Product Manager - Hawthorn East

We've been trusted to serve Aussie communities since 1914 and grown to become a top 30-listed on the ASX with 120,000 team members and a portfolio of iconic brands. At Coles Group, you'll not only get to make a difference to millions of Aussie lives—you'll also get to see your impact.

About the team

As the way we shop continues to evolve, our Data and Artificial Intelligence Team keeps us at the cutting edge. Driven by our innovative, inclusive, and forward-thinking culture, we’re constantly looking at ways to reinvent the shopping experience for our customers and build the next generation of digital retailing. 

The Data and Artificial Intelligence within the broader Coles Technology Team focuses on building data collection and analytics capabilities to uncover customer, product, and operational insights. Providing data driven support to our users and enabling Coles to be a data driven organisation.

About the role

For this exciting position within our Data and Artificial Intelligence team, we are seeking a versatile Product Manager to manages the end-to-end delivery of specific AI and data products, ensuring business value is realised.

Also, be responsible for creating the roadmap for product squad of multi-disciplinary engineers. Accountable for the results of squads using agile product delivery methods to deliver data and AI products that deliver measurable value to the business.

Working closely with the Group Product Manager Data & AI, your main responsibilities will include the following but not be limited to the below:

• Defines backlog with their squads, partners with the domain stakeholders to ensure the backlog aligns with the business and product strategies. Frame the product backlog with bigger picture thinking that is anchored to the domain’s strategic priorities and long-term vision. Utilises strategy and product roadmap to define quarterly objectives and key success measures for squads.
• Manages and prioritises backlog to deliver on their quarterly objectives and key commercial outcomes. Responsible for end-to-end execution of their initiatives, from discovery to delivery
• Ability to lead Data & AI component of complex cross-functional initiatives and projects. Fosters and maintains strong stakeholder relationships to ensure transparency and alignment around backlog, priorities and key deliverables.
• Works closely with Engineering Manager, development squad and vendor partners to manage delivery, dependencies and risk.
• Communicates to domain stakeholders on progress of initiatives. Foster close engagement with business stakeholders, promoting Data and AI literacy and influencing stakeholders on how data and AI can drive their strategy and business outcomes.
• Partner with stakeholders across business and technology to influence strategic priorities and investment decisions.

Product Leadership

• Define the product vision, strategy and roadmap for assigned Data and AI products.
• Gather, manage and prioritise product requirements as inputs to squads. Translate business needs into clearly defined epics, user stories, and acceptance criteria.
• Manage delivery through discovery, design, build, testing, deployment, and adoption phases. Continue to monitor products in use for further enhancements, support or remediation.
• Ensure a high standard of product practices across the portfolio, including hypothesis validation/proof of concept, roadmap development, feature prioritisation, release planning, and benefits realisation.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a strategic partner to business and technology stakeholders, influencing priorities, communicating vision, and aligning roadmaps for Data and AI Products. Be able to participate in strategy development sessions with influence.
• Ensure alignment between product features and business value drivers.
• Guide the business to make Buy, Build and Partner decisions for AI solutions.
• Communicate product delivery updates and translate complex technical or delivery information into clear business context to support prioritisation and decision-making.

Product Operations and Governance

• Take ownership of Data and AI products including defining value metrics and monitoring product success.
• Lead in-house multidisciplinary squads to deliver value incrementally, applying agile product management principles such as iterative delivery, continuous feedback loops, and backlog prioritisation (balancing new development, enhancement, stability, tech debt remediation and support needs).
• Define the release objectives and coordinate the wider go live activities associated with a release in conjunction with iteration manager.

Experience required

• Proven experience as a Product Manager or equivalent in large scale enterprise setting, with specific experience in developing AI products
• Strong domain experience in data science, machine learning concepts and generative AI models. Agentic AI systems experience preferred. 
• Familiarity with MLOps, LLMOps and continuous model monitoring frameworks. Familiarity with data platform technologies (e.g. Databricks, Snowflake). 
• Understanding of retail data sources as relevant to domain (POS, loyalty, commercial, inventory, supply chain, workforce) and how they can be applied to AI use cases.
• Track record of leading multi-disciplinary squads in an agile product delivery environment.
• Experience using customer insight, data, and commercial outcomes to shape product decisions and prioritisation.
• Involved in defining product success metrics and monitoring product success
• Strong ability to deliver and execute on agreed delivery plans, prioritise development requirements and manage output to critical milestones 
• Proven track record of building strong relationships with multiple business stakeholders and teams, with an ability to bridge technical and business perspectives and influence leaders in domain.

Commercial Skills and Formal Qualifications

• Mid-level experience in product management or equivalent role with data and AI related products
• Ability to develop and articulate a long-term vision for one or more proposed technology solutions, balancing a solution and project view with a systems and enterprise view.
• Ability to contextualise a program of work within a broader context, such as analysing second order implications of a possible solution. Ability to identify marketplace opportunities and discover the most appropriate ways and time to capitalise on them.
• Awareness of the competitive landscape of emerging business models reshaping the retail industry, with demonstrated expertise in emerging AI technology, including Agentic and Generative AI, providing the ability to identify opportunities, challenges, and competitive threats from these emerging technologies and how they might impact retail.
• Understanding of with the full Technology Lifecycle, including both software and AI/data science development cycles, with key stages and responsibilities, technologies, vendors, and roles.
• Tertiary qualifications in Business, Technology, Design, or related fields (or equivalent work experience).
• Excellent strategic thinking and commercial acumen, with the ability to connect product delivery to business impact.
• Outstanding communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to inspire and align diverse stakeholders.
• Strong capability in product planning tools and frameworks (e.g. OKRs, JTBD, value stream mapping, roadmapping).

What’s in it for you? 

• Flexible working options: We know that work is only one part of your life, so we actively encourage a positive work-life balance and provide hybrid working options to help you achieve it.

• Office perks: Take advantage of our gym facility and fitness classes, free parking, BBQ area, mini-Coles supermarket, fooderie hub where you can sample new products before they hit the shelves, school holiday program and so much more when you come in.

• Discounts: Eligible team members receive 5% discount all year round on your Supermarket and Liquor online and in-store purchases. We also offer additional periods of double discount (10%) at various times throughout the year. As well as hot deals exclusive to team members that translate into additional savings.

• Reward through recognition: Give and receive recognition, linked to our Coles values, through our digital recognition platform ‘mythanks.’ You can accumulate points to redeem in the online shop for exciting gifts and electronic gift cards from an extensive range of retailers.

• Opportunities for learning and development: No matter where you start within our diverse business, you’ll have experiences, exposure, and education to satisfy you. Discover and explore a variety of career development programs and job-specific training.

• Paid parental leave: We understand how important your life outside work is and offer permanent team members paid parental leave to support you in balancing work and family.

• Investment in your future: Our annual team member share plan offer allows eligible team members to make regular pre-tax salary sacrifice deductions to purchase Coles Group shares.

About the recruitment process

We’re continuing to build a gender equitable team, and a culture that is just as diverse, inclusive and welcoming as the communities we serve. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe and respectful for our team. We encourage applications from people of all ages, cultures (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples), abilities, sexual orientation and gender identities.

We’re happy to adjust our recruitment process to support candidates with disability. For further information and additional contact details visit the ‘Our Recruitment Process’ section of our careers site or email inclusionrecruitment@coles.com.au

Job ID: 166085 

Employment Type: Full time 

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