The Sr. Lead Product Manager – Product Operations will be responsible for leading the creation and adoption of strategies to enable Cox Automotive Product team members to deliver best-in-class products. This role includes the management of shared product management discipline standards across Cox Automotive, managing initiatives which enable product management excellence, and supporting product readiness processes for key initiatives.
This role works cross-functionally with key partners in the product development lifecycle to define and operationalize best practices, develop learning and development programs, and drive adoption of enterprise standards.
A core component of this role is embedding AI-first methodologies into how product teams discover, define, build, launch, and measure products; shifting the organization from AI-aware to AI-native.
The person in this role is part of the core team that identifies, develops, and administers a range of enterprise-wide initiatives designed to improve Product Management and Product Readiness across teams, and works to effect broad change. This is both a strategic and hands-on position requiring a proactive spirit, broad thinking, and strong problem-solving capabilities. There is specific focus on optimizing discovery, enabling client feedback throughout the lifecycle, driving better outcomes through AI-augmented workflows, and improving alignment, communications, and processes around the products the Cox Automotive Product and Technology Group (CAPTG) team develops and manages.
The ideal candidate has a strong background in working with matrixed teams to build relationships, understand needs, consult on the best ways to address them, all while driving change and improvement. They bring deep product management experience paired with genuine fluency in applied AI and a track record of operationalizing new ways of working.
Position Responsibilities:
• Maturing Product Management: Drive processes that improve product management maturity, skills, and consistency across Cox Automotive. Evolve the enterprise practices including standards for discovery, delivery, and post-launch measurement. Accountable for measurable improvements in product discipline maturity.
• AI-First Product Management: Lead the development and adoption of AI-first approaches to product management across CAPTG. Integrate AI tools (e.g., Claude, Pendo, custom MCP integrations) into product workflows including discovery, research synthesis, specification writing, and launch readiness. Develop reusable playbooks, skills, and agents. Serve as internal SME and evangelist for AI in product management.
• Product Readiness: Support the development and execution of go-to-market and post-launch plans for key initiatives, partnering with Product Readiness leadership. Ensure products can be properly marketed, sold, contracted, installed, trained, billed, supported, and measured. Drive processes that elevate go-to-market planning and operational readiness for product launches.
Required Qualifications:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Strong ability and desire to:
• Lead the adoption of AI-first approaches to product management, with working knowledge of LLMs (Claude preferred), prompt engineering, and agentic workflows
• Provide excellent service to internal clients / stakeholders, always seeking to add incremental value
• Think critically and broadly about how tools, processes, and standards can be integrated to create compounding value
• Teach others and illuminate best practices in a compelling way that drives buy-in and adoption
Other key attributes:
• Self-motivated, able to independently drive initiatives with minimal oversight
• Thinking and operating broadly across diverse teams/stakeholders, macro/enterprise-level thinking
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable communicating at all levels including senior leadership
• Ability to travel within the United States up to 15% of the time
Experience and Education Required:
• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and 8 years’ experience in a related field. The right candidate could also have a different combination, such as a master’s degree and 6 years’ experience; a Ph.D. and 3 years’ experience; or 20 years’ experience in a related field
• 5–7 years of experience in a Product organization directly in Product Management, Product Operations, or Product Readiness
• Hands-on experience applying AI tools to real product management workflows with measurable results
• Direct involvement in driving continuous improvement and large operational change management initiatives
• Strong ability to build key business relationships and contribute to the enterprise vision at Cox Automotive
• Strong ability to assess capabilities, gaps, and build plans for addressing training needs
Working knowledge of:
• AI in Product Management (hands-on, not theoretical)
• Change Management / ADKAR
• Double Diamond framework
Nice to have:
• Claude
• Pendo
• Consulting experience
• Spec Driven Development
• Certified in Human Centered Design
• B2B SaaS go-to-market experience, particularly in automotive
Drug Testing:
To be employed in this role, you'll need to clear a pre-employment drug test. Cox Automotive does not currently administer a pre-employment drug test for marijuana for this position. However, we are a drug-free workplace, so the possession, use or being under the influence of drugs illegal under federal or state law during work hours, on company property and/or in company vehicles is prohibited.
Compensation:
Compensation includes a base salary in the range of $134,900.00 - $224,900.00. The base salary may vary within the anticipated base pay range based on factors such as the ultimate location of the position and the selected candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Position may be eligible for additional compensation that may include an incentive program.
Benefits:
The Company offers eligible employees the flexibility to take as much vacation with pay as they deem consistent with their duties, the company’s needs, and its obligations; seven paid holidays throughout the calendar year; and up to 160 hours of paid wellness annually for their own wellness or that of family members. Employees are also eligible for additional paid time off in the form of bereavement leave, time off to vote, jury duty leave, volunteer time off, military leave, and parental leave.
EOE, including disability/vets
