Principal Product Manager

Speridian Technolgies is recruiting for a Principal Product Manager for our client, the State of California, Department of Healthcare Service, Behavioral Health.  The largest SLED (state, local, and education) organization in the United States, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is considered one of the most technologically advanced teams in California state government.

This person will be part of a state of the art, extremely  vast, IT modernization  project working with a variety of cross-functional teams.

This is a remote role, however there will be meetings in the Sacramento area several times a year. Candidates ideally will be based on the West Coast and work West Coast hours.

The Principal Product Manager - Strategy is responsible for identifying business problems, developing innovative solutions, and defining strategic objectives and key results (OKRs) to address these challenges. This role requires a deep understanding of the market, customer needs, and business goals to drive product innovation and ensure alignment with organizational objectives.
1. Problem Identification: Conduct thorough market research, customer interviews, and competitive analysis to identify business problems and opportunities for innovation.
o Outcome: Clear identification of business problems and opportunities for product innovation.
2. Solution Development: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to brainstorm, develop, and evaluate potential solutions and new products. Ensure that proposed solutions/products align with business objectives and customer needs and align with stakeholder direction.
o Outcome: Innovative solutions that effectively address identified business problems.
3. OKR Definition: Define clear and measurable Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) for each identified business problem and proposed solution. Ensure alignment with overall business strategy and goals.
o Outcome: Well-defined OKRs that drive the successful implementation of solutions.
4. Strategic Planning: Develop strategic product roadmaps that outline the steps necessary to achieve the defined OKRs. Coordinate with product management, engineering, and other relevant teams to ensure seamless execution.
o Outcome: Comprehensive product roadmaps that guide the development and implementation of solutions.
5. Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with key stakeholders, including executive leadership, to communicate the identified problems, proposed solutions, and strategic plans and secure buy-in and support for product initiatives. o Outcome: Strong stakeholder alignment and support for product strategies and initiatives.
6. Performance Monitoring: Track and analyze the performance of implemented solutions against the defined OKRs. Provide regular updates to stakeholders and recommend adjustments as needed to ensure success.
o Outcome: Ongoing monitoring and optimization of product initiatives to achieve desired outcomes

Key Skills:
• Entrepreneurial Mindset
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and define complex business problems
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Strategic thinking and planning abilities, focusing on aligning product initiatives with business goals.
• Experience in defining and managing OKRs to drive product success.
• Collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross functional teams.
• Deep understanding of market research, customer insights, and competitive analysis techniques.
Technologies/Tools:
• Market research and analysis tools (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey) for gathering insights and data.
• Product management tools (e.g., Jira, Aha!, Trello) for planning and tracking product initiatives.
• OKR management tools (e.g., Lattice, Weekdone) are used to set, track, and report on Objectives and Key Results.
• Collaboration tools (e.g., Slack and Microsoft Teams) facilitate communication and coordination within teams.

Speridian is an EEO employer