Director of Product

Recidiviz•Oakland, CA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Recidiviz is hiring a Director of Product and Design to lead and develop a team of experienced product managers and designers. This role is central to Recidiviz's ability to scale by setting strategic direction, building systems for growth, and fostering a high-performing team. The Director will report to the Chief Impact Officer and partner on product direction, team health, operational standards, and organizational strategy. The role involves some travel to state partners, team gatherings, and offsites. The Director will own product outcomes, drive positive correctional outcomes through product-market-impact fit, build organizational sustainability, and scale successful initiatives. They will lead and develop a team of PMs and designers, build cross-functional trust, set strategic context, and modernize workflows using AI-assisted tools. Wild success in the first year includes achieving deeper product impact, fostering team member growth, and increasing operational velocity through integrated feedback loops and reusable components.

Requirements

Deep care for the growth and wellbeing of the people you manage—you measure your success by theirs.
8+ years in product management or design, with at least 3 years managing a team of PMs and/or designers; you've led both senior ICs and emerging leaders and know how to get the best from each.
Exceptional communication and relationship skills—you earn trust quickly, especially with people who have strong opinions and high standards.
Experience coaching PMs and designers toward management readiness—you've developed future managers, not just individual contributors.
Comfort operating in ambiguity, with the ability to help teams create clarity and momentum where little exists.
Strong strategic instincts: you can zoom out to see the system, identify what's misaligned, and help teams make better decisions with less friction.
A builder's mindset paired with strategic rigor—you see gaps, you close them, and you leave things better than you found them.
Ability and willingness to travel, about one trip per quarter.

Nice To Haves

Experience navigating complex, multi-stakeholder environments where end users, administrative buyers, and institutional partners each have distinct needs—and where building trust with all of them is part of the job.
Experience working in or closely with mission-driven, nonprofit, or public sector organizations.
Personal or professional experience working with the criminal justice system.
Experience in a high-growth startup where the playbook was still being written.
Exposure to AI-assisted product development and the unique team dynamics it creates.
A track record of elevating strong PM and design ICs into more strategic, senior thinkers—not just promoting people, but genuinely shaping their craft.

Responsibilities

Own the outcomes: Drive positive correctional outcomes by expanding product-market-impact fit, building long-term organizational sustainability, and scaling what works to more states—ensuring tools deliver immediate usability and sustained weekly active engagement.
Lead and develop a high-performing team: Manage and mentor PMs, designers, and emerging leaders. Build cohesive cross-functional rituals, streamline team operations, and drive adoption of shared UI standards to increase execution speed and state-by-state consistency.
Build cross-functional trust: Partner closely with engineering, data science, state engagement, and marketing, coaching your team to do the same. Keep teams close to frontline staff, government leadership, and justice-impacted individuals through grounded, trauma-informed discovery practices.
Set strategic context: Define a clear direction so every PM and designer understands where their area fits, what to prioritize, and why it matters. Partner with and coach team members as they navigate complex policy and administrative constraints, helping them land on clear roadmaps and intuitive user workflows.
Modernize workflows and execution: Help the team stay ahead of shifts in technology by modeling AI-assisted workflows across discovery, scoping, and prototyping—accelerating delivery speed without sacrificing rigor or user empathy.

Benefits

90% medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage for you and your dependents
Flexible time off, including 20 days of PTO, 3 days of paid volunteering time, and 13 paid holidays per year
401(k) retirement plan with 5% company match and no vesting period
12 weeks of paid parental leave
Complimentary One Medical membership (availability based on location)
Partnership with Carrot to provide employees with inclusive fertility and family-forming benefits, as well as a small but growing number of hormonal health and gender-affirming care benefits
Monthly ClassPass credit for personal wellness
Free mental health support via Talkspace
Well-located offices in Oakland and Manhattan, with the flexibility to work remotely or go into either office as you choose
An annual company offsite and other ad-hoc gatherings