Dir, Product Strategy

Progress Rail

Albertville, Alabama

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JOB DETAILS

SKILLS

Analysis Skills, Business Administration, Business Case, Business Operations, Business Processes, Cadence, Career Counseling, Caterpillar Equipment, Change Control, Change Management, Continuous Improvement, Cross-Functional, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Document Control, Documentation, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), Embedded Systems, Establish Priorities, External Audit, Financial Operations, Internal Audit, Investment Management, Leadership, Leading Edge Technology, Lean Six Sigma, Maintain Compliance, Management Strategy, Metrics, Operations Processes, Performance Management, Performance Metrics, Pricing, Problem Solving Skills, Process Improvement, Process Modeling, Product Lifecycle, Product Lifecycle Management, Product Management, Product Planning, Product Strategy, Project/Program Management, Reporting Dashboards, Root Cause Analysis, Sales, Six Sigma Green Belt, Source Code/Configuration Management (SCM), Standards Development, Supply Chain Operations, Time Management, Traceability

LOCATION

Albertville, Alabama

POSTED

11 days ago

PRS Facility Location
Albertville, AL (PRSC Corp HQ) - 001
Job Purpose
Own and continuously improve the end-to-end Product Management operating model and core processes (e.g., portfolio planning, product lifecycle governance, VOC/market insights, business case development, stage-gate governance, roadmap management, pricing inputs, launch readiness, and post-launch performance management). This role sets standards, defines controls and decision rights, partners with cross-functional leaders to implement changes, and ensures consistent adoption through documentation, training, metrics, and governance.
Req ID
12004BR
Company Description
Progress Rail stands at the intersection of legacy and innovation-driving the future of rail with a pioneering spirit. Since its founding in 1983, the company has grown to become one of the world's largest and most trusted providers of railroad products, services, and technologies. Today, Progress Rail delivers a comprehensive portfolio of cost-effective solutions to railway customers around the globe. From the rails themselves to the EMD® locomotives that ride them, the company's products are in operation across more than 100 countries-powering progress and connecting communities. In 2006, Progress Rail joined Caterpillar Inc., further strengthening its ability to lead the rail industry with cutting-edge technology, unmatched expertise, and a commitment to excellence. At Progress Rail, the team is not just building the future of rail-they are making history every day.
Education / Training
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or related field; equivalent experience considered.
• MBA or Master's degree preferred; Lean/Six Sigma (Green Belt+) or equivalent continuous improvement training strongly preferred.
Job Title
Director Product Management - Rail Infrastructure
City
Albertville
Key Job Elements
• Serve as the process owner for the Product Management operating model, including defined decision rights, governance cadence, inputs/outputs, and handoffs across Sales, Engineering, Finance, Operations, and Aftermarket.
• Define and maintain standard work for core Product Management processes (portfolio planning, lifecycle reviews, stage-gate governance, roadmap management, launch readiness, and post-launch reviews), ensuring clarity of roles (RACI), artifacts, and approval paths.
• Lead cross-functional workshops to identify pain points, risks, and bottlenecks; perform root-cause analysis; and prioritize improvements based on business impact, customer value, and feasibility.
• Establish and run Product Management process governance (intake, prioritization, roadmap for improvements, stakeholder alignment, and change control), including executive-ready reporting and decisions.
• Define process KPIs and health measures (e.g., cycle time to approve business cases, on-time stage-gate deliverables, roadmap stability, launch readiness, VOC coverage, portfolio value realization) and drive actions when performance is off-track.
• Partner with IT and analytics teams to translate process needs into system requirements (PLM/ERP/CRM), streamline data flows, and improve transparency through dashboards and standardized artifacts.
• Own the process documentation repository, including document control, versioning, approvals, and auditability; ensure teams are working to the current standard.
• Ensure controls and compliance needs are embedded in Product Management processes (governance checkpoints, required artifacts, and traceability), and support internal/external audits as applicable.
• Develop and deliver change management and enablement (communications, training, job aids, coaching) to drive adoption across product managers and partner functions; measure adoption and sustainment.
• Perform all responsibilities in accordance with applicable policies and code of conduct.
Qualifications and Experience
Qualifications, Experience:
• 10-12+ years of experience in product management, portfolio/program management, business operations, process ownership, and/or continuous improvement, with demonstrated end-to-end accountability for complex cross-functional processes.
• Proven ability to design and run governance mechanisms (cadences, decision forums, stage-gate/approval workflows) and drive alignment at manager, director, and executive levels.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; able to define measures, interpret trends, and translate insights into decisions and sustained process improvements.
• Demonstrated change leadership: building stakeholder coalitions, influencing without authority, and d

About the Company

Progress Rail

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