Director, Product Operations (Chief of Staff)

IHG•Atlanta, GA

22h•$138,942 - $185,000•Hybrid

About The Position

This highly visible and strategic role sits within the Architecture, Corporate, AI & Data (ARCAID) organization and serves as the primary Product Operations partner to the SVP and tower leadership team. The role is embedded within ARCAID and aligned to the Product Operations & Performance Center of Operations model — bringing discipline, rigor, and structure to a tower operating at the leading edge of AI, data, architecture, and corporate technology. The Director will act as a trusted operator to Wei Manfredi and her leadership team — shaping and articulating ARCAID's strategy, standing up the operating rhythms that don't exist today (SteerCos, priority reviews, executive readouts), and translating complex AI, data, and architecture concepts into simple, compelling messaging for senior audiences including Board-level forums, Executive Committee (EC), Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Extended Leadership Team (ELT), and external business partners.

Requirements

7–10 years of progressive experience across strategy, product management, product marketing, or product operations roles within technology-driven organizations.
Demonstrated success in strategic planning, narrative development, and executive communication for senior leadership audiences.
Strong track record of influencing senior stakeholders and operating effectively in complex, matrixed environments.
Experience working within technology organizations, with exposure to AI, data, architecture, and platform-based capabilities.
Proven ability to establish operating rhythms, governance forums, and executive reporting structures from the ground up.
Experience partnering with commercial/business stakeholders (Finance, HR, GCM, Regions, Legal) to drive technology priorities through the business.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to build alignment and trust across all levels of the organization.
Product background — brings a product mindset grounded in customer value, iterative improvement, and outcomes over outputs.
Effective storytelling — proven ability to craft compelling narratives and executive-level messaging that simplify complex topics.
Rigor and discipline — operates with structure, follow-through, and a bias for closure; brings order to complex, ambiguous environments.
Drives ideas through the business — able to move an idea from concept to alignment to execution by influencing senior stakeholders without direct authority.
Business partnership — partners closely with business and commercial stakeholders to build trust, secure buy-in, and unlock decisions.
Brings structure to white space — comfortable establishing SteerCos, priority reviews, and governance where none exist today.
Comfortable in ambiguity — thrives operating in white space, defining the "how" while shaping the "what."
Translates complex technology — turns AI, data, and architecture concepts into simple, straightforward messaging for any audience.

Responsibilities

Partner with the SVP and ARCAID leadership to define, evolve, and communicate a clear tower strategy that aligns to the broader P&T vision and priorities.
Own the ARCAID narrative — translating complex AI, architecture, data, and corporate technology concepts into simple, straightforward messaging tailored to executive and business audiences.
Develop and maintain messaging frameworks, value propositions, and strategic 1-pagers that clearly articulate the impact and direction of ARCAID initiatives.
Develop high-quality executive materials (EC/SLT/ELT readouts, Board updates, OA forums, strategic presentations) that drive clarity, alignment, and informed decision-making.
Craft compelling narratives that simplify complex topics into clear, structured, and persuasive messaging for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Ensure consistency and cohesion in how ARCAID's strategy, priorities, and progress are communicated internally and externally.
Establish and reinforce a clear operating rhythm across ARCAID — including LT meetings, priority check-ins, quarterly lookbacks/QBRs, SteerCos, and weekly CPTO updates.
Bring structure to areas where structure doesn't exist today — standing up SteerCos, priority reviews, and governance forums with primary business stakeholders.
Partner with the Agile CoE and Portfolio Management to drive consistent delivery practices, including annual planning, product roadmaps, prioritization, KPIs/OKRs, and priority reporting.
Monitor tower KPIs and financial performance, acting as a conduit to Finance on budget vs. spend, business cases, vendor management, and the pipeline of new investments.
Partner closely with business and commercial stakeholders (e.g., GCM, Finance, HR, Loyalty, Owner Relations) to drive ARCAID priorities through the business.
Act as a connective layer between ARCAID and internal P&T towers (DDC, EPI, GTX, ETS, GC) to surface dependencies, align on shared priorities, and ensure cohesive delivery of horizontal capabilities.
Represent ARCAID's strategy and value proposition across cross-functional forums on behalf of tower leadership.
Swarm high-impact, cross-functional initiatives (e.g., AI Step Change, Gemini Enterprise, AI CoE, Data Engineering, Corporate Products) to accelerate execution and bring consistent operational governance.
Ensure initiatives are grounded in clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and ongoing visibility to leadership.
Act as a trusted advisor to Wei — proactively identifying risks, gaps, and opportunities and helping the tower stay aligned to its strategic direction.