Product Management & Design, Director

Overview Sage Bionetworks is a nonprofit biomedical research organization founded in Seattle in 2009. We focus on advancing human health through open science practices, radical collaboration, and responsible data sharing and reuse. We empower participants to be active partners in research and bring data and communities together to accelerate medical progress.

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We are hiring a Director of Product Management & Design to lead the strategy, development, and execution of Sage’s product portfolio across our technology platforms, including Synapse.org and our research portals. In this newly created role, you will provide vision and structure to product management and design, guiding cross-functional teams to balance the needs of science, engineering, and our users. You will shape the direction of our products, mentor and develop a high-performing product team, and ensure that Sage’s technology continues to empower researchers and advance open science globally.

We are a dynamic, adaptable team, and at Sage, we highly value individuals who can flexibly navigate various roles and functions. Diversity in experiences, backgrounds, and identities is essential for our culture of learning and collaboration. Our partnerships, both within Sage and with external communities, are founded on trust, transparency, and a commitment to growth.

This posting is for a leadership role focused on product management and design across Sage’s platforms.

Job Summary As the Director of Product Management & Design, you will lead Sage’s product portfolio, managing a growing team of product managers, designers, and technical program managers while partnering closely with engineering leads. You will establish and maintain product processes that bring clarity to what we build and why, ensuring alignment with Sage’s scientific mission, grant commitments, and user needs. In this role, you will drive product strategy, mentor and grow your team, and explore emerging technologies, including AI / ML, to shape the evolution of our platforms and advance open science globally.

Key Responsibilities

Product Leadership : Define product priorities and roadmaps across the portfolio in collaboration with leadership.

Design Leadership : Guide and manage the product design team, fostering high standards of usability, accessibility, and visual polish across all products.

Pixel-Perfect Execution : Work with designers and engineers to ensure products are functional, elegant, user-friendly, and visually consistent.

Team Leadership : Directly manage and mentor product managers, designers, and technical program managers, supporting professional growth and high performance.

Execution & Readiness : Maintain healthy backlogs of shovel-ready tickets for predictable and efficient engineering execution.

Portfolio & Resource Management : Conduct regular roadmap and project-level scoping reviews, making strategic trade-offs on resource allocation and priorities.

Metrics & Data-Driven Decisions : Define success metrics and track product impact, adoption, and user satisfaction to inform prioritization and iterative improvements.

Cross-Functional Partnership : Collaborate with engineering, scientists, external stakeholders, and grant leads to translate high-level needs into actionable product goals.

Culture of Outcomes : Promote user-centered product development, accessibility, and inclusivity. Make decisions guided by measurable impact and adoption.

Innovation & Future Vision : Identify opportunities for emerging technologies and innovative solutions to expand the capabilities and impact of Sage’s platforms.

Qualifications

Hold a BS or MS in Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Software Engineering, or a related field, or have equivalent training.

8+ years of product management experience, including 5+ years leading product teams.

3+ years managing design teams, with a strong eye for detail and appreciation of user-friendly, pixel-perfect design.

Thrive in ambiguous, multidisciplinary environments where research, technology, and users intersect.

Ability to bring order and clarity to complex problems and translate them into actionable plans.

Excellent communication skills across diverse teams and stakeholders.

Strong Java programming skills, plus experience with another modern backend language (e.g., Python, TypeScript / Node.js) and willingness to learn.

Comfort integrating user research and feedback into product and design decisions.

Preferred (but not required)

Experience with scientific, data-driven, or scholarly products.

Experience working in grant-funded or nonprofit environments.

Familiarity with data platforms, open science, or biomedical research communities.

Comfort applying Agile / iterative development practices to research-driven work.

Experience driving innovation or implementing emerging technologies in products.

Job Functions and Physical Requirements The following cognitive and physical activities outline the essential functions required for successful job performance. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to fulfill these functions.

Physical Demands Extended periods of sitting at a desk and using a computer. Repeated wrist, hand, and finger movements. Requires clear vision for tasks like data analysis, transcribing, computer use, and reading. Occasionally lifting or moving objects weighing up to 10 pounds.

Cognitive Demands Able to work effectively under deadlines. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. Attention to detail and accuracy. Flexibility to adapt to changing environments, priorities and multitask.

Additional Requirements Travel is required a minimum of two times per year for on-site events in Seattle, WA. Effective verbal and written communication skills. Works well in a team and maintains professionalism. Follows company policies, procedures, and relevant laws and regulations.

Note : This list is not exhaustive and may be subject to modification as job duties evolve.

About Us Sage Bionetworks is a nonprofit biomedical research organization founded in Seattle in 2009. We focus on advancing human health through open science practices and radical collaboration, with a view to breaking down existing silos in science and technology. We guide responsible data sharing and reuse, benchmark scientific methods and results, and empower participants to be active partners in research. We are a bold team of scientists, engineers, product developers, governance specialists and business experts, working to bring data and communities together in unique ways that accelerate medical progress. As a growing organization, Sage is supported through a dynamic portfolio of competitive research grants, commercial partnerships, and philanthropic contributions.

Sage Bionetworks is pleased to offer a comprehensive benefit package, competitive to both commercial and not-for-profit life science organizations. The plan includes : health, dental, vision, life, AD&D and long term disability benefits; paid time off; a retirement plan; flexible spending accounts; a shared incentives plan, voluntary long term care insurance, and other voluntary products. Additional information can found here : Benefits – Sage Bionetworks

At Sage Bionetworks, we implement equitable workplace strategies to guarantee fair compensation. Actual compensation is determined based on current market data, experience, and internal pay parity. This position is classified as a

Sage Director, Management level position, with a hiring salary range of $160,930 to $190,303.

New hires typically receive an offer between the minimum and midpoint of the range, although higher offers may be considered based on experience and market conditions.

We have a distributed workforce and support remote and / or on-site hybrid work arrangements within the United States. All interviews will be conducted virtually unless otherwise communicated.

At Sage Bionetworks, we uphold equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants without bias to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status. We strictly prohibit discrimination and harassment based on these protected categories, in compliance with federal and state equal employment opportunity laws.

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