Lead Product Manager

Company Cox Automotive - USA

Job Family Group

Engineering / Product Development

Job Profile

Lead Product Manager

Management Level

Manager - Non People Leader

Flexible Work Option

Hybrid - Ability to work remotely part of the week

Travel %

Yes, 5% of the time

Work Shift

Day

Compensation

Compensation includes a base salary in the range of $111,500.00 - $185,900.00. The base salary may vary within the anticipated base pay range based on factors such as the ultimate location of the position and the selected candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Position may be eligible for additional compensation that may include an incentive program.

Job Description

Every year, Manheim moves millions of vehicles across its auction network — and the operational infrastructure powering that movement is ready for transformation. As a Lead Product Manager on the Lot Operations Modernization team, you won't just execute a backlog — you'll help set the direction for one of the highest-impact problem spaces in that network. You'll lead discovery, shape strategy, and build the products that reduce cost, eliminate waste, and modernize how our lot employees move vehicles every day.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Own one or more interconnected problem areas in Lot Operations Modernization — from labor visibility and vehicle move efficiency to planning gaps and inconsistent standards across the auction network.
• Lead discovery efforts end-to-end — conducting research, engaging field users, and determining whether problems are real, relevant, and worth solving within the team's strategy
• Translate validated problems into specifications, and step in to resolve ambiguity the team can't clear on its own
• Help to define a 6 - 9 month roadmap.
• Build business cases and investment documents that secure funding and inform prioritization decisions at the release-train level
• Define and monitor KPIs for assigned product areas, using Pendo, operational data, and field research to flag when outcomes are trending off course before it becomes a leadership question
• Partner directly with Solution Delivery Managers, engineering, UX, and data/analytics leads to prototype, test, and validate solutions — and bring buy/build/partner recommendations to the Release Train Core
• Mentor other Product Managers — modeling discovery rigor, prioritization judgment, and how to turn ambiguity into a clear plan; this role may also carry 1-2 direct reports
• Represent your product area in PI planning and Inspect/Adapt events, and communicate progress, risk, and tradeoffs directly to Director- and VP-level stakeholders
• Champion AI-accelerated discovery, experimentation, and development — not just using AI tools yourself, but helping the rest of the team adopt them
• Collaborate with other Product Managers on the release train to keep problem areas aligned to strategy and avoid duplicated effort
• Share learnings openly, contributing to a discovery culture built on transparency, iteration, and continuous improvement

WHO YOU ARE

• You're a Product Manager who has moved past executing a backlog and is ready to own outcomes. You're comfortable setting direction with incomplete information, translating operational complexity into a strategy the team can align to, and helping less experienced PMs develop their own judgment. You use context — not just instructions — to figure out what matters most, and you're as clear about what the team should NOT do as what it should.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field and 6 years of experience; or a master's degree and 4 years of experience; a Ph.D. and 1 year of experience in a related field; or 18 years of experience in a related field with no degree
• Proven track record leading discovery independently and turning it into a fundable business case
• Skilled at managing multiple priorities, translating ambiguous and operationally complex problems into clear requirements, and evaluating emerging technology for product fit
• Experience coaching or mentoring other product managers
• Familiarity with SAFe Agile methodology and PI planning
• High integrity; skilled in building partnerships, driving innovation, and focusing the team on execution and excellence
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship

PREFERRED BACKGROUND

We're not prescriptive about where you've been — we care about what you can do. That said, candidates with experience in any of the following areas may find this role a natural fit:

• Automotive or Wholesale
• Operations or Logistics
• Supply Chain Technology
• Field service or last-mile

Familiarity with Rally or comparable ALM tooling, and analytics/product tools such as Pendo, Power BI, Tableau, Snowflake

A track record of driving AI-related initiatives or tooling adoption at a team level

Drug Testing

To be employed in this role, you’ll need to clear a pre-employment drug test. Cox Automotive does not currently administer a pre-employment drug test for marijuana for this position. However, we are a drug-free workplace, so the possession, use or being under the influence of drugs illegal under federal or state law during work hours, on company property and/or in company vehicles is prohibited.

Benefits

The Company offers eligible employees the flexibility to take as much vacation with pay as they deem consistent with their duties, the company’s needs, and its obligations; seven paid holidays throughout the calendar year; and up to 160 hours of paid wellness annually for their own wellness or that of family members. Employees are also eligible for additional paid time off in the form of bereavement leave, time off to vote, jury duty leave, volunteer time off, military leave, and parental leave.

About Us

Through groundbreaking technology and a commitment to stellar experiences for drivers and dealers alike, Cox Automotive employees are transforming the way the world buys, owns, sells – or simply uses – cars. Cox Automotive employees get to work on iconic consumer brands like Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book and industry-leading dealer-facing companies like vAuto and Manheim, all while enjoying the people-centered atmosphere that is central to our life at Cox. Benefits of working at Cox may include health care insurance (medical, dental, vision), retirement planning (401(k)), and paid days off (sick leave, parental leave, flexible vacation/wellness days, and/or PTO). For more details on what benefits you may be offered, visit our benefits page. Cox is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer – All qualified applicants/employees will receive consideration for employment without regard to that individual’s age, race, color, religion or creed, national origin or ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, physical or mental disability, veteran status, genetic information, ethnicity, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by law. Cox provides reasonable accommodations when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with disability, unless such accommodations would cause an undue hardship.EOE, including disability/vets