AI Product Manager

Job Description

The AI Product Manager is a pivotal, senior individual contributor role responsible for accelerating Victaulic's AI adoption across the enterprise. This position bridges business strategy, technical execution, and program communication - translating complex AI capabilities into measurable business outcomes that advance Victaulic's position as a global manufacturing leader.

Reporting directly to the Manager of AI Technologies, this role will serve as the primary interface between business stakeholders and the AI Program, drive cross-functional collaboration, and communicate findings and roadmaps to Victaulic leadership. The ideal candidate brings a blend of product management rigor, AI fluency, and executive presence.

Primary Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Executive Communication

• Define, own, and continuously refine the product vision for AI-integrated solutions across Victaulic's enterprise
• Develop and maintain multi-year strategic roadmaps for AI product lines
• Present AI product strategy, program progress, and business case analyses to senior leadership and key stakeholders
• Lead cross-functional teams through the complete product development lifecycle, from ideation through deployment and adoption
• Build, manage, and prioritize the AI product backlog aligned to business value and strategic objectives

Product Development & Innovation

• Drive AI application development in partnership with AI Engineering, ensuring solutions meet defined business requirements
• Implement agile methodologies to enable rapid iteration, market responsiveness, and continuous improvement
• Evaluate and recommend AI platforms, tools, and frameworks - including Generative AI, Agentic AI, and ML solutions
• Guide initiatives from concept through launch, balancing innovation with pragmatic execution
• Collaborate with the AI Tools & Automation team to identify automation opportunities that amplify program ROI

Stakeholder Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Build trusted partnerships across all organizational levels - from frontline SMEs to C-Suite executives
• Facilitate clear, structured communication between technical teams, business units, and senior leadership
• Serve as the primary liaison to the ePMO, managing project intake, approval requests, and funding submissions
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to continuously inform and validate product strategy
• Engage with internal customers to gather insights, validate product direction, and measure adoption outcomes

AI Governance & Program Enablement

• Ensure AI solutions adhere to Victaulic's AI governance standards, risk frameworks, and security protocols
• Partner with IT, Legal, and Compliance teams to assess vendor security and data privacy implications
• Contribute to the development and refinement of AI governance policies and deployment checklists
• Champion AI literacy across the organization by supporting training initiatives and executive education programs

Education & Experience

Skills & Competencies

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Computer Science, or a related technical field; MBA a plus
• Executive presence - ability to synthesize complexity and communicate with clarity to C-Suite and Board-level audiences
• 5+ years in product management, product development, or technology program delivery
• Strategic thinker who can balance long-term vision with near-term execution priorities
• 2+ years of direct experience managing or launching AI/ML or Generative AI products
• Proven ability to lead without authority across matrixed, cross-functional organizations
• Demonstrated success building multi-year technology roadmaps and presenting to executive audiences
• Strong business case development and financial modeling skills
• Strong understanding of AI/ML, Generative AI, Agentic AI, and cloud-based AI services
• Excellence in verbal and written communication, storytelling, and executive presentation
• Experience with AWS Bedrock, Azure AI, or comparable platforms strongly preferred
• Proficiency with Agile/Scrum methodologies and product management tools (e.g., Jira, monday.com, or similar)
• Familiarity with Data & AI Governance frameworks and oversight practices
• Understanding of software development principles and cybersecurity concepts as they apply to AI deployments
• Experience with RPA, Process Mining, or enterprise automation platforms a plus
• High degree of intellectual curiosity and comfort navigating ambiguity in rapidly evolving technology landscapes
• Background in manufacturing, industrial, or engineering environments preferred