Pasadena, CA

The Director of Product Management leads the company with a focus on enhancing the definition and growth of the product in its market. The Director of Product Management is the primary driver of the group’s vision; overseeing the development and management of the product’s roadmap based on the adopted strategies and vision.

The role of the Director of Product Management is inherently cross-functional. This position requires that a person closely work with the engineering, design, marketing, sales, and other departments.

The role of Head of Product Management demands that the individual in its occupation be a highly analytical individual who is able to work quite effectively in a matrix environment. The position also requires that the occupier be adept at synthesizing various technologies and capabilities into the business’s products.

About Continuum

Continuum enables customers to launch satellite payloads, space vehicles, and new services faster, safer, and smarter with lower capital costs by removing the friction that comes with solving deeply complex space engineering problems compounded by outdated and disconnected tools and workflows.

Built upon tools and technologies developed for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, an

operating division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Continuum streamlines the mission management process into a single unified system that supports the entire mission lifecycle from mission ideation and design to in-space operations. Continuum serves the growing space industry by enabling teams to focus on their core competencies and advance the potential of space exploration and commercialization.

Objectives of this role

Drive the product- and business-planning processes for cross-functional teams

• Analyze customer needs, current market trends, and potential partnerships from an ROI and build-vs.-buy perspective
• Assess current competitor offerings and seek opportunities for differentiation
• Analyze product requirements and develop appropriate programs to ensure they’re met
• Appraise new product ideas and strategize appropriate go-to-market plans

Responsibilities

• Drive the execution of all processes in the product lifecycle, including product and market research, competitor analysis, planning, positioning, requirements and roadmap development, and product launch
• Conducting and/or overseeing research to gain a deep understanding of the customer/end user’s needs
• Translate product strategy into detailed requirements for prototyping and final development by engineering teams
• Create product strategy documents that describe business cases, high-level use cases, technical requirements, revenue, and ROI
• Analyze market data to develop sales strategies, and define product objectives for effective marketing communications
• Collaborate closely with engineering, production, marketing, and sales teams in the development, QA, and release of products, and balance resources to ensure success for the entire organization
• Develop product positioning and messaging that differentiates Continuum across primary market segments
• Building and owning the product roadmap—the strategic plan of action for the product, ensuring execution is aligned with strategy

Required skills and qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, computer science, or an equivalent in working experience.
• Strong experience in a dynamic product management role
• Proficiency in Atlassian (Confluence and Jira)
• Proven success in overseeing all elements of the product development lifecycle
• High effectiveness in managing cross-functional teams
• Experience in delivering finely tuned product marketing strategies
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, combined with strong presentation and public speaking skills

Preferred skills and qualifications

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in product design or engineering
• Previous experience in software and web development
• An understanding of UX principles
• Industry experience, including 2+ years of product development experience working with spacecraft missions and spacecraft systems

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Continuum is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Continuum is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.