Associate Director, Product Owner

Fitch Group•Chicago, IL

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Fitch Group is currently seeking an Associate Director, Product Owner to join Shared Technology Services (STS), a team that connects business needs, product strategy, and technology to deliver capabilities that internal teams and external clients rely on. In this role, you will lead the discovery and delivery of AI-powered capabilities and workflow automation solutions, partnering across business units to improve the quality and impact of our products. What We Offer A unique opportunity to drive how AI capabilities are designed and scaled across STS. A hands-on role spanning the full product cycle, from experimentation and prototyping through to delivery. A chance to partner with business units, technology teams, and stakeholders across the organization. An environment that values independent thinking and collaboration in equal measure.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in product ownership, with a proven track record of delivering products from ideation through launch and iteration.
Strong grasp of the product lifecycle and product development best practices, distinct from program or project management.
Experience working closely with engineering teams and translating user insights into clear product requirements.
An AI-first approach to working, with demonstrated experience building prototypes and proof-of-concepts using AI and low-code tooling to validate ideas prior to development.
Solid understanding of ML fundamentals and GenAI architectures including retrieval-augmented generation, vector databases, orchestration frameworks, and agentic AI.
Familiarity with APIs, MCP protocols, and authentication and authorization models.
Working knowledge of AI tools including Claude, M365 Copilot, and Figma Make.
Demonstrated ability to influence and deliver across teams and functions, align stakeholders, and shape product decisions.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present to leadership and produce clear documentation.
Proficiency in Jira, Confluence, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Bachelor's degree in a related field.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on AI or machine learning product management experience.
Knowledge of AI governance, responsible AI principles, or model risk considerations.
Experience with cloud technologies such as AWS.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
A customer-centric mindset, with an emphasis on understanding and advocating for user needs.
Passion for driving value through product enhancements and continuous improvement.
Product Owner certification.

Responsibilities

Lead product discovery, including problem framing, opportunity validation through user research, and insight translation into backlog items and outcomes.
Use AI and low-code tools to build quick prototypes and test ideas before engaging engineering.
Define and deliver agentic AI capabilities and workflow automation that reduce manual effort and standardize processes.
Build and maintain a product roadmap in partnership with business units and product teams, balancing priorities and surfacing dependencies.
Maintain a clear, well-prioritized backlog; define acceptance criteria and success metrics; lead sprint planning and reviews.
Lead go-to-market activities for product releases, including product documentation, client and stakeholder communication, training, and post-launch support.
Track metrics for adoption, efficiency, and quality; use data and structured experiments to drive continuous improvement.