Principal Product Strategist

LaunchPad Lab • Chicago, IL

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

LaunchPad Lab is a digital product and AI development firm that helps organizations turn complex business challenges into software that creates measurable impact. Since 2012, our teams have designed, built, and supported hundreds of digital products, including custom applications, AI-powered platforms, intelligent workflows, and internal business tools. We bring product strategy, design, and engineering together in one collaborative team and work closely with clients from the initial idea through launch and ongoing growth.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of experience in consulting, professional services, or an agency in a client-facing solutions, product, or strategy role
• Demonstrated experience leading discovery and translating client needs into scoped, priced, and buildable solutions
• Strong product management fundamentals and working knowledge of modern software architecture, with the ability to shape a credible approach and collaborate effectively with engineers
• A practical understanding of AI, including AI agents and automated workflows, along with good judgment about when they belong in a solution
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical tradeoffs to nontechnical audiences
• Experience managing several client engagements or sales pursuits at once, along with comfort working toward commercial goals and maintaining accurate pipeline and forecast information
• The ability and willingness to travel for onsite client workshops when needed

Nice To Haves

• Experience working closely with teams that design and build custom software
• Experience building or scoping AI agents, RAG systems, or workflow automation
• Familiarity with agile delivery and the ability to scope work in a way that reflects how delivery teams will execute it
• Experience working at a growing consultancy where you helped develop a function or process rather than stepping into an established role
• Experience selling or scoping solutions in regulated or data-sensitive environments

Responsibilities

• Lead discovery. Run structured sessions with client stakeholders to understand their business, identify the underlying problem, and define what a successful solution should accomplish.
• Own the Blueprint. Lead our signature Blueprint Workshops and deliver a clear product roadmap, technical approach, scope, timeline, and budget. For many clients, this is the first step toward a larger build.
• Shape the solution. Translate business goals into product requirements and phased delivery plans. Work with engineering to define the technical approach, evaluate build-versus-buy, custom-versus-off-the-shelf, and AI-versus-traditional options, and clearly explain the recommendation to the client.
• Support the sales process. Help qualify opportunities, build the business case, shape pitches, present solutions, respond to client questions, and close new work. Maintain accurate opportunity details and forecasts in our CRM.
• Scope and price the work. Collaborate with team members to develop realistic estimates that account for complexity, risk, and uncertainty while balancing the client’s goals with the economics of the project.
• Stay accountable through handoff. Help transition sold work into delivery, making sure the team understands the proposed solution, key assumptions, and client commitments. Identify opportunities for additional work when they arise.
• Improve how we sell. Help strengthen our discovery frameworks, proposal materials, estimation practices, and overall sales process so the entire firm benefits from what you learn.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with range of $150,000-$200,000
• Health insurance, with LaunchPad Lab covering 100% of the employee PPO premium and 25% of dependent premiums
• Dental and vision insurance with the same contribution structure
• 401(k) with up to 4% company match
• Education and learning stipend
• Flexible vacation policy
• Paid parental leave

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed