Forward Deployed Product Manager

Fractional AI•San Francisco, CA

58d•Onsite

About The Position

Fractional AI builds bespoke GenAI software to transform businesses. We work with customers like Zapier, Airbyte, and Change.org to build their high-impact gen AI applications. Every C-suite in the country is trying to bridge the gap between AI in theory and AI in practice. We close this gap with exceptional engineering talent and custom end-to-end AI builds (see some of our case studies to learn more). We’re profitable, scaling fast, and focused on solving the hardest problems in applied AI. Our customers come to us with ambitious, often fuzzy goals—make content moderation faster, customer service cheaper and better, unlock new integrations, automate the workflows no one else can touch. Your job is to turn those goals into AI-powered solutions that actually work in the real world—and to own the journey from first conversation → live system → real business impact. This is a forward-deployed, full-stack customer role: Part engagement manager (you’re the primary face of Fractional to the client) Part product manager (you decide what we build and why) Part delivery/program manager (you run the execution motion end-to-end) Part “do whatever it takes” operator (you jump into the gaps to keep things moving)

Requirements

Customer-facing, high-stakes experience
You’ve led projects where customers were under pressure, stakeholders weren’t aligned, and the path wasn’t obvious.
You’re comfortable pushing back, reframing the problem, and holding the line on quality.
Real product & delivery experience
You’ve built and shipped products or services in partnership with engineers and designers—ideally across multiple cycles.
You know how to run an execution rhythm (stand-ups, planning, tracking, retros) without turning it into process theater.
Structured problem-solving and communication
You ask good questions, structure chaos, and turn ambiguity into a plan.
You can go from whiteboarding with execs to writing a crisp doc for engineers without losing the plot.
Bias for action and ownership
You roll up your sleeves and make things happen, whether that’s writing a scrappy SQL query, drafting a support playbook, or jumping into a last-minute exec demo.
Experience range
Typically 4–8 years in product, consulting, implementations, or any role where execution and customer trust mattered more than your job title. (We care more about what you’ve done than the exact label on your resume.)
Comfort with ambiguity and intensity
You like high-energy environments, messy problems, and “we haven’t done this before” projects.
You can juggle multiple customers, keep priorities straight, and make good calls with incomplete information.
AI curiosity, not AI dogma
You don’t need deep AI expertise on day one. You do need curiosity, strong reasoning, and a desire to learn fast—and to overuse AI in your own workflow.

Responsibilities

Own the customer relationship end-to-end
Act as the customer’s day-to-day strategic partner and primary point of contact.
Join early-stage calls, run discovery, synthesize feedback, and keep customers aligned on what we’re building and why.
Build trusted relationships across all levels of an organization, setting clear expectations and being candid about tradeoffs.
Shape what we build and why
Define product builds, refine and sequence scope, and identify the highest-leverage use cases.
Translate ambiguous business problems into crisp problem statements, user journeys, and success metrics.
Work with customers to define what “success” actually means—then design experiments, KPIs, and dashboards to prove it.
Turn messy problems into shipped solutions
Translate ambiguous customer needs into clear requirements, PRDs, and plans for engineers.
Shape workflows, edge cases, evaluation criteria, and deployment success metrics for AI-powered systems.
Sit in the loop with engineering: prioritization, tradeoffs, testing, evals, and launches.
Drive execution across multiple AI builds
Run the day-to-day execution rhythm: stand-ups, planning, check-ins, risk/issue tracking, and runway management.
Coordinate between customers, engineers, designers, and other Fractional teammates to keep projects unblocked and moving.
Own timelines and delivery quality—getting projects across the finish line consistently and calmly, even when things change late.
Help create demand, not just fulfill it
Jump on early, messy conversations where the “project” is still a vague idea.
Help founders and sales tease out real pain, sketch solution approaches live, and scope engagements that we can actually deliver.
Spot expansion opportunities and help turn successful deployments into broader, long-term partnerships.
Drive adoption and long-term impact
Work with client teams on rollout, enablement, and change management—so the systems you build actually get used.
Monitor performance, gather qualitative and quantitative feedback, and push for improvements where they matter most.
Bring back insights and patterns that inform Fractional’s internal playbooks, tooling, and product direction.
Bring judgment and clarity
When requirements are fuzzy, data is messy, or customers change course, you’ll break the problem down and guide everyone toward the highest-impact solution.
Be the person in the room who can say, “Here’s what we’re actually trying to do, here’s what we know, here’s the plan.”

Benefits

Competitive Compensation Package: Attractive salary and meaningful equity aligned with your experience and skills.
401k with Matching: Invest in your future with our company-matched retirement plan.
Unlimited PTO: Take the time you need to relax and rejuvenate.
Exceptional Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage: Comprehensive health benefits to keep you and your family healthy.
Health FSA: Manage out-of-pocket health expenses effectively.
Commuter Benefits: Make your travel to work easier and more affordable.
Life Insurance: Providing peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
Team Events and Activities: Regular events to build camaraderie and a strong team spirit.

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