Product manager at Ford Models

Altpoint Ventures:

Altpoint Ventures is a venture capital firm and start-up incubator headquartered in Greenwich, CT, with offices in NYC and LA. Altpoint invests across stages and sectors in the highest-potential entrepreneurs who are committed to building the future. Altpoint works with founders and teams based on their needs, providing guidance and support with product development, go-to-market plans and exit strategy development.

FORD Models:

An Altpoint Ventures portfolio company, FORD Models is an agency renowned for innovating model management, FORD is the most recognized and respected name in the history of modeling. Founded in 1947 by legendary fashion industry pioneers Eileen and Jerry Ford, the agency has an unprecedented talent roster that includes models and talent spanning the areas of women, men, hair & makeup artists, stylists and photographers. With an established foundation of talent and agents in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Paris as well as franchise relationships in Brazil, FORD continues to innovate and influence the industries of modeling and fashion.

Role Description:

FORD Models is preparing to launch a new digital initiative and is looking for a Product Manager to oversee the process of creating and implementing FORD’s new digital platform. The Product Manager will work with executives, digital team members, and engineers to help execute current designs and strategies, and then grow the platform’s impact in the market after launch.

Responsibilities:

• Work in close collaboration with business owners to conceptualize and execute big-picture brand and digital product strategy while simultaneously aligning engineering capabilities with product direction
• Manage production resources, budgets, timelines and final digital product delivery
• Convert business deliverables into actionable tasks and instructions for the engineering team utilizing the Agile methodology:
  • Create/Update user flows
  • Participate in Agile project inception and iteration meetings
  • Write user stories for feature additions and enhancements
  • Write acceptance criteria
  • Manage backlog and user story priorities
  • Be involved in story sign‐off, launch readiness, bug triage
• Effectively utilize A/B testing to identify necessary modifications throughout the digital platform
• Assume the role of digital product owner in the development process while working on a daily basis with business and engineering teams to make strategic and tactical decisions about the platform’s functionality; balancing appropriate tradeoffs between business goals, user goals, scalability/maintainability, time‐to‐market, and process efficiency
• Insure that all quality controls are identified, in place, and reviewed throughout the platform’s life cycle
• Form collaborative working relationships with content partners, media companies, casting agencies, talent agencies and technology companies
• Perform market research and competitive analysis if necessary, identify market trends
• Drive digital product launch including working with public relations team, executives, and other digital team members

Qualifications:

• 6+ years of relevant experience
• 3+ years in digital product management, preferably in an Agile development environment
• A proven track record of:
  • Managing all aspects of a successful digital product throughout its lifecycle
  • Maintaining end-to-end ownership ‐ identifying and gathering deliverables, scheduling, execution and timely delivery
  • Developing digital product and marketing strategies and effectively communicating recommendations to executive management
• Solid technical background with experience in software development and mobile/web technologies
• MS/BS degree in Computer Science, Engineering or equivalent preferred. MBA/MS/PhD a plus
• Ability to identify and push for correct solutions while balancing requirements of various teams
• Strong presentation and written/oral communication skills
• Self‐motivated and innovative, with analytical, problem solving, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Enjoy working in a fast‐paced, dynamic, culturally diverse environment
• Experience in Fashion industry desired

Personal Characteristics:

• Ability to identify and push for correct solutions while balancing requirements of various teams
• Strong presentation and written/oral communication skills
• Self‐motivated and innovative, with analytical, problem solving, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Enjoy working in a fast‐paced, dynamic, culturally diverse environment
• Experience in Fashion industry desired