The Opportunity:The
Senior Director, Digital Product Management is accountable for how product management is performed across VWR's digital organization, including the vision, standards, operating model, governance, and talent systems that enable a scalable, high-performing discipline. This leader oversees the practice and its leaders rather than a single product area, translating enterprise and digital strategy into a multi-year direction for product management while shaping portfolio investment, capacity, and delivery priorities. As the organization matures, the role may extend into adjacent experience disciplines, including UX / Design, to ensure a coherent, customer-centered approach to end-to-end digital product delivery.
How you will thrive and create an impact- Own and evolve the vision, philosophy, and operating model for the Product Management practice, including how digital products are discovered, prioritized, delivered, and measured.
- Set and steward product standards, methodologies, governance, and tooling; improve consistency and quality across teams as the organization scales.
- Translate enterprise and digital strategy into a multi-year direction for the product discipline, aligning practice investment, organizational capacity, and priorities to business needs.
- Represent product management at the executive level and partner with Engineering, Data, Commercial, and business leaders to shape digital strategy, portfolio investment, and roadmaps.
- Lead the discipline's contribution to measurable commercial, customer, and operational outcomes; establish performance measures and communicate trade-offs to executive leadership.
- Own the talent and capability architecture for product management, including job families, leveling frameworks, career paths, hiring standards, talent calibration, succession planning, and leadership development.
- Lead and develop Directors of Product Management and, as scope expands, UX / Design leaders; build a strong leadership bench and set clear cultural, performance, and ethical expectations.
- Build, structure, and resource the product and experience organization in partnership with the Chief Digital Officer and the HR team.
- Extend practice leadership across UX / Design and cross-functional delivery to enable an integrated, end-to-end approach to digital product development.
- Advance product and UX maturity by benchmarking against industry practices, implementing modern operating models, including AI-enabled ways of working, and leading the organizational change required for adoption.
- Champion customer-centricity, outcome orientation, and data-informed decision-making across the discipline.
What we're looking for- Bachelor's degree required; MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
- 12-15+ years of progressive product management experience, including substantial experience leading product leaders and managing managers or directors.
- Demonstrated success building, scaling, and maturing a product practice or organization, including its operating model, standards, governance, and talent frameworks.
- Experience leading complex, cross-functional digital initiatives and influencing senior executives.
- Proven ability to connect product practice maturity and investment to measurable business and customer outcomes.
- Experience leading or closely partnering with UX / Design and other experience disciplines; comfort operating across a combined product and experience remit preferred.
- B2B, eCommerce, and/or distribution industry experience preferred.
- Experience implementing modern product operating models and AI-enabled ways of working preferred.
- Experience designing job architectures, leveling frameworks, and career paths for a professional discipline preferred, in partnership with HR.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities - Enterprise-level product management expertise, including product discovery, prioritization, delivery, measurement, governance, and portfolio planning.
- Strategic leadership and executive influence, with the ability to translate business strategy into a practical product and experience vision.
- Strong organizational design and talent leadership capabilities, including workforce planning, leadership development, calibration, and succession planning.
- Ability to lead through influence across Engineering, Data, Commercial, UX / Design, People, and business teams in a complex matrixed environment.
- Deep understanding of customer-centered design, product and UX maturity, outcome-based planning, and data-informed decision-making.
- Strong business and financial acumen, with the ability to evaluate investments, balance tradeoffs, and connect organizational capabilities to measurable results.
- Exceptional communication, change leadership, coaching, and stakeholder-management skills.
- Ability to establish high standards, build alignment, and create a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and ethical leadership.
Avantor offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, wellness programs, health savings and flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan with company match, and an employee stock purchase program. Employees also receive 11 paid holidays, accrue 18 PTO days annually, are eligible for volunteer time off and 6 weeks of 100% paid parental leave (except in states that offer paid family leave). These benefits may not apply to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement or those subject to other eligibility rules.
