Discovery Product Manager - Springfield

Photon$110K — $130K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 6-10 years of product management experience focusing on search and findability products.
  • Proven ownership of search features in digital commerce or content-heavy platforms.
  • Deep knowledge of search fundamentals including query processing and relevance ranking.
  • Experience with search platforms like Elasticsearch or similar.
  • Strong analytical skills with expertise in search analytics and A/B testing.
  • Familiarity with web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) for collaboration with engineering teams.
  • Experience with APIs and third-party systems in digital commerce.

Responsibilities

  • Define and own the product vision and strategy for discovery features.
  • Prioritize findability features based on customer data and business goals.
  • Collaborate with engineering and data science to enhance ranking algorithms.
  • Translate complex discovery challenges into actionable requirements.
  • Manage the full product lifecycle from ideation to optimization.
  • Define and track specific KPIs related to search and browse effectiveness.
  • Ensure intuitive user experiences through collaboration with UX teams.

Benefits

  • Medical, vision, and dental benefits.
  • 401k retirement plan.
  • Variable pay/incentives.
  • Paid time off and holidays.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Job Title: Discovery Product Manager

Product Manager - Discovery

B2B Automotive Parts Platform

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Product Manager to own the Discovery product domain for a B2B digital platform serving professional automotive repair shops and commercial buyers. This role is responsible for how professional buyers find the right parts for the right vehicles - from initial search and catalog browsing through product details, pricing, availability, and order initiation.

The Discovery PM owns the end-to-end parts discovery experience, ensuring professional buyers can efficiently identify, validate, and act on the parts they need across a large, complex automotive catalog. This is a high-impact role at the intersection of catalog quality, vehicle-based navigation, commerce enablement, and platform data integrity.

The ideal candidate brings strong B2B or automotive e-commerce product thinking, experience with catalog and commerce platforms, and the ability to drive delivery in a complex enterprise environment with multiple stakeholders and technical dependencies.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy & Roadmap Ownership

  • Own the product vision, strategy, and roadmap for the Discovery domain - covering parts search, catalog browsing, vehicle-based part selection, product listing and detail pages, pricing and availability, order initiation, part interchange, and kits.


  • Define and prioritize features based on professional buyer needs, business impact, catalog data quality, and technical feasibility.


  • Build and maintain a structured product backlog with clear prioritization rationale - balancing quick wins against foundational platform investments.


  • Develop PRDs, user stories, and acceptance criteria that are unambiguous and delivery-ready.


  • Define measurable product goals, KPIs, and success metrics across all feature areas.


Customer Discovery & Buyer Insights

  • Develop a deep understanding of the professional automotive buyer workflow - how shop owners, service advisors, and parts specialists search for parts, validate fitment, check availability, compare pricing, and initiate orders.


  • Lead structured discovery activities - customer interviews, usability sessions, support ticket analysis, and usage data review - to identify friction in the parts discovery journey and validate product direction.


  • Translate buyer pain points and behavioral data into scalable product capabilities that improve discovery accuracy, speed, and confidence.


  • Collaborate with internal product, QA, and business stakeholders to align on buyer needs before committing to development.


Catalog & Discovery Product Ownership

  • Own the product strategy for parts search - including keyword and vehicle-based catalog lookup, part interchange (compatible and substitute parts), and kit-level product discovery.


  • Define requirements for catalog enrichment - ensuring product listing and detail pages surface the right attributes, fitment data, imagery, and technical specifications that professional buyers need for purchase decisions.


  • Own pricing and availability requirements - ensuring P&A data is accurate, timely, and surfaced at the right point in the buyer journey.


  • Own the order initiation experience - defining how buyers move from discovery to order, including add-to-order flows from listing and detail pages and the stock order workflow.


Platform & Data Foundation

  • Partner with engineering and data teams to define requirements for data sync, batch processing, and platform resilience - ensuring catalog accuracy, availability, and performance at scale.


  • Define analytics instrumentation requirements - ensuring the right events, funnels, and dashboards are in place to measure catalog completeness, discovery effectiveness, and buyer engagement.


  • Use analytics and experimentation to continuously improve catalog quality, discovery relevance, and conversion.


Delivery & Cross-functional Leadership

  • Drive end-to-end feature delivery within an Agile delivery model - from story sign-off and technical design through development, integration, testing, and production release.


  • Partner with engineering architects, API and frontend teams to ensure delivery aligns with product intent and quality standards.


  • Communicate product priorities, trade-offs, and roadmap progress clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.


  • Manage dependencies across the Discovery domain and adjacent platform areas - pricing services, data pipelines, and platform integrations.


Required Qualifications

  • 7+ years of product management experience with demonstrated ownership of a catalog, commerce discovery, or digital product domain.


  • Strong understanding of catalog product fundamentals - attribute management, fitment logic, pricing display, availability logic, and catalog data quality.


  • Experience owning product listing and product detail page experiences in a commerce or B2B platform context.


  • Proven ability to define product strategy and roadmap from discovery through post-launch iteration, backed by customer research and data.


  • Experience writing PRDs, user stories, and acceptance criteria for complex, API-integrated product features.


  • Strong analytical skills - able to define and track product KPIs, interpret funnel and engagement analytics, and make data-informed prioritization decisions.


  • Hands-on Agile delivery experience - sprint planning, backlog grooming, story writing, and release management.


  • Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills across engineering, design, business, and executive audiences.


Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in automotive aftermarket, parts commerce, or B2B procurement platforms - familiarity with vehicle selection, part fitment, interchange, and catalog complexity is a strong plus.


  • Understanding of search and catalog discovery concepts - keyword search, faceted navigation, relevance, and personalization - from a product requirements perspective.


  • Experience with AI/ML-driven catalog enrichment, personalization, or recommendation systems in a commerce context.


  • Familiarity with pricing and availability services in a B2B commerce context - real-time P&A integration, tiered pricing, and inventory visibility.


  • Experience with headless commerce, MFE (Micro Frontend) architectures, and API-first platform delivery.


  • Exposure to cloud-based platform infrastructure and data pipeline management from a product requirements perspective.


  • Experience defining analytics instrumentation and working with BI and analytics teams on product dashboards and experimentation frameworks.


  • CSPO, SAFe POPM, or equivalent Agile certification.


Core Skills

  • Parts Catalog & Discovery Product Management


  • Vehicle-Based Navigation & Fitment Logic


  • Product Listing & Detail Page Ownership


  • Pricing & Availability Requirements


  • Catalog Quality & Data Enrichment


  • Order Initiation & Commerce Discovery Workflows


  • Part Interchange & Kits Product Strategy


  • Data Sync & Platform Resilience


  • Analytics Instrumentation & KPI Definition


  • Agile Product Delivery


  • B2B Buyer Discovery & Usability Research


  • Cross-functional Stakeholder Management

About Photon

Photon Careers

Joining Photon presents an unparalleled opportunity to advance one's career with a leader in digital innovation. Photon is actively seeking talented individuals to join its diverse team of professionals, dedicated to reshaping industries through technology and creativity.

Explore Job Opportunities

Photon offers a variety of job opportunities that cater to a range of skills and interests. Each position at Photon is designed to challenge team members while providing meaningful pathways for professional and personal growth.

Experience the Culture and Benefits

Photon is committed to fostering a workplace culture that promotes diversity and inclusion. The company provides comprehensive benefits designed to support the health, well-being, and financial security of each team member. At Photon, every professional enjoys access to career development programs and diversity training, ensuring they are equipped for leadership roles in an evolving marketplace.

Engage in Professional Growth

Photon believes in the power of innovation and leadership to drive success. The company supports its team members with resources for continuous learning and growth, including advanced training sessions and leadership workshops. Networking within Photon’s industry-leading community allows for unparalleled career advancement and skill enhancement.

Internship Programs

For those beginning their professional journey, Photon offers internship programs that provide a robust foundation in digital solutions. Internships at Photon are characterized by immersive projects and hands-on learning, guided by experts in various fields. These programs are a gateway to full-time employment and a promising career path.

Join the Team

Photon is hiring! Explore open positions that match your skills and interests. Photon looks for passionate, curious, creative, and solution-driven team players. Whether you are starting your career or looking to make a significant impact in your professional journey, Photon has a place for you.

Prepare for Your Interview

Photon values a thorough selection process. Prospective team members are encouraged to prepare by understanding the company’s mission and values. Tailoring your resume to highlight relevant experience and skills will make a significant difference. Engage actively during your interview, demonstrating your knowledge and enthusiasm for the role you are applying for.

Stay Connected

Keep up to date with the latest from Photon by following the company’s career blog. Gain insights from insiders, learn about new job openings, and get tips on preparing your resume and acing your interview.

Career Development at Photon

Photon is dedicated to the professional development of its team members. The company offers various tools and resources, including career coaching and performance feedback, to help individuals reach their full potential. With Photon, career aspirations are nurtured, encouraging every team member to excel and innovate in their respective roles.

Networking and Career Opportunities

Photon encourages its team members to engage in networking within the company and the broader industry. These connections can lead to myriad opportunities, from collaborative projects to mentorship. Networking at Photon is not just about building professional relationships; it's about fostering a community of innovation and mutual growth.

Conclusion

Photon is not just a company; it is a community of driven professionals committed to making a difference. With a focus on innovation, leadership, and diversity, Photon offers a dynamic environment where ambitious individuals can thrive. Explore the possibilities and join Photon’s team of leaders, innovators, and visionaries.
Learn more about Photon

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