Director, Product Management

Watchmaker Genomics•Boulder, CO

7d•$180,000 - $210,000

About The Position

Watchmaker Genomics is seeking a strategic, commercially minded Director of Product Management to lead product strategy across its next-generation sequencing (NGS), molecular diagnostics (MDx), and enzyme portfolios. The Director will guide portfolio investments, product development, and lifecycle strategies to drive innovation and sustainable growth, reporting to the VP of Marketing. The Director will lead and develop a team of Product Managers and partner closely with R&D, Commercial, Marketing, Applications, and executive leadership to align customer needs, market opportunities, and business priorities. The role provides strategic oversight from market assessment and product development through commercialization, launch, market adoption, and lifecycle management. The successful candidate will combine technical expertise, commercial acumen, and leadership experience bringing life science products to market. The position is full-time, based in Boulder, Colorado (preferred), or remote, and requires willingness to travel up to 30% domestically and internationally. The base compensation starts at $180,000–$210,000, plus bonus and equity, with actual pay adjusted based on skills and experience.

Requirements

MS degree in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, or a related scientific discipline.
15+ years of relevant industry experience in life sciences, biotechnology, genomics, or molecular diagnostics.
5+ years of product management experience, including ownership of product strategy, roadmaps, and commercial performance.
5+ years of people management experience, with the ability to lead, develop, and mentor Product Managers.
Demonstrated success bringing innovative life science products from concept through commercialization and lifecycle management.
Commercial and financial acumen, including business case development, pricing strategies, revenue forecasting, and product profitability.
Strong technical understanding of NGS workflows and molecular diagnostic applications, and ability to lead across a diverse technical portfolio.
Experience leading cross-functional new product development teams and making strategic product investment decisions.
Customer-facing experience and ability to translate market insights into actionable product strategies.
Familiarity with quality and regulatory considerations relevant to molecular diagnostics, including collaboration with Quality and Regulatory teams.
Strong strategic and analytical thinking and ability to evaluate complex market opportunities and make portfolio investment decisions.
Ability to lead and develop teams while fostering individual ownership and accountability.
Excellent cross-functional leadership and influencing skills, including navigating competing priorities and driving alignment without direct authority.
Strong scientific and technical aptitude and ability to connect emerging technologies to customer needs and commercial opportunities.
Excellent communication and presentation skills for engaging customers, technical teams, and executive leadership.
Sound judgment, organizational discipline, and ability to make decisions amid ambiguity and changing priorities.
Entrepreneurial mindset balancing strategic vision with execution.
Willingness to travel up to 30% domestically and internationally.

Nice To Haves

PhD or MBA.
Experience supporting strategic accounts, OEM relationships, partnerships, or customized product solutions.

Responsibilities

Partner with R&D and executive leadership to define and drive the overarching product strategy and multi-year roadmap across the NGS, MDx, and enzyme portfolios.
Lead portfolio business planning, investment decisions, and resource prioritization, balancing near-term commercial opportunities with longer-term innovation.
Establish portfolio performance objectives and guide pricing and growth strategies to drive revenue, market penetration, profitability, and product differentiation.
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of Product Managers, setting priorities, accountability, and performance expectations.
Sponsor portfolio initiatives, empower Product Managers, and ensure cross-functional alignment and execution.
Guide market assessment, competitive intelligence, and customer discovery to identify unmet needs, evaluate product opportunities, and inform portfolio priorities.
Provide strategic oversight of product development initiatives, aligning Product Management, R&D, and Applications on priorities, customer requirements, and business objectives.
Oversee product commercialization with Product Marketing, Sales, and Applications to support transitions from development through launch and market adoption.
Partner with Commercial to support strategic accounts and key partnerships, aligning product strategies and development priorities with customer needs and business opportunities.
Monitor product performance and market feedback to identify portfolio optimization, lifecycle management, and growth opportunities.