R&D Product Manager

JOB SUMMARY

This role sits at the intersection of product management, discovery, and hands-on execution. We are looking for a highly autonomous product thinker who can take a loosely defined idea, research the market, determine what should be built, and work side-by-side with engineers to bring it to life.

Unlike traditional BSA or Product Owner roles, this position operates with minimal structure and oversight. The R&D Product Manager is expected to create clarity rather than receive it. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in ambiguity, enjoys early-stage problem solving, and wants to help shape a growing team.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Product Discovery & Strategy

• Take vague product ideas or problem statements and turn them into clear product direction
• Conduct market research, competitive analysis, and customer discovery to validate demand and shape product scope
• Evaluate where AI, automation, or intelligent workflows may create new product value
• Define product vision, core use cases, and success criteria for new R&D initiatives
• Identify what not to build and intentionally limit scope during early experimentation

Requirements & Execution

• Translate product ideas into clear, actionable requirements that software engineers can build from immediately
• Engage regularly with executive leadership to gather, clarify, and align on product requirements, strategic priorities, and roadmap direction
• Partner closely with software engineers throughout design and development, maintaining tight feedback loops
• Make real‑time tradeoff decisions as new information emerges

Design & Mockups

• Create rough mockups, wireframes, or visual flows to communicate intent and experience (polish not required)
• Collaborate with engineers to refine functionality and user experience
• Ensure usability and customer value are front‑and‑center in product decisions

R&D & Experimentation

• Lead proof‑of‑concept, prototype, and pilot efforts, including AI-enabled features
• Define hypotheses, learning goals, and validation criteria for experiments
• Assess results and recommend next steps including iterate, pivot, stop, or operationalize
• Own end-to-end product validation by testing and experimenting with new solutions to confirm they meet initial requirements, perform reliably, and deliver value in real-world scenarios

Team Growth & Leadership (Future‑Focused)

• Help define how R&D product work gets done as the team grows
• Mentor future R&D product managers and/or BSAs
• Establish lightweight standards and best practices without introducing unnecessary process

REQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Proven experience operating in highly ambiguous environments with little structure
• Strong product thinking — able to frame problems before jumping to solutions
• Demonstrated curiosity and comfort experimenting with new technologies, including AI tools
• Hands on experience writing requirements from scratch (not refining pre-defined scope)
• Ability to work extremely closely with software engineers on early-stage products
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Comfortable making decisions with incomplete data
• Self-directed, resourceful, and biased toward action
• Product Manager or Product Owner experience preferred
• Experience working on AI-enabled products, internal tools, or platforms preferred
• Property & Casualty insurance domain experience preferred
• Financial services or credit card domain experience preferred
• Experience working on internal platforms, B2B products, or infrastructure adjacent systems preferred

EDUCATION & TRAINING

• Associate degree or equivalent education required; Bachelor degree preferred

Exzeo is a leading innovator of end-to-end, technology-powered solutions for the property and casualty (P&C) insurance industry. We deliver a comprehensive suite of integrated capabilities, including an intelligent data repository, mapping and data visualization, quoting and policy administration, and claims management. These features support mission-critical digital workflows, driving efficiency and innovation.

To foster Exzeo’s commitment to creating a collaborative work environment, remote workers will be required to report to a central office location for one week every quarter for collaboration, team building, and educational exercises. 

Exzeo offers 100% employer-paid health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance for employees, a flexible paid time off plan, a 401(k) match, and bonus potential.