Senior Director, Product & Design

The Contingent • Portland, OR

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Contingent is seeking a Senior Director, Product and Design, to lead and grow its product and design function during a significant period of organizational expansion. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring clarity, decisiveness, and a deep sense of humanity. The ideal candidate is a servant-leader who is as dedicated to developing people as they are to shipping products, believing that diverse perspectives lead to better technology. The role involves owning and driving the product roadmap, sprint planning, quarterly planning, and release planning, as well as leading scope reviews, product approvals, and wireframe reviews. A key aspect of the role is coaching and developing the team with patience and high expectations, fostering an environment where diverse thinkers can excel. The position also includes leadership in state implementation, hiring and developing an Implementation PM to coordinate product configuration and state launch timelines, and ensuring successful, on-schedule delivery of new state launches. Furthermore, the Senior Director will serve as a key thought partner to the Chief Product and Innovation Officer on product strategy, team structure, and organizational capability building, translating organizational vision into executable roadmaps and team actions. Responsibilities may vary based on supervisory discretion in this dynamic work environment.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in product management or product leadership
• At least 3 years in a people management role
• Track record of successfully rallying cross-functional teams — engineering, design, customer-facing — around shared goals and delivering together
• Experienced coach who develops talent across career stages; adapts approach and creates conditions where different kinds of thinkers thrive
• Fluent in human-centered design — advocates for the process and understands its importance for users navigating high-stakes life decisions
• Clear, decisive communicator who can energize a room and also say “no” and “not now” with kindness and credibility
• Commitment to the mission of The Contingent, including Every Child , and The Script
• Relates well and works effectively with diverse groups of people who represent the range of ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds
• Ability to articulate a position on the importance of diverse community organizations (including faith communities, political organizations, businesses) engaging vulnerable children, youth, and families
• Deep commitment to serving vulnerable kids, youth, and families and those in government who work with them
• Deep commitment to increasing the diversity of leadership in the communities we serve
• Self-motivated leader that takes initiative
• Adaptable to changing situations and processes
• Demonstrates a passion for operational, technical, and customer experience excellence
• Legally eligible to work in the United States

Nice To Haves

• Experience in nonprofit, civic tech, or mission-driven environments; understands the unique motivations and constraints of mission-driven work
• Experience with government or state agency partnerships is a plus

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the product roadmap, sprint planning, quarterly planning, and release planning end-to-end
• Lead scope reviews, product approvals, and wireframe reviews
• Coach and develop the product and design team with patience, intentionality, and high expectations
• Create the conditions—structure, patience, and psychological safety—for different kinds of thinkers to do their best work
• Hire and develop an Implementation PM to coordinate internal product configuration and state-facing timelines for new state launches
• Ensure every new state launch is properly configured, thoroughly tested, and delivered on schedule
• Serve as a key thought partner to the Chief Product and Innovation Officer (CPIO) on product strategy, team structure, and organizational capability building
• Translate high-level organizational vision into executable roadmaps and team action

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits including premium medical, vision, and dental insurance. Covered 100% for employee and partially (80%) for spouse and/or dependents
• 19 paid holidays, with additional vacation, sick, bereavement and parental leave
• 401(k) with a 5% (annual salary) match

What This Job Offers

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