakeholders to drive projects forward.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "people-first culture" and "award-winning" status suggests a company that values its employees and fosters a positive, collaborative, and growth-oriented environment. Operations professionals will find opportunities to implement and refine processes that support these values and drive efficiency.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: As a Director of Product Strategy, you'll often face situations with incomplete information or evolving client requirements, requiring strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Effectively managing diverse expectations from clients, internal teams, and leadership to ensure alignment on product strategy.
• Rapidly Changing Environments: Adapting to new industries, technologies, and client projects quickly while maintaining strategic focus and quality.
• Building and Scaling a CoE: Establishing best practices, defining operational processes, and fostering talent for a new or evolving Center of Excellence requires strategic planning and execution.
• Client Acquisition & Pre-Sales Pressure: Contributing to the pre-sales process means working under pressure to win new business and articulate compelling value propositions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Product Strategy Techniques: Gaining exposure to and implementing cutting-edge product strategy frameworks, market analysis tools, and validation methodologies.
• Leadership Development: Opportunities to hone leadership skills through team management, CoE building, and strategic decision-making.
• Industry Exposure: Working with a diverse range of clients across 17+ industries provides broad market knowledge and exposure to various business challenges.
• Mentorship Programs: Access to guidance from senior leaders within AgileEngine, aiding in career progression and skill enhancement.
• Professional Certifications & Training: The company's investment in education budgets can support obtaining relevant certifications in product management, design thinking, or leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant growth opportunities by tackling complex strategic challenges, building internal capabilities, and contributing to a high-growth company. Operations professionals can leverage these challenges as springboards for developing new skills and advancing their careers.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Product Strategy & Vision: "How would you approach developing a product strategy for a client in [specific industry] facing [common challenge]? What key elements would you include in your roadmap?" (Prepare by researching current industry trends and AgileEngine's service offerings).
• Client Engagement & Consulting: "Describe a time you had to influence an executive stakeholder to adopt your product vision. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on communication, data-driven persuasion, and stakeholder management).
• Team & CoE Development: "How would you establish a Center of Excellence for Product Management within a consulting firm? What are the critical components and KPIs?" (Prepare by thinking about process standardization, talent assessment, training, and quality assurance).
• Problem-Solving & Agility: "Describe a situation where you had to adapt your product strategy mid-project due to unforeseen circumstances. How did you manage the change and communicate it to stakeholders?" (Highlight your adaptability, communication, and risk management skills).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about AgileEngine's approach to product development and client engagement?" (Research company values, recent projects, and industry positioning).
• "How do you foster a product-driven culture within a team or organization?" (Discuss your experience with promoting user-centricity, data-driven decisions, and continuous improvement).
• "How do you ensure effective collaboration between product, design, and engineering teams?" (Prepare examples of cross-functional collaboration strategies you've implemented).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Flow: Structure each case study with a clear beginning (problem/opportunity), middle (your strategic process and actions), and end (results/impact).
• Quantify Impact: Use metrics and data to demonstrate the success of your strategies. For example, "Increased user engagement by 25%" or "Reduced time-to-market by 15%."
• Showcase Process: Explain your methodology, tools, and decision-making process transparently. This is crucial for operations-focused roles.
• Highlight Collaboration: Mention how you worked with other teams or stakeholders to achieve outcomes.
• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize aspects of your portfolio that directly align with the responsibilities of a Director of Product Strategy at a consulting firm, such as client engagement, pre-sales, and process building.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, process orientation, and leadership capabilities. Operations candidates should leverage their portfolio to showcase how they've driven efficiency, implemented best practices, and delivered measurable business value in client-facing roles.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Director of Product Strategy position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the AgileEngine careers portal.
• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 3-5 of your most impactful case studies demonstrating product strategy, UX design, client engagement, and process improvement. Ensure they highlight quantifiable results and your strategic decision-making process.
• Tailor Your Resume: Update your resume to emphasize leadership experience, strategic contributions, client-facing successes, and any experience related to building or optimizing product management processes or centers of excellence. Use keywords from the job description naturally.
• Research AgileEngine: Familiarize yourself with AgileEngine's services, client portfolio, company culture, and recent achievements. Understand their positioning in the IT consulting market.
• Practice Your Narrative: Prepare to articulate your experience clearly and concisely, focusing on how your skills and approach align with the company's needs, especially in client engagement and strategic product definition. Be ready to discuss your portfolio items in detail during interviews.
• Complete Registration: Crucially, check your email for a registration link from AgileEngine's Applicant Site and complete it promptly, as incomplete registrations can terminate your application process.

⚠️ 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.