Dir Technical Product Ownership at ACI Worldwide

United States

Job Purpose The Director of Platform Product Management is responsible for defining and executing the company’s platform product strategy, with a primary focus on platform consolidation, backend simplification, and scalable architecture enablement. This leader oversees a team of platform product managers responsible for core systems, shared services, and foundational capabilities. The role ensures alignment across product, engineering, and business teams to reduce fragmentation, eliminate redundant systems, and deliver a unified, extensible platform that accelerates innovation across all product lines and vertical markets.   Essential Functions and Responsibilities Platform Strategy & Vision • Define and own the platform product vision and multi-year roadmap, aligned to company strategy • Lead the platform consolidation strategy, rationalizing legacy systems and reducing architectural complexity • Establish clear platform boundaries, domains, and ownership models • Drive a shift from siloed products to shared, reusable platform capabilities Platform Portfolio Management • Oversee the full portfolio of platform products, including core services, APIs, data platforms, and infrastructure layers • Prioritize investments based on business impact, scalability, and cost efficiency • Balance technical debt reduction vs. new capability development • Define and track platform success metrics (adoption, performance, cost-to-serve, reuse) Organizational Leadership • Lead, mentor, and scale a team of platform product managers • Establish consistent product management practices across platform teams • Drive accountability for outcomes, not just delivery • Partner with engineering leadership on operating model, capacity planning, and execution rigor Cross-Functional Alignment • Act as the central point of coordination between product, engineering, architecture, and business stakeholders • Drive alignment across vertical product teams to ensure platform adoption and standardization • Influence senior leadership (ELT) on platform investment tradeoffs and sequencing Platform Operating Model • Define and implement a platform-first operating model, including: • Intake and prioritization processes • Shared services governance • API-first and modular design principles • Establish clear SLAs, support models, and internal customer engagement practices Platform Consolidation & Simplification • Identify and eliminate duplicate systems, overlapping capabilities, and redundant workflows • Lead initiatives to modernize legacy infrastructure and unify backend processes • Drive standardization across: • Payment processing flows • Data models and integrations • Authentication, billing, and core services • Deliver measurable improvements in system efficiency, reliability, and cost   Operating Principles • Platform-first mindset: Build once, reuse everywhere • Simplification over customization • APIs and modularity as default • Outcome-driven, not output-driven • Relentless focus on scalability and efficiency   Qualifications (Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities) * 8–12+ years (Director) / 12–15+ years (VP) in product management, with significant experience in platform or infrastructure products * Proven track record of leading platform transformation or consolidation initiatives * Experience managing and scaling product management teams * Strong background working with engineering, architecture, and distributed systems * Strong understanding of product development methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, etc.). * Experience managing geographically dispersed resources and cross-functional teams. * Analytical mindset with problem-solving abilities and attention to detail. * Experience in technology, SaaS, or digital product environments. * Deep understanding of platform thinking, APIs, microservices, and system design *  Strong strategic thinking with ability to translate complexity into clear roadmaps * Exceptional stakeholder management and executive communication skills * Ability to operate at both strategic and execution levels * Data-driven decision making with a focus on business outcomes     Preferred Qualifications (Education, Experience, Competencies) * Bachelor’s degree, or higher education, in Software Engineering. * Familiarity with product management software and tools. * Strong customer-focused mindset. * Change management experience.    Work Environment:  * Standard work environment  * Majority of time spent on PC (Phys. Req.)