Director of Innovation (PHX)

We are seeking a dynamic and forward-thinking Senior Product Manager/Director of Innovation to lead product initiatives within Matthews REIS. This individual will bridge the gap between technical teams and executive leadership, driving product development and innovation strategies to stay ahead of market trends. The ideal candidate has a hustler work ethic, a hacker mentality, and a visionary mindset who thrives in a fast-paced environment, excels at communication, and has a deep understanding of agile methodologies. This is a high visibility position – you must be able to get nerdy with engineering but be able to captivate a non-technical audience with business value and storytelling.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

• Define and implement a product innovation strategy aligned with the company’s goals and market trends.
• Collaborate with the leadership team to identify opportunities for growth and innovation
• Develop and maintain a product roadmap that prioritizes impactful features and projects.
• Stay informed on emerging technologies, market trends, and customer needs to guide strategic decision-making on software licensing

Product Development:

• Lead end-to-end product lifecycle management, from ideation to launch, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Work closely with engineering teams to translate business requirements into technical specifications.
• Champion agile practices, including sprint planning, backlog prioritization, and iterative development.
• Conduct market research, user testing, and data analysis to validate product concepts and optimize performance.

Team Collaboration:

• Manage cross-functional collaboration between engineering, design, marketing, sales, and operations teams.
• Foster a culture of experimentation by encouraging rapid prototyping, A/B testing, and iterative improvements.
• Act as a liaison between technical teams and executive stakeholders to ensure clear communication and alignment.

Innovation Initiatives:

• Spearhead “test-and-learn” methodologies to quickly bring new technologies or solutions to market or into our business
• Build business cases for innovative projects and lead proof-of-concept initiatives.
• Promote the adoption of cutting-edge tools and processes that enhance efficiency and scalability in our operations
• Perform build/buy/partner evaluations

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Computer Science, or related fields, or equivalent in years of experience
• 7 years of experience in product management or innovation leadership roles within B2B enterprise software or real estate sectors.
• Proven track record of successfully managing engineering teams and delivering innovative products.

Skills & Competencies

• Experience working with a tight sprint team (8 engineers, 1 designer)
• Expertise in agile methodologies and tools (e.g., Jira, Trello).
• Strong familiarity with B2B software
• Experience creating or using B2B Sales software a plus (eg. Saleloft, Pipedrive)
• Experience with Salesforce (strongly preferred but not required)
• Strong technical acumen with the ability to understand engineering challenges and solutions.
• Exceptional communication skills for engaging with both technical teams and executive leadership.
• Ability to identify market opportunities through research and translate them into actionable strategies.

Personal Attributes

• Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for exploring new technologies and solving complex problems.
• Highly adaptable with strong problem-solving skills in dynamic environments.
• Collaborative leader who can inspire teams while maintaining accountability.
• By nature, you challenge conventional wisdom and don’t settle for average

This role offers an exciting opportunity to shape the future of commercial real estate by leveraging technology and innovation. If you are passionate about driving change in a traditional industry while working at the intersection of business strategy and technical execution, we encourage you to apply!