Product Strategy Director (Remote Opportunity)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Strategy Director (Remote Opportunity)

Company: First American

Location: Santa Ana, CA, United States (Remote Opportunity)

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Strategy & Operations / Revenue Operations Enablement

Date Posted: May 20, 2026

Experience Level: 7-10+ Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive strategic innovation and operational AI initiatives within the Lender Division to enhance efficiency and customer experience.

• Lead the identification, development, and execution of external product opportunities, aligning them with market demand and operational capabilities.

• Collaborate extensively with sales, operations, legal, marketing, and executive leadership to define business requirements and ensure successful implementation of AI-enabled solutions and new products.

• Develop robust business cases, operational frameworks, and project roadmaps, establishing key success metrics and implementation plans for strategic initiatives.

• Champion a culture of innovation, operational excellence, and continuous improvement, influencing cross-functional teams to drive organizational alignment and adoption of new strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Product Strategy Director" but has a significant operational component, focusing on "operational AI initiatives" and "operational efficiency." The responsibilities strongly suggest a role that bridges product strategy with revenue operations and GTM enablement, particularly in leveraging AI for business transformation. The emphasis on cross-functional collaboration, business requirements, and go-to-market coordination further solidifies its operations-adjacent nature.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Identify, prioritize, and lead operational AI initiatives aimed at improving efficiency, scalability, productivity, and customer experience across the Lender Division.

• Partner with operational leadership to evaluate existing workflows, identify opportunities for AI-driven automation, and implement AI tools such as custom GPTs and workflow automation solutions.

• Develop comprehensive business cases, operational frameworks, project roadmaps, success metrics, and detailed implementation plans for all AI initiatives.

• Coordinate the cross-functional execution of operational AI projects from conceptualization through deployment and user adoption, ensuring seamless integration.

• Establish and maintain governance standards, approval processes, and operational best practices for AI usage and implementation within the division.

• Identify and evaluate new external product opportunities that align with customer needs, leverage existing operational capabilities, and capitalize on market demand, ensuring strategic positioning.

• Collaborate with sales and leadership teams to define product concepts, strategic positioning, and go-to-market priorities for new offerings.

• Lead discovery efforts to assess operational feasibility, customer value proposition, revenue potential, and competitive differentiation for proposed products.

• Develop detailed business requirements and strategic recommendations for new product initiatives and enhancements, ensuring alignment with the overall business strategy.

• Partner with marketing, legal, and operational stakeholders to ensure launch readiness and effective product enablement activities, including training and support.

• Drive alignment between the division's operational capabilities and its external product strategy, ensuring a cohesive offering.

• Gather, document, and refine business requirements from diverse stakeholders, including sales, operations, executive leadership, and cross-functional teams.

• Translate high-level strategic goals into actionable operational plans and product initiatives, ensuring clear execution paths.

• Facilitate strategic planning sessions, operational workshops, and executive stakeholder meetings to foster collaboration and decision-making.

• Prepare executive-level presentations, strategic recommendations, status updates, and comprehensive proposals for key initiatives.

• Serve as a crucial liaison across business, operational, legal, compliance, and vendor teams to ensure alignment and successful execution of strategic projects.

• Coordinate legal and compliance approvals for operational AI initiatives and external product opportunities, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards.

• Manage trademark submission processes and support intellectual property coordination for new products, tools, and branded initiatives to protect company assets.

• Ensure all operational and product initiatives align with regulatory requirements, corporate governance standards, and robust risk management practices.

• Maintain meticulous documentation, approvals, and governance workflows associated with all strategic initiatives to ensure compliance and traceability.

• Champion a culture of innovation, operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement throughout the division, influencing without direct authority.

• Stay abreast of industry trends, AI advancements, operational best practices, and emerging product opportunities within the mortgage and lending services sector.

• Support change management efforts by effectively communicating the benefits of operational transformation and AI adoption to relevant stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities listed are extensive and cover both strategic product development and operational implementation, with a strong emphasis on AI. This indicates the role requires a blend of strategic thinking, operational execution, and cross-functional leadership, typical of senior GTM or RevOps roles focused on driving business transformation.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Marketing, Communications, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• 7–10+ years of progressive experience leading operational strategy, product strategy, business transformation, or innovation initiatives.

• Proven track record of managing cross-functional operational or product initiatives involving executive leadership, sales, operations, legal, and compliance teams.

• Demonstrated experience in defining and documenting complex business requirements and operational workflows.

• Substantial experience in business process improvement, strategic planning, and organizational management.

Required Skills:

• Operational AI Strategy: Ability to identify, assess, and champion AI initiatives for operational improvement and efficiency gains.

• Product Innovation & Opportunity Development: Skill in identifying market gaps, defining product concepts, and evaluating business viability for new offerings.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Proven ability to influence and drive alignment across diverse teams without direct authority, fostering collaboration.

• Business Process Improvement: Expertise in analyzing workflows, identifying bottlenecks, and implementing optimized processes for enhanced efficiency.

• Strategic Planning: Capacity to develop long-term visions, translate them into actionable plans, and align initiatives with overarching business objectives.

• Executive Communication: Excellence in preparing and delivering clear, concise, and impactful presentations and recommendations to senior leadership.

• Project & Program Management: Strong organizational and execution skills to manage multiple high-priority initiatives simultaneously from concept to completion.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Ability to effectively manage relationships and communication with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

• Problem Solving & Decision Making: Aptitude for analyzing complex issues, developing data-driven solutions, and making sound strategic decisions.

Preferred Skills:

• AI & Automation Awareness: Familiarity with generative AI concepts, custom GPT development, workflow automation tools, and AI-enabled business solutions.

• Experience with AI Governance: Background supporting operational AI adoption, establishing AI governance frameworks, or leading strategic AI initiatives.

• External Product Launch Experience: Proven experience evaluating, defining requirements for, or launching external products, services, or strategic business offerings.

• Mortgage/Lending Industry Experience: Prior experience within the mortgage, lending, financial services, or other regulated industries is highly preferred.

• Product Governance Coordination: Experience coordinating trademark submissions, legal approvals, or product governance processes for new initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of 7-10+ years, combined with the breadth of responsibilities, suggests this role is at a senior individual contributor or early management level, focusing on strategic impact rather than day-to-day tactical execution. The emphasis on AI and product strategy indicates a need for forward-thinking individuals who can drive transformation.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Process Optimization Case Studies: Showcase examples of analyzing existing business processes, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing data-driven solutions that resulted in measurable improvements (e.g., reduced cycle times, cost savings, increased throughput).

• AI Initiative Proposals: Present a sample proposal or business case for an AI-driven operational improvement, demonstrating understanding of potential ROI, implementation challenges, and success metrics.

• Product Strategy Frameworks: Include examples of frameworks used for evaluating new product opportunities, such as market analysis, competitive assessment, and feasibility studies.

• Cross-Functional Project Leadership: Evidence of successfully leading projects involving multiple departments, highlighting collaboration, stakeholder management, and alignment strategies.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Provide examples of documenting complex workflows, identifying key decision points, and proposing optimizations for efficiency and scalability.

• Business Requirements Definition: Showcase instances where detailed business requirements were gathered, documented, and translated into actionable specifications for technology or process implementation.

• Performance Measurement Frameworks: Demonstrate experience in defining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and establishing metrics for tracking the success and impact of operational or product initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role at this level, a portfolio should demonstrate strategic thinking and execution capabilities. The focus on AI and product strategy implies a need to showcase how candidates have driven innovation and managed complex initiatives, rather than just individual contributions.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $170,900.00 - $227,900.00 Annually

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans.

• 401k retirement savings plan with potential company match.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Sick Leave policies.

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offering opportunities to invest in First American stock.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, typically 40 hours per week.

• The remote nature of the role offers flexibility in managing work schedules, with an expectation of availability during core business hours for cross-functional collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is for a Director-level position in a high-cost-of-living area like Santa Ana, CA, and reflects significant experience and strategic responsibility. The benefits listed are standard for a large, publicly traded company and are competitive within the industry. The "Note that the following statements only apply to candidates who will be working from an unincorporated area within Los Angeles County" regarding arrest and conviction records is a specific legal compliance statement and should be noted by candidates in those specific areas.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services, specifically focused on title insurance and settlement services within the mortgage and lending industry. First American is a Fortune 100 company with a long history dating back to 1889.

Company Size: Large enterprise; First American is a publicly traded company (NYSE: FAF) with a significant employee base, indicated by its inclusion on multiple "Best Places to Work" lists and its consistent presence on the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for over a decade.

Founded: 1889, signifying a deep-rooted history and established presence in the market.

Team Structure:

• The role operates within the Lender Division, likely collaborating closely with product management, sales leadership, operational departments (e.g., underwriting, closing, servicing), legal, compliance, and marketing teams.

• As a Director-level role, it implies significant interaction with executive leadership and a need to influence strategy across multiple departments, potentially leading project teams without direct reports initially.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using data to identify opportunities, build business cases, and measure success for AI initiatives and product development.

• Agile/Lean Principles: While not explicitly stated, the focus on iterative development, cross-functional execution, and continuous improvement aligns with agile and lean methodologies, especially concerning AI and product launches.

• Stakeholder Alignment: A core operational methodology involves extensive facilitation, communication, and consensus-building across diverse stakeholder groups to ensure buy-in and successful execution.

Company Website: www.careers.firstam.com

📝 Enhancement Note: First American's "People First" culture, commitment to inclusivity, and numerous "Best Places to Work" accolades suggest a supportive and employee-centric environment. This is a significant factor for candidates seeking long-term career growth and a positive work atmosphere. The company's established history and market leadership in financial services provide stability and a strong foundation for innovation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Director-level position, indicating a senior role responsible for strategic direction and execution in product strategy and operational transformation, particularly with AI. It commands significant autonomy and influence.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, a Director of Product Strategy typically reports to a VP or SVP within the division, such as VP of Product Strategy, Chief Product Officer, or a senior operational leader. This role will likely manage project teams and influence without direct reports initially, with potential for direct reports as the AI and product initiatives scale.

Operations Impact: The role is designed to have a substantial impact on revenue generation through new product opportunities and operational efficiency improvements via AI, directly contributing to the profitability and scalability of the Lender Division. It aims to enhance customer experience, reduce operational costs, and drive competitive advantage.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into a VP-level role overseeing broader product strategy or operational transformation initiatives, potentially managing a larger team.

• Specialization in AI/Product: Opportunity to become a subject matter expert in AI applications within financial services and product development, a high-demand area.

• Strategic Influence: Deepen influence within executive leadership by consistently delivering impactful strategic initiatives and driving innovation across the organization.

• Cross-Divisional Opportunities: Potential to leverage expertise gained in the Lender Division to impact other business units within the larger First American organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for professionals looking to specialize in the intersection of AI, product strategy, and operational efficiency within a large, stable financial services organization. The emphasis on cross-functional leadership and strategic planning provides a strong foundation for future leadership roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: While the role is designated as remote, First American maintains a physical headquarters in Santa Ana, CA, and other locations. The remote work setup suggests a hybrid or fully remote model, allowing flexibility for employees across various regions in the US.

Office Location(s): The primary listed location is Santa Ana, CA, with remote opportunities available across multiple US states including Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Oklahoma. This broad remote availability indicates a commitment to talent acquisition beyond geographical constraints.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration Tools: Expect to utilize a suite of digital collaboration tools (e.g., video conferencing, instant messaging, project management software) to maintain connectivity and productivity.

• Data Access & Security: The role will require secure access to various internal systems and data, necessitating adherence to strict IT security protocols and data governance policies.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: Regular interaction with diverse teams, requiring strong virtual communication and networking skills to build relationships and drive initiatives effectively.

Work Schedule:

• A standard 40-hour work week is expected, with flexibility in daily scheduling to accommodate personal needs and core business hours for collaboration.

• The remote nature allows for greater autonomy in managing work-life balance, with an emphasis on results and deliverables rather than strict hours logged.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote Opportunity" designation is key here, opening the role to candidates across the US. The company's established infrastructure and history suggest a well-supported remote work environment, though candidates should be prepared for robust virtual collaboration and communication expectations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely conduct an initial phone screen to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into your experience with strategic planning, operational AI, product development, and cross-functional leadership, likely with scenario-based questions.

• Cross-Functional Panel Interviews: Interviews with key stakeholders from sales, operations, legal, and product teams to evaluate your ability to collaborate, communicate, and influence across departments. Expect questions focused on your experience in these areas and how you've driven alignment.

• Executive Presentation/Case Study: A potential final round may involve presenting a strategic proposal or case study related to operational AI or product strategy to senior leadership, demonstrating your strategic thinking, communication, and presentation skills.

• Final Round/Offer: Discussions with senior leadership for final approval and offer extension.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Curate examples that clearly demonstrate the business impact of your work, using quantitative metrics (e.g., ROI, efficiency gains, revenue growth) and qualitative outcomes.

• Showcase AI & Strategy: Highlight projects where you've driven innovation, particularly those involving AI, automation, or new product development. Clearly articulate your role and strategic contributions.

• Process Documentation Clarity: Ensure any process diagrams or documentation are clean, easy to understand, and showcase your ability to define and optimize workflows.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize experiences most relevant to product strategy, operational transformation, AI implementation, and cross-functional leadership within a regulated industry.

• Presentation Practice: Rehearse your portfolio walkthrough to ensure a smooth, concise, and engaging presentation that highlights your key achievements and strategic thinking.

Challenge Preparation:

• Operational AI Scenario: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach identifying AI opportunities in a lending division, from initial assessment to implementation and governance.

• Product Strategy Case: Anticipate a challenge related to evaluating a new product idea for the mortgage market, requiring you to outline your assessment process, key considerations, and strategic recommendations.

• Cross-Functional Alignment Problem: Prepare to discuss a time you had to align disparate stakeholder groups with competing priorities to achieve a common goal.

• Business Requirements Definition: Practice articulating how you gather, document, and validate business requirements for complex projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the Director level and the strategic nature of the role, expect the interview process to be thorough, with a strong emphasis on demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and a proven track record of driving significant business outcomes, especially in areas related to AI and product innovation.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• CRM Platforms: Experience with Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar CRM systems for understanding sales processes, customer data, and pipeline management.

• Project Management Software: Proficiency with tools like Jira, Asana, Monday.com, or Trello for managing project timelines, tasks, and team collaboration.

• Collaboration Suites: Extensive use of Microsoft 365 (Teams, SharePoint, Outlook) or Google Workspace (Meet, Chat, Drive) for communication, document sharing, and team coordination.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Business Intelligence Tools: Familiarity with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for data analysis, dashboard creation, and performance reporting.

• Spreadsheet Software: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets for data manipulation, analysis, and financial modeling.

CRM & Automation:

• Workflow Automation Tools: Exposure to platforms like Zapier, Workato, or internal automation solutions for streamlining business processes.

• AI/ML Platforms (Familiarity): While not a technical role, understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI/ML platforms and tools like custom GPTs, Large Language Models (LLMs), and AI-driven analytics is crucial.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this is a non-technical leadership role, a strong understanding of the application and impact of these tools, particularly in AI and workflow automation, is essential. The candidate needs to guide technical teams and operationalize solutions, not necessarily build them.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: A strong drive to explore new technologies (like AI) and methodologies to enhance operational efficiency and product offerings.

• Accountability & Ownership: Taking responsibility for the success of initiatives from concept through to deployment and adoption, demonstrating a results-oriented mindset.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Valuing strong relationships with sales, operations, legal, and other departments to achieve shared business objectives.

• Data-Driven Approach: Utilizing data and analytics to inform strategic decisions, measure performance, and drive continuous optimization.

• Customer Focus: Ensuring that all operational and product strategies ultimately enhance the experience and value provided to external customers.

Collaboration Style:

• Proactive Communication: Regularly engaging with stakeholders to provide updates, gather feedback, and ensure alignment on strategic priorities.

• Facilitation & Consensus Building: Skilled at leading meetings and workshops to drive decision-making and foster agreement among diverse groups.

• Knowledge Sharing: Willingness to share insights and best practices related to AI, product strategy, and operational improvements across teams.

• Feedback Integration: Open to constructive feedback and using it to refine strategies and approaches, fostering a culture of learning and adaptation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated "People First" culture and numerous accolades for inclusivity suggest a highly collaborative and supportive work environment. Candidates should emphasize their ability to work effectively in such a setting, promoting a positive and productive team dynamic.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Driving AI Adoption: Overcoming potential organizational inertia or resistance to adopting new AI technologies and transforming established operational workflows.

• Balancing Innovation & Regulation: Navigating the complexities of implementing new AI solutions and product strategies within a highly regulated financial services environment.

• Influencing Without Direct Authority: Effectively leading and motivating cross-functional teams and stakeholders who do not directly report to this role.

• Rapid Technological Evolution: Keeping pace with the fast-evolving landscape of AI and emerging product opportunities to ensure First American remains competitive.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Specialization: Deepen expertise in generative AI, machine learning applications, and AI governance specific to financial services.

• Product Strategy Mastery: Enhance skills in market analysis, product lifecycle management, and go-to-market strategy within a large enterprise.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to hone executive communication, strategic planning, and cross-functional leadership skills through high-impact projects.

• Industry Exposure: Gain deep insights into the mortgage and lending services industry, its operational intricacies, and emerging market trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the dynamic nature of the role, requiring adaptability and strategic foresight. The growth opportunities underscore the potential for significant professional development in high-demand areas like AI and product leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you identified a significant operational inefficiency and how you proposed to address it using technology, specifically AI if applicable. What was the outcome?" (Focus on process analysis, solution design, and impact.)

• "How would you approach developing a business case for a new AI-driven product feature? What key elements would you include, and how would you validate its potential?" (Demonstrate understanding of strategic planning, market analysis, and ROI calculation.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of First American and the mortgage industry, where do you see the biggest opportunities for operational AI to drive value?" (Showcase research and strategic thinking about the company's context.)

• "How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within a team, especially when influencing without direct authority?" (Address leadership style and ability to drive change.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each portfolio piece, clearly articulate the problem, your role and strategic approach, the execution steps, the quantifiable results, and key learnings.

• Quantify Everything Possible: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work. If exact numbers aren't available, use strong descriptive language about the scale and significance of the impact.

• Highlight AI & Product Focus: Ensure your selected examples clearly showcase your experience in AI, automation, product strategy, and cross-functional collaboration.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your decision-making process, challenges faced, and how you overcame them.

• Connect to First American: Whenever possible, draw parallels between your past experiences and the potential needs and opportunities at First American.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely assess strategic thinking, leadership potential, and the ability to translate complex ideas into actionable plans. Preparing specific, data-backed examples will be crucial for success.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-adjacent product strategy position:

• Submit your application through the First American careers portal via the provided URL.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in operational strategy, product innovation, AI applications, business process improvement, and cross-functional leadership. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 key projects that best demonstrate your capabilities in strategic planning, operational transformation, AI initiative development, and product strategy. Focus on quantifiable results and your specific contributions.

• Research First American: Familiarize yourself with First American's business, its position in the mortgage and lending industry, its "People First" culture, and recent news or strategic initiatives.

• Practice Your Narrative: Prepare to articulate your experience and qualifications clearly and concisely, with a focus on how you can drive strategic growth and operational efficiency at First American, particularly leveraging AI.

⚠️ 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.